PC way to go! please see the short post on PC vs. Mac on my web site.
Jeff - 15 years ago
Before I start, let me say that I am not a typical PC user in that I just hate Macs for the sake of hating them. I actually own and iPhone and have recommended certain people buy Macs because it suits their needs or personalities better than a PC would.
Now, when it comes to the commercials, I'm really happy that Microsoft started fighting back. Not because they're losing market share or because they need more sales, but because the Apple ads were just same damn inaccurate most of the time.
There were so many instances where claims were made about Macs not having the same issues as PCs that were just inaccurate or at the very least a tilted view of the world. The claims about Vista (I have two machines with Vista and have no problems and love the way it works), viruses and security (yes, Macs can get viruses, it has happened... just not much because there just aren't a lot of them to bother with), that Macs don't crash (they do, a lot for some people), and so on.
My favorite were two different commercials where they made fun of PCs for all the software that gets included by various manufacturers, but then have other commercials where they highlight the software that comes with a Mac.
Another set of commercials highlighted that PCs were all business and Macs were made for fun. Not only was this off base because most games are made for PCs and never make it to Mac, but then Apple had to come out with another commercial highlighting that they could run the Office software because the first ad worked a little too well.
If Mac would have stuck with the great way their commercials for iPods and iPhones worked, I would have never cared. Highlight the easy to use interface, highlight the cool features... do whatever you like, but give me a break on the idea that one is better than the other.
Having Apple ask Microsoft to knock it off concerning these ads is the textbook example hypocritical behavior. Apple, if you can't take crap, don't start crap.
Lee - 15 years ago
I use PC's at work and they're fine for what I do there. But I'm insulated by our IT guy who is paid to protect our machines from the everyday bugs and viruses that can be nightmares for the office. Admittedly, this gives me a false sense of security about PC's. At home, we are totally Mac people right up to the iPhone and AppleTV. In 15 years I've never had a virus to worry about and that goes back way before OSX! Having laid some groundwork then, what I see from these ads, tactically, is that Microsoft is reacting from fear. They are seeing the writing on the wall and have finally noticed that Apple has been getting real traction in overall sales AND popularity. To me their ads are nothing more than a cheap shot aimed at the more impressionable consumer - their target audience. No doubt these ads will probably work - at least for awhile anyway. However, more and more consumers are getting sucked into the Apple ecosystem and realizing that it isn't about the shallow notion of just "being cool", it's about getting what you pay for - hardware and software that works perfectly together across all of Apple's product lines. It's not about just "working" on the computer... it's about "creating" something WITH a computer. The simpler the process, the more impressive the creation, I think. Seamless integration of mind and machine. Apple really gets that. They are, first and foremost, a software company. That's what [should] have Microsoft running the most scared right now.
Teresa - 15 years ago
I voted Mac. The PC commercials have real-actors saying dumb things like, "really big screen and 50 gigs of ram." Those aren't even Microsoft functions, those are HP functions. I jumped ship from PC earlier this year and I will never go back. Worth every penny to have a machine that works and integrates the hardware and the software together. The Mac desktop isn't preloaded with 3rd party crap taking up memory that doesn't run correctly. The Mac is definitely premium to a PC and the Mac ads are a very clear depiction of that fact.
Emily Purdie - 15 years ago
The Mac ads emphasize the unique features of a Mac in a really interesting and compelling way, but they're also clearly about image. The PC ads, I think, really convey how much extra you have to pay for that image. As a PC fan, I actually think the Mac ads are a little better overall, but the PC ads are right in line with Microsoft's brand image, and they deliver a hell of a compelling message - you get an equally good computer for significantly less money. Clearly the time is right for cost-consciousness in advertising. I think that among a demographic that doesn't really care about being "cool" (or is even a little turned off by the "hipper than thou" kind of attitude sometimes projected by Mac users), the Microsoft ads just might seal the deal.
Leslie - 15 years ago
I'm a MAC, and the PC commercials would never convince me to change, but they are definitely a step up from earlier Microsoft campaigns. I love how they slip in the negative perceptions of Macbooks ("Macs are really about the looks"). Doesn't change the fact that YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Still the new PC ads are good, and will translate to sales. But... I've used both, and I'm never going back to a PC.
They appeal to different markets. If you don't want to spend too much money on a computer and don't want to do massively creative work such as music, video or graphics get a PC. If you want a more robust, more intuitive computer that allows you to do far more creative things get a Mac.
It's pretty simple really!
