Rex Hammock On The Crazy Microsoft Ads

topics

News From Us:

Our latest report; our new video section; and jobs with paidContent.org and paidContent:UK

Rex Hammock On The Crazy Microsoft Ads

Our friend Rex Hammock’s take on the Microsoft ad campaign from his RexBlog. Keep in mind, he’s an avid Apple user.

Finally, Microsoft responds to the cute, but often mean-spirited Apple ads that imply anyone using a PC is a dork — not a geek, but a dork. The ad embedded below is one of three executions of the new ads (these ads are actually about something, not the ones about nothing that had Jerry Seinfeld in them), all variations on the theme that PC people do lots of cool and interesting stuff.

(Also below is a video screen grab I recorded of an ad that appeared on the front page of NYTimes.com yesterday. As typical, the online ad is technically brilliant and an incredible use of the medium. I can’t believe the NY Times allows it, but that’s not what this post is about.)

Here’s my instant review of the Microsoft ad: I wonder why it took Microsoft this long to respond to Apple? I’m sure there’s been a raging debate regarding whether or not responding would “validate” the implications contained in Apple spots. Look at most of the blog coverage and you’ll see what I mean — every post will comment on them in comparison to the Apple spots.

I think the hardcore technology blogosphere will love the ads. That’s because there’s a nuanced and subtle love-hate thing many technology bloggers have with Apple (NSDQ: AAPL). We (and in this case, I’ll include myself) use Apple products because of their elegant design. But we have come to believe that Apple, the company, lives on another planet — or, at least behind some sort of iron curtain.

Another reason I think these ads work: While I think the Apple ads are effective in pounding in one message (Macs are more dependable than PCs), I don’t believe they’ve been effective at convincing people that users of PCs are losers. Why? Because, at the end of the day, we all love John Hodgman, the “I’m a PC guy,” way more than the straight-man hipster dude who plays “I’m a Mac.”

So, bottomline for me. Kudos to Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT). Apple has been offering you this chance on a silver platter for years.

Bonus link: Design blog CounterNotions stayed up late last night to write a long review comparing the Microsoft spots to a campaign Apple did several years ago called, “Here’s to Crazy Ones.”

I’m a PC and I’ve been made into a stereotype, version 1

I’m a Mac, I’m a PC ad appearing on the front of NYTimes.com, September 19, 2008

Staci D. Kramer

@sdkstl Sep 20, 2008 9:05 AM ET

Posted In: Advertising, Companies, Apple, Microsoft

latest headlines

Harvey

People who like the new Microsoft ad applaud it for responding to Apple’s TV ads.

The point is that they’re not responding to Apple’s ads (which makes Microsoft look all the worse… a tacit admission of Vista’s faults).

Apple's ads talk either about PC hardware vs. Macs, or Vista vs. Mac OS X. Since Microsoft doesn't make PC's, the Apple ads dealing with Vista are the ones that are aimed at Microsoft.

Apple’s ads use two characters to present the pros of using Mac OS X versus the cons of using Vista. The Apple ads talk about “Vista” specifically, and the problems with that operating system.

Microsoft’s ads avoid dealing with the negative Vista issues delivered in Apple’s ads, and instead show a bunch of people who use PCs. Microsoft cannot respond to the allegations presented in Apple’s ads, so they try to divert people from these facts by displaying a group of people who use PCs running Vista as if to say “These people use Vista, so you should too… despite all of the problems with it that are public knowledge.”.

Also, we have to assume that the people in the Microsoft ad who say “I’m a PC” are actually using Vista, because the word “Vista” is never mentioned. But “PC” is a generic term that stands for “personal computer”, which basically covers all desktop and notebook computers. For all we know these people may be using Windows XP, or Linux, or even Mac OS X ;-)

rs

they missed it. It's weird to see all those people claiming to be a pc. lol

John

John Hodgman aka "PC" is *supposed* to be more appealing than "Mac" - the whole point of Apple's ads are to get PC users to identify with lovable John Hodgman and then by extension, his frustration with the constant failings and shortcomings of his software.

Apple's ads would not work if "Mac" was anything other than helpful and supportive towards "PC".

Many happy Windows users see "Mac" as smug or smarmy, but unhappy Windows users usually see him as offering a way out and an option to their problems with Windows - which is why the commercials have been so successful.

Microsoft, missing or willfully ignoring the metaphor with their ad, presents their response to Apple's ads as if they were implying PC users themselves were hapless dweebs. Had Apple insulted PC users, the ads would not have worked very well to attract new users. Apples ads targeted Windows software, not Windows users.

Microsoft is trying to gloss over the fact that Apples ads have attracted and switched a lot of unhappy Windows users. The correct response from Microsoft should be to fix thehttp://www.paidcontent.org/_share/img/submit-form.gif problems that allowed "PC" to exist in the first place.

Finally, how do you get "PC Users are Dorks" from "I'm a PC" - clearly, John Hodgman is playing the role of a machine, not a user.

Sean

Better, but still not up to par with the Apple Ad. The Microsoft ad is dry and "uninviting", while the Apple ad is warm and fuzzy and makes you want to know more about the product. Why would I want to follow the herd of Microsoft's ad, when I can think different with Apple?

This is a perfect example of how Microsoft struggles with innovative thought, and continues to rely on others that can think outside "the box".

Nice try Microsoft, but lipstick on a pig still makes it a pig.

Joe

I don't know why Microsoft is upset, the Apple ads are directed toward hardware, the PC, not Windows. In fact in one of the ads it is pointed out that Windows can be used on a Mac. I would think that Dell, HP etc. would be the ones that are upset, they are the ones who make PCs not Microsoft.

i Mac

Better late than never for Microsoft to respond, but the ad gave no reason to favor Windows over the Mac OS. Maybe we're expected to join the crowd.