They managed to make MAC’s look like the hip new product that everyone’s buying and they managed to make PCs look like the outdated product with many problems that Macs don’t have. “If you’re a PC user, these ads are more likely to irritate you than convert you.” That particular campaign ended in 2009 after a total of 66 ads. Few ad campaigns in recent times have been as memorable as the “Hello, I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” series from a few years back. PC users knew of all the different malfunctions their computers suffer, and Apple wanted to make the public aware of these problems in a way that could make MAC’s look superior. The ads showed Justin Long as the hip embodiment of … Logic Pro puts a complete recording and MIDI production studio on your Mac, with everything you need to write, record, edit, and mix like never before. The Mac operating system — earlier called OS X and now renamed macOS — has traditionally been viewed as more stable than Windows. As well as ultimately increasing sales. The writers, director and talent behind the Apple campaign, which turned 10 this year, talk about the ads that still make them smile. Share with us in the comments below! The competition highlights the Yoga 3 Pro's thinness, flexibility, and touchscreen, while the MacBook Air struggles to "dance.". Critics of the Campaign ", Just a month later, Microsoft targeted Apple's laptop and tablet products with an ad showing how versatile Microsoft's tablet is. "You know how it is," says PC, to which Mac responds, "Oh, actually, no I don't. Each actor was made to look like the computers they represent along with their creators. Apple's "I'm a Mac/I'm a PC" ads have been widely regarded as one of the company's most effective campaigns. What did these battling TV ads look like? To continue reading this article you need to be registered with Campaign. The composition was initially made to resemble that of the Apple campaign, as Siler resembles John Hodgman, the "PC" counterpart to Justin Long as a Mac in the Apple commercials. On the other hand “Mac” displays a sense of caring, humility, and an overall cool and energetic vibe. People enjoyed seeing the ads and wanted to look for the next one. “Apple certainly got a lot of people angry with the Get a Mac ads as well, but that only added to the overall media coverage.” Some people don’t want overbearing statements such as ‘Macs are better at life stuff’ without some sort of backing.”. by Douglas Quenqua. Strategies one voice asks. Actor Justin Long bears a resemblance to Steve Jobs while John Hodgman was dressed to look like Bill Gates. On May 2nd 2006 Apple Launched their first Get- A Mac (GAM) commercial. PC, who rolls in a wheelchair and a few limb casts, recounts the story of how someone tripped on his power chord and sent him crashing to the ground. We've rounded up a few of the most memorable Mac vs. PC ads from both sides of the debate. How it All Began “There are other people whom the ads could have the opposite of a desired affect on. They took all of PC’s many weaknesses from its constant viruses to its inability to give its users any creative control, and showed the audience that MAC doesn’t have any of those issues. Mac vs. PC is alive. After 4 years the campaign included 66 advertisements trying to convince the public to ‘Get- A- Mac’. @lkolow, For almost a decade now, Apple and Microsoft have been engaging in an what some have called an all-out "ad war.". Apple’s Mac OS X was so well thought-out, and my new machine was fast and powerful. Apple’s Mac Vs PC ad campaign has been on the air waves since May of 2006 and features John Hodgeman of the Daily Show as “PC” and Justin Long from Dodge ball and Herbie Fully Loaded as “Mac.” … In their ad series "Laptop Hunters," Microsoft played the price card against Apple. Some critics find them ill-spirited, but I find them enjoyable, entertaining and informative. Also, the relationship between the two men is a friendship. This GAM campaign targeted an audience that was not exactly the most ‘tech savy’. Copyright © 2021 Jordan SanderHosted by Sites At Penn State, FYE #5: Let’s Just Skip to Football Season, Periklanan di Persimpangan Jalan | Kotak Ilmu. They shrug it off and are about to start the "real ad," when PC says he forgot something and starts hobbling off again. But members of the GAM campaign welcomed the backlash because as they say “no publicity is bad publicity”. In each commercial “Mac” and “PC” have conversations which unless end up with “PC” embarrassing himself and showing all the reasons why “Mac” is a better computer. But Microsoft didn't stand idly by for long -- they also released several series of ads in response that targeted Apple's prices and product design. “Mac” represents a young fun guy who always does the “right thing”. We're committed to your privacy. The main reason for this was that Apple produces both the hardware (Mac computer) and the