Kam Lagan - 15 years ago
I don't understand. The mac compares the experience, whereas Microsoft compares price. You truly do , "get what you pay for in this life". I could buy a laptop that runs Linux for about £300, does that make it better than mac or pc? Besides, the pc advert is misleading. The people are offered $2000 to buy a laptop and they can keep the remaining money. Doesn't mean that what they have bought is in the same league are even a basic mac. a mac os is streamlined to work on apple hw, which makes absolute sense. If microsoft decided to drop the "bloat" and write something with a specific hardware profile in mind, maybe it would be a lot slicker than it currently is.
The second part of Microsoft's commercial (which they left out) is everybody standing in the Geek Squad line getting their Windows PCs fixed. If I were Apple, I would put a camera on "Lauren and here PC Pavillion" over the next few months and watch the horror unfold.
Dave - 15 years ago
You saved $400 and you'll have $2000 worth of head aches. It's not a deal is it doesn't work, everyday...for years.
Sikandar - 15 years ago
I enjoyed the PC ads more.. they seem more real and compelling to me and I thought that the girl saying "I'm just not cool enough to be a Mac person" in a sarcastic way was brilliant. It shows Microsoft comfortable enough to know their strengths and weaknesses and their users as real people who I can relate to. Someone thinking they're cool because they own a certain type of laptop - I can't relate to that.
Mac is preaching "A Better Quality Product", and Microsoft is preaching "Cheaper Than Mac".
When viewed thru this prism, Microsoft is validating the advertising message of Mac, and I don't view that as a positive in the brand-building efforts of Microsoft.
this pool is stupid :(. I love Mac but ad/commercial for PC is targeting the larger audience...Mac is targeting Mac fans. And the questions are not neutral :(.
I voted for the Mac Ads, I think the few PC ads were great, but after the third one you could almost predict the people's lines: "Macs are expensive" "Lots of PCs" "Wooooow big screen", etc.
I personally am a Mac. But I voted for the PC commercials. think the PC commercials do a better job driving home the point by using real-type actors... actors pretending not to be actors. "Real people." I see myself at the store making the same kinds of decisions. But the girl's last line: "I'm not cool enough to buy a mac" drives home the other side of it. People with macs are just cooler ;-)
Mac is A Better Quality Product and Microsoft is Cheaper Than Mac. Both are Good as per Customer recommended expectation.
you can see my blog by clicking on my name next to this message. Your feedbacks are appreciated!
PC way to go! please see the short post on PC vs. Mac on my web site.
Before I start, let me say that I am not a typical PC user in that I just hate Macs for the sake of hating them. I actually own and iPhone and have recommended certain people buy Macs because it suits their needs or personalities better than a PC would.
Now, when it comes to the commercials, I'm really happy that Microsoft started fighting back. Not because they're losing market share or because they need more sales, but because the Apple ads were just same damn inaccurate most of the time.
There were so many instances where claims were made about Macs not having the same issues as PCs that were just inaccurate or at the very least a tilted view of the world. The claims about Vista (I have two machines with Vista and have no problems and love the way it works), viruses and security (yes, Macs can get viruses, it has happened... just not much because there just aren't a lot of them to bother with), that Macs don't crash (they do, a lot for some people), and so on.
My favorite were two different commercials where they made fun of PCs for all the software that gets included by various manufacturers, but then have other commercials where they highlight the software that comes with a Mac.
Another set of commercials highlighted that PCs were all business and Macs were made for fun. Not only was this off base because most games are made for PCs and never make it to Mac, but then Apple had to come out with another commercial highlighting that they could run the Office software because the first ad worked a little too well.
If Mac would have stuck with the great way their commercials for iPods and iPhones worked, I would have never cared. Highlight the easy to use interface, highlight the cool features... do whatever you like, but give me a break on the idea that one is better than the other.
Having Apple ask Microsoft to knock it off concerning these ads is the textbook example hypocritical behavior. Apple, if you can't take crap, don't start crap.
I use PC's at work and they're fine for what I do there. But I'm insulated by our IT guy who is paid to protect our machines from the everyday bugs and viruses that can be nightmares for the office. Admittedly, this gives me a false sense of security about PC's. At home, we are totally Mac people right up to the iPhone and AppleTV. In 15 years I've never had a virus to worry about and that goes back way before OSX! Having laid some groundwork then, what I see from these ads, tactically, is that Microsoft is reacting from fear. They are seeing the writing on the wall and have finally noticed that Apple has been getting real traction in overall sales AND popularity. To me their ads are nothing more than a cheap shot aimed at the more impressionable consumer - their target audience. No doubt these ads will probably work - at least for awhile anyway. However, more and more consumers are getting sucked into the Apple ecosystem and realizing that it isn't about the shallow notion of just "being cool", it's about getting what you pay for - hardware and software that works perfectly together across all of Apple's product lines. It's not about just "working" on the computer... it's about "creating" something WITH a computer. The simpler the process, the more impressive the creation, I think. Seamless integration of mind and machine. Apple really gets that. They are, first and foremost, a software company. That's what [should] have Microsoft running the most scared right now.
