Slate's Seth Stevenson is turned-off by the new series of ads for Macs. He thinks the ads, which portray Mac users as hip and energetic people who want to get things done and PC users as people hopelessly lost, are so offensive as to have exactly the opposite effect they're intended to have. Labeling himself as someone who is a PC user who is occasionally tempted to switch to Macs, Stevenson says the depictions of PC users in a stereotypical manner coupled with the depiction of a Mac user in a stereotypical manner makes him really not want to buy one. That being said he think the understated and funny performance by John Hodgman as the PC user is hilarious, even in what 's supposed to be a thankless role.Are the new Mac ads just mean?
Slate's Seth Stevenson is turned-off by the new series of ads for Macs. He thinks the ads, which portray Mac users as hip and energetic people who want to get things done and PC users as people hopelessly lost, are so offensive as to have exactly the opposite effect they're intended to have. Labeling himself as someone who is a PC user who is occasionally tempted to switch to Macs, Stevenson says the depictions of PC users in a stereotypical manner coupled with the depiction of a Mac user in a stereotypical manner makes him really not want to buy one. That being said he think the understated and funny performance by John Hodgman as the PC user is hilarious, even in what 's supposed to be a thankless role.Reader Comments
(Page 1)3. Do I think the ads are mean? No. Do I think they're highly exaggerated and misleading? Absolutely. They overstate the versatility of Macs ("Everything just seems to work with a Mac") and falsely portray the PC as clunky and limited (good only for "time sheets, spreadsheets, and pie charts"). And while they neatly get around practically stating outright that there is no such thing as a Mac-targeting virus, which we now know to be untrue, it borders on false advertising. And, you know, it's funny, but I seem to recall when I first bought my PC, I was able to just take it out of the box, plug it in, and off I went. I never had to "download the latest drivers" or "erase ANY trial software." If I were in the market for a new computer, this ad would convince me NOT to buy a Mac.
Posted at 6:24AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by Howard
4. Macs advertising should focus on the good in its own product. Anyone with an iq of 130 knows that macs are better, but for the rest of you all... Keep voting for bush, do whatevery your priest tells you to and follow the rest of the heard.
Posted at 7:09AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by Justin
5. This conversation is absurd. I understand the desire to be politically correct, but a line needs to be drawn. Sympathetic to a kind of computer? Are you all serious? I thought I was reading an article for The Onion. Sure, the simplicity of Macs and cumbersome-ness of PCs is overstated. But let's remember: this is not a diplomatic discussion. This is a commercial to sell a product. Ease up.
Posted at 7:51AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by Jacky
6. hey the commercials r funny but i got a pc n i can take photos n do pretty much everything they said we couldnt in the commercials, ive never really liked macs cuz when i was younger most computer games ddint work on macs so screw u apple lol
Posted at 7:58AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by Corey
7. Actually, there is currently no "virus" on the mac platform, merely some infected word files that do no extensive harm to the system. So the assertion that there is no virus infecting a whole system requiring a HD format is basically true (for now?).
On the other hand, I can understand the disdain PC user can feel while watching the ad. But my understanding is that the ad is aimed at tipping over the edge some switchers who are already far in the process, and that the extra guilt/humor/coolnes could be the final drop to makiing the purchase.
Too smug? Maybe. A bad thing in the long run? Not so sure.
Make no mistake: it's not aimed at convincing PC-fanboys, and I think Apple will never fish in these very deep seas.
Posted at 8:17AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by JT
8. I haven't seen the ad, but I wanted to make a comment anyway.
Way back when......15 or so years ago......Macs WERE the best for graphics, photos, etc. My brother is a photographer and musician, and he started using Macs because they worked for the kind of stuff he needed to do, while the PCs of the day didn't. That's not really the case anymore. My husband and I use our PCs for much the same stuff my brother uses his Mac for and the quality is just as good.
Posted at 8:47AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by MurphyInFL
9. Bill and Steve had two different solutions for the same venue. Their history is depicted in the ads, yet, the ads don't show the whole story.
I've been using PC for years to produce marketing and training videos, CD's, CAD, graphics, office work, you name it. But, the majority of problems I ran into with the PC was based on the openness of IBM-PC for anyone to write code or build products for them. I know first hand. We manufactured hundreds of IBM-PC products in Colorado as the industry ramped up.
Since the early years Mac was always extremely aggressive about controlling their software and hardware add-on's. Plus, they held off going to market until the majority of bugs had been worked out. Nothing was permitted to carry their lable unless it went through their facility first. That's why the ads have some validity.
However, one has to question if you need to attack your competition with half truths if you in fact, do have a better product. I think Mac needs to refocus their marketing strategy on their strengths, not the weakness of an open market.
10. Have you ever asked your corporate IT department why there are no IT departments for mac users? If our company switched to macs, like the one I use, rather than the windows boxes-we could get rid of 40 or 50 people whose single job is trying to revive the blue screen of death. Macs are just better. I'm glad my coworkers are less productive and always waiting for IT to rebuild their computers.
Posted at 9:31AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by shannon
11. Shannon, it probably has more to do with the fact that corporate America in general doesn't USE Macs, and trust me, if they were better productivity tools and made the companies' bottom lines better, they WOULD use them. 'nuff said....
Posted at 10:41AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by Gary
12. As a writer, I use only PC because nearly every editor uses PC and do not want files created on a Mac regardless of the software used. You can't even say the words "fully compatible." Of the few editors who do use Mac, they usually expect freelance writers to use PC and will accept PC files. That's the way my industry is.