software (Mac operating system); so they have better control over the integration of the entire system. Microsoft has begun targeting Apple's Mac platform in series of Web ads titled "Spin Before You Spend." Free and premium plans, Content management system software. But in 2013, Windows fought back at Apple, not on the MAC vs. PC level, but about tablets. The backdrops of these ads are a plain white seen with nothing else to distract the eye. I've uninstalled and unsubscribed to all … So a buddy of mine who plays on a MAC just purchase Total War Warhammer, and we were looking into playing coop campaign together. Although it did receive some criticism from some people for “attacking” PCs, the campaign received proved to be extremely effective in reaching its target audience and is considered one of the best advertising campaigns of this decade. Prior to the campaign, Apple’s sales seemed to be slowly decreasing. The more I see from Apple’s Mac vs. PC campaign, the more I like it. Research conducted by the company I wonder why … Stay up to date with the latest marketing, sales, and service tips and news. Mac and an older, out-of-touch John Hodgman as PC. In this one, a woman is deciding whether she wants to get a Mac or a PC, so PC brings along a line of people representing all the different types of PCs out there -- while Mac stands alone. ", A few months later, Microsoft recruited Lenovo to join their side in the classic war in a dance-off between the MacBook Air and the Lenovo Yoga 3 Pro. The following is an alphabetical list of the ads that appeared in the campaign shown in the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Those slightly amusing Mac vs. PC Apple ads are getting a bit tired now, but when the PR guys dream up the successors, they might need a rethink on the strategy. You know, the ones depicting a young, casual, cool Justin Long as Mac and an older, out-of-touch John Hodgman as PC? Remember those "Hi, I'm a Mac"; "Hi, I'm a PC" television ads from the late 00s? PC’s still dominated the market and Apple was struggling to convince consumers that their product was better. But they may be over and done with, if Justin Long, the "Mac" in those ads, is right. It wasn’t until Apple saw a survey on the American Consumer Satisfaction Index and realized that Macs were constantly rated higher than PCs in customer satisfaction. "Wait, are you running full Adobe Photoshop on a tablet?" "Yup. These 66 commercials included “Mac” played by actor Justin Long and “PC” played by John Hodgman. At the end of the year, the campaign consisted of 19 ads. The 'Get a Mac' creative team reveals their favorite spots. Many of the character traits “PC” represents include being arrogant, slow, boring, mean, unreasonable, and most importantly a nerd. In the last quarter Apple sold over 2,300,000 MACS. She goes through her list of must-haves, like big screens and a fast processor. Microsoft's response to Apple's Mac vs. PC play began with ads like this, which show PC users aren't just people like the older, out-of-touch PC guy from Apple's commercials -- they're actually from a wide diversity of demographics, backgrounds, and locations around the world. Other than that campaign that Windows launched back in 2013, there has been no active campaign launched recently from Apple attacking PC. One of the main strategies that Apple used in this campaign was the theme of simplicity. Which ones were your favorites? Target Audience Apple is also known to use only the best parts for its computers.Since the Windows operating system can run on hundreds of different types of computers, variations in hardw… And with a huge collection of full-featured plug-ins along with thousands of sounds and loops, you’ll have everything you need to go from first inspiration to final master, no matter what kind of music you want to create. The geeky advertising rivalry between Microsoft and Apple reignited Wednesday after Microsoft put out a new ad that uses a guy named Mackenzie Book — a.k.a. Premium plans, Connect your favorite apps to HubSpot. Free and premium plans, Customer service software. Marketing automation software. This campaign boosted sales for Apple to a level they have never reached before and it convinced many PC users to switch to a MAC. The ad begins with a man who looks and dresses just like the PC guy in Apple's "Get a Mac" ads saying, "I'm a PC, and I am not alone." Campaign Characters • Man dressed in casual clothes introduced himself as a Mac(“Hello, I’m a Mac.”) • Man in a formal suit and tie combination introduced himself as Windows personal computer(“And I’m a PC”) • The two men act out a brief vignette, in which capabilities and attributes of Mac & PC … The main message throughout all of the commercials is that MAC is a better computer and overall a nicer guy. More interestingly is that the Seinfeld-Gates campaign significantly outperformed the new “I’m a PC” and “Get a mac” clips. Another