I voted Mac. The PC commercials have real-actors saying dumb things like, "really big screen and 50 gigs of ram." Those aren't even Microsoft functions, those are HP functions. I jumped ship from PC earlier this year and I will never go back. Worth every penny to have a machine that works and integrates the hardware and the software together. The Mac desktop isn't preloaded with 3rd party crap taking up memory that doesn't run correctly. The Mac is definitely premium to a PC and the Mac ads are a very clear depiction of that fact.
The Mac ads emphasize the unique features of a Mac in a really interesting and compelling way, but they're also clearly about image. The PC ads, I think, really convey how much extra you have to pay for that image. As a PC fan, I actually think the Mac ads are a little better overall, but the PC ads are right in line with Microsoft's brand image, and they deliver a hell of a compelling message - you get an equally good computer for significantly less money. Clearly the time is right for cost-consciousness in advertising. I think that among a demographic that doesn't really care about being "cool" (or is even a little turned off by the "hipper than thou" kind of attitude sometimes projected by Mac users), the Microsoft ads just might seal the deal.
I'm a MAC, and the PC commercials would never convince me to change, but they are definitely a step up from earlier Microsoft campaigns. I love how they slip in the negative perceptions of Macbooks ("Macs are really about the looks"). Doesn't change the fact that YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. Still the new PC ads are good, and will translate to sales. But... I've used both, and I'm never going back to a PC.
They appeal to different markets. If you don't want to spend too much money on a computer and don't want to do massively creative work such as music, video or graphics get a PC. If you want a more robust, more intuitive computer that allows you to do far more creative things get a Mac.
It's pretty simple really!
I don't understand. The mac compares the experience, whereas Microsoft compares price. You truly do , "get what you pay for in this life". I could buy a laptop that runs Linux for about £300, does that make it better than mac or pc? Besides, the pc advert is misleading. The people are offered $2000 to buy a laptop and they can keep the remaining money. Doesn't mean that what they have bought is in the same league are even a basic mac. a mac os is streamlined to work on apple hw, which makes absolute sense. If microsoft decided to drop the "bloat" and write something with a specific hardware profile in mind, maybe it would be a lot slicker than it currently is.
The second part of Microsoft's commercial (which they left out) is everybody standing in the Geek Squad line getting their Windows PCs fixed. If I were Apple, I would put a camera on "Lauren and here PC Pavillion" over the next few months and watch the horror unfold.
You saved $400 and you'll have $2000 worth of head aches. It's not a deal is it doesn't work, everyday...for years.
I enjoyed the PC ads more.. they seem more real and compelling to me and I thought that the girl saying "I'm just not cool enough to be a Mac person" in a sarcastic way was brilliant. It shows Microsoft comfortable enough to know their strengths and weaknesses and their users as real people who I can relate to. Someone thinking they're cool because they own a certain type of laptop - I can't relate to that.
I think the Mac ads are more entertaining and clever but the PC ads are more compelling. So the question is, which translates into sales?
I voted for the Mac ads, although I am a PC user.
Mac is preaching "A Better Quality Product", and Microsoft is preaching "Cheaper Than Mac".
When viewed thru this prism, Microsoft is validating the advertising message of Mac, and I don't view that as a positive in the brand-building efforts of Microsoft.
this pool is stupid :(. I love Mac but ad/commercial for PC is targeting the larger audience...Mac is targeting Mac fans. And the questions are not neutral :(.
My vaginer says Arby's!!!!!!
I voted for the Mac Ads, I think the few PC ads were great, but after the third one you could almost predict the people's lines: "Macs are expensive" "Lots of PCs" "Wooooow big screen", etc.
I personally am a Mac. But I voted for the PC commercials. think the PC commercials do a better job driving home the point by using real-type actors... actors pretending not to be actors. "Real people." I see myself at the store making the same kinds of decisions. But the girl's last line: "I'm not cool enough to buy a mac" drives home the other side of it. People with macs are just cooler ;-)