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The Ad Wars Continue Between Apple and Microsoft

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And you thought political ads were rough this time of the year. Microsoft’s attempt at wrestling back some of its image with a $300 million ad campaign stuttered a bit at the beginning but then seemed to gain a little respectability recently with the ‘I’m a PC’ campaign. But the brains behind Apple’s image makers decided to strike again. The latest round of ads from Cupertino focus directly on Microsoft’s campaign itself, and cut pretty effectively in my opinion. Microsoft really needs to make some fundamental changes in how they approach this if they don’t want to permanently become the Rodney Dangerfield of the tech sector.

6 Comments

6 Comments

  1. Sumocat

    10/20/2008 at 6:59 am

    The “I’m a PC” ads are very well done, but I think the approach is too serious. The tone is reminiscent of the commercials I see during The McLaughlin Group, where the big companies try to relate their work to the everyman. The Apple ads feature humorous caricatures. The Microsoft ads feature straight metaphors. I think the Seinfeld ads were too out there, but the current ads are too stiff. They need something more in-between.

  2. Jeff_R

    10/20/2008 at 7:35 am

    I find it ludicrously circular to see a Mac ad that’s criticising Microsoft for spending money on advertising.

    However, Microsoft does need a better approach to ads. Hire the folk who did that “What if Roadies ran the airlines” Nextel ad; those are good.

  3. GoodThings2Life

    10/20/2008 at 11:48 am

    I agree with all the comments here and would also add that Apple’s new ads strike me as being a bit childish… you know, kinda like Steve Jobs saying– Adobe Flash isn’t good enough for iPhone, Cut/Copy/Paste isn’t good enough for iPhone, and my personal favorite– the Tablet PC isn’t useful.

  4. Y_SoSerious

    10/20/2008 at 10:31 pm

    Yeah, I agree that the Mac ads are getting on the Childish side of things. I really like the current “I’m a PC” MS ad though, I think it put light on the fact how Apple has stereotyped PC’s as being a geeky, useless piece of tech. It’s like the old Microsoft saying goes, “they maybe last to the party, but they’re always the last one standing in the end”.

  5. Ben

    10/21/2008 at 5:52 am

    Wow… below the belt. That’s uncalled for.

    Besides, Vista works wonderfully. The people who have problems with Vista have the same problems with any OS.

  6. Jane Austen

    10/21/2008 at 5:57 am

    @GoodThings2Life

    “the Tablet PC isn’t useful” — That’s because Macs don’t use a computer while standing and working on the go. They sit around in coffee shops. =P

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