Greetings, fight fans. Three new Apple ads have bounced into the ring, ready to hit back at Microsoft's recent sucker punches. Llllllets's get readyyyyy to rummmmmmble!
But first, let's recap. This most vehement phase of the Mac vs PC flame wars began with the introduction of Apple's famous "I'm a Mac" ads. Mac is a louche, laid-back hipster hanging out with staid, be-suited PC, a neat if infuriatingly reductionist summation of the brand perceptions surrounding these rival products.
Microsoft had been unable to come up with an advertising concept as precision-engineered as this -- the "I'm a PC" being too much of a direct comeback -- until the debut of this year's "You find it, you keep it" campaign, in which ordinary down-home folk look at Macs, decide they're too expensive, and end up with a machine running Windows.
The ads are a neat riposte to the smugness of the Apple campaign, with real-life situations puncturing the air of superiority given off by Justin Long's punchable Mac. The laptop hunters are Lauren discounting Apple on price, Giampaolo on specs, and Sheila on filmmaking, or something. Zing! Take that, Apple!
But now Apple has fired back. Move over, Lauren, Megan's here for the folksy vote, passive-aggressively putting the boot into Windows. Her needs are simple, but her need for a big screen and no virus headaches rules out John Hodgman's PC and his legion of mates.
A second ad introduces a Mac Genius. In another ad, PC fields calls from Kalamazoo, Fairfield and Deerborn, Michigan. The callers, heartland Joe and Josie Sixpacks all, are ruled out by Apple's PC-bashing mantra: PCs are virus-ridden and customer care is a nightmare. Oof! Pick the teeth out of that, Microsoft!
We've embedded the new ads below for your pugilistic pleasure, and we await the next round with bated breath. Fiiiiiiight!
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Comments 1
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Anonymous 29 August, 2010 19:23
I haven't even got my mac home yet and I hate apple already.
I tried to book a slot five days in advance to minimise the time it would take to transfer data from my old and small PC. When I got there early they told me they wouldn't even start that day, but simply repeated that it might take three days, very busy, we'll do our best, starting tomorrow.
Each time I call to ask how they are doing i speak to someone new and have to start the whole story all over again. Each time its like talking to a parrot in a cash machine. It might take three days, we're very busy, we'll do our best
On day four they said they were doing it right then when I called.
On day five they said they didn't have the right password when I called. They didn't call me to clear that up.
This is the kind of can-do attitude I expect from banks and scrapyards. I'll be getting a refund, I'm not even taking it home.