This is a continuation, in a way, of my previous post entitled “But Microsoft doesn’t make PCs….”
Mac has responded beautifully to Microsoft’s latest condescending ad campaign where they pay folks to buy a PC and as these folks browse for the appropriate computer, at a big box store, they invariably have a dismissive comment to make about the Mac — the lonely single Macbook in the entire store it seems. They say things like, “Macs seem more about design than anything else.”
But what makes the campaign so pathetic is that it truly is apologetic. It’s starting from a defensive position, making great claims about speed, size, software capability and price. That would be fine if the campaign itself understood the most important component in the entire equation, the User. Instead, Microsoft and its ad agency seem content to brush aside the human being in the picture and repeat that “I’m a PC.” As I said before…but Microsoft doesn’t make PCs….
Elimination
That’s where the new Mac ads come in, particularly the second in the series that you can find on the Apple site, called Elimination.
One line at the end of the spot brings it all home after PC has left the scene and the young woman and probable Mac customer is greeted by Mac. She responds with “I’m a Megan.”
Perfect. Genius. I laughed out loud when I saw that. Why? Because not only does the spot (and the campaign) cut to the core of the difference between PCs (viruses, lack of unified and simple support, and lack of ease) and Macs, it also makes a perfect reference to the inherent arrogance of the Microsoft campaign, reaching back to the so-called abortive Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld concepts.
The campaign places the product ahead of the consumer. It’s not, “I’m a PC and I’m a Tatoo Artist.” Or “I PC (as a verb) and I’m a Teacher in Africa.”
No, it’s “I do some stuff and I’m a PC.”
Well, I’m an ad guy and I use a Mac. And now Megan probably does too.