13. This is funny. Are the ads mean? The ads are whatever they need to be to get you to notice. I find it unbelievable that people would get so upset over a few innocuous commercials. "Grrr, I'm so mad I swear I'll never buy a Mac! [grumble, grumble]" So what? The advertising isn't meant to just sell computers. It is also meant to create a "buzz". Guess what? You fell for it. They pushed your buttons and you responded so well that even Pavlov would be teary-eyed from witnessing it. You are reading articles about Apple, you are posting comments about Apple and I'd be willing to bet you are probably discussing Apple on a regular basis. Huff and puff all you want, as long as you keep talking about Apple. That's what advertising is about, suckers.
Posted at 11:17AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by ccs178 (Chris)
14. I makes me want to buy a Mac, so its working.
Posted at 11:31AM on Jun 23rd 2006 by Brandi
15. i dig apple's stuff, but gotta say, apple seem like childlike goofs now after getting used to seeing these two guys in the adds. i think the all press is good press, or, "at least they got us talking about it" argument is wishful thinking at best in this case. besides, isn't that what people say after screwing up? i'm left thinking, ok, maybe a first time buyer would buy into apple's proposition/clear message. or not understand and just want to be the cool guy not the dork. i want to be the cool guy not the dork, and it's really clear who is cool, and who is dork. what happens when a trusted adviser type individual points out "sucker" to the first time buyer? this hurts apple's rep long term, i can just feel it. for me, apple is making fun of people like the classic ignorant loud mouth jock idiot in high school who doesn't know what he is shouting about while the quieter smarter people are emberrased for him and pitty him. i always enjoyed drinking at parties with that jock idiot, after all, he usually could introduce me to the cute girl (poor dummy that he was). but i'd never hire him or buy what he is selling. aren't you dumbfounded that otherwise sleek, cool, black turtle neck wearing apple would position the company in this way? i am. maybe it's just really bad excecution of the commercial's concept. if only they kept it even remotely realistic, even a little bit, by hiring someone smart enough to point out where a mac actually does prevail over a pc in a meaningful way. stuff wherein the smart viewer would be forced to say "well, that is a good point, no denying that, (shrug)".
Posted at 2:13PM on Jun 23rd 2006 by robbie
16. If the ads make you mad, causing you to say you'll "never buy a Mac," well, you were never really going to buy a Mac anyway.
I mean, if you're smart enough that you know how to get your PC to do the things the new Mac ads say are difficult, then you're likely smart enough to see the ads for what they are, if you _really_ wanted to: some humorous jibes from the alternative to Windows.
Don't act like you had your checkbook out, and then suddenly, you watched those ads!
Although I like the ads, the unspoken truth is that they show two different types of users to empahsize differences. I know you're saying 'no duh,' but what I'm getting at is that there are those annoying computer illiterate dopes on Macs too, and conversly, 'young hip users' on both the Mac and Windows.
In fact, if you actually showed two young dudes like that, one on either platform, they would likely ruin the concept, bonding on screen over the total geekiness of tweaking out on your laptop or something. And I'm sure the windows dude would be super stoked on how the new Macs run Windows now, while the ad with the two illiterati would be comiserating about how they can't figure out their wireless log-in procedure, Mac or Windows...
Posted at 2:15PM on Jun 23rd 2006 by ill trooper
17. Umm the ads make no mention of PC "users"... the two men represent "a Mac" and "a PC".
Posted at 3:13PM on Jun 24th 2006 by Tim Rosencrans
18. Tim, I'm suprised that you're the first to point that out. I was reading through these comments and just waiting for someone else who interpreted the commercials the same way I did--Apple's not slamming on the users, but the machines themselves.
Posted at 7:26PM on Jun 24th 2006 by Jeff Bixler
19. It seems as though Apple might be walking the line with these ads. I'm not in advertising, but risking the irritation of potential customers seems like a bad idea. With responses on boths sides, it seems the percentages are not where they should be (all positive).
After years of Mac use, I had to switch to PC for software accessibilty, not my preference, but it was fine. I'm actually happier with having easier software and hardware access. I was also happier at the time with paying half as much for a machine just as fast or faster than the G5 I replaced.
I am one of those tweakers who can make either platform do whatever I need, so I think the ads are silly, but I suppose I am not their target audience. People like me don't decide to buy based on advertising anyway.
It will be interesting to see if it affects their sales either way.
Posted at 11:16AM on Jun 25th 2006 by Matt M
20. I didn't read everyone's rant for or against the new Mac commericals, so I have the feeling the following has already been adressed.
These commercials are way to pompous for Mac's own good, I recommend their marketing team read The Art of War and The 48 Laws of Power to find out how they are projecting themselves.
As far as the "there are no Mac viruses" commercial, that is my least favourite. A question for everyone, if I say that I am invincible and no one can beat me up, who here is going to be the first one to lay the boots to me?
Apple has no viruses not because of technical issues, it's because no one cares. Such should not be the case for so much longer.
Hey, just wait for UNIX based viruses to come along and wipe out entire ISPs. Forget the whole PC vs. Mac debate.
AND THE MAC COMMERCIAL SPOOFS RULE!
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1. I was showing my boyfriend the new Mac ads (he and I are both avid Apple users) and his reaction was, "They're so mean to PC." I responded, "Yeah. But PC deserves it." The ads are mean-spirited, it's true, and sometimes the truth hurts.
Posted at 3:03PM on Jun 22nd 2006 by Dave