strategy is in every “episode” that they aired; they highlighted a specific problem that PC had. Mac and PC, holding hands to demonstrate their ability to network with each other, are joined by a Japanese woman who represents a new digital camera. HubSpot uses the information you provide to us to contact you about our relevant content, products, and services. Macs just come with the stuff you want." Apple and Microsoft have a storied history of duking it out on TV, often cleverly sniping at each other in a series of iconic Mac vs. PC ads. May 2009: Apple, "Elimination". This campaign was no expectation to that rule. Lastly, the main strategy in the campaign was to be humorous. Mac and the camera speak to … While the Gates-Seinfeld campaign brought 3,2 million views in the first 1 1/2 weeks, “I’m a PC” only performed half of that. Free and premium plans, Sales CRM software. In May 2006, the infamous MAC vs. PC campaign was constituted by Apple Inc. Get a Mac: PC Finally Snaps This student video illustrates a sentiment among PC owners and ad types that the entire "Get a Mac" campaign is misleading and … With any popular campaign you have to expect some backlash. Only after the first few commercials of the campaign sales dramatically increased by 12% in the first quarter of the campaign. This campaign was for the average person, those who do not know a lot about software or viruses and never really thought about purchasing a MAC before this campaign. These 66 commercials included “Mac” played by actor Justin Long and “PC” played by John Hodgman. She couldn't find one at the Apple store that had the features she needed, but she did find what she was looking from a Microsoft PC. You may unsubscribe from these communications at any time. Some of the ‘backlash’ comments on the Internet included In the ad below, a woman looking for a laptop under $1,000 was told if she found one, she could get it for free. It is easy to watch and simple, which is what Apple is trying to portray that MAC’s are. Each actor was made to look like the computers they represent along with their creators. In the friendship though, a strategy the MAC used was making the character “Mac” the more friendly, caring character. Sales continued to dramatically increase throughout the entire four-year campaign. After 4 years the campaign included 66 advertisements trying to convince the public to ‘Get- A- Mac’. When it came time to upgrade in 2012, I got another MacBook Pro without even thinking about it. In this one, a woman is deciding whether she wants to get a Mac or a PC, so PC brings along a line of people representing all the different types of PCs out there -- … This campaign was for those individuals who have a PC but are not quite sure what else there is out there. In 2006, Jason Sperling, an alum of Academy of Art University’s School of Advertising ('93), led the creative team at Media Arts Lab that created the iconic “Get a Mac” ad campaign for Apple. In the last quarter of 2006 after more commercials came out, Apple sold a record breaking 1,600,000 Macs, an increase 39%. In the first year the campaign produced 19 ads. Then, it jumps from person to person, all of whom state, "I'm a PC," too. In the end, Siri admits about Cortana, "Now that is a smart phone. PC's are cheaper, faster, waaaaay more flexible in terms of building, and have a decent UI that doesn't take more than a few days to get used to….. This campaign was created the advertising agency TBWA/Chiat/Day. Many of our Alumni have recently made the jump from Mac to PC, and were gracious enough to share their thoughts about the leap. Conclusion These funny ads, launched by Apple in 2006 as a part of their "Get a Mac" campaign, are what instigated the playful back-and-forths between Apple and Microsoft over the next few years. The ads were similar to the ones that the Get-A-MAC campaign put out, but instead of the two men representing the products, they had the actual products (IPad and a tablet) banter back and forth through the voice activation systems. A Brief History of Apple & Microsoft’s Ad War. Mac responds with sympathy, but adds that his magnetic power chord simply pops off when disturbed. Today the Apple campaign against PC is settling down and there are not many current campaigns. What do you think of Apple's and Microsoft's ad campaigns? The advertisements are also interspersed with various non-famous users who proclaim "I'm a PC" from a variety of places and in a number of methods. See all integrations. Last summer, Microsoft revived the old Mac vs. PC adage with a TV advertisement pitting Apple's digital personal assistant Siri against their own Cortana. It was easily recognizeable because of the standard template of two men on an all-white background, … In the ad, Cortana answers a user's questions with ease while Siri repeats she's unable to do what the user's asking. The number of PCs that can accommodate her needs gets smaller and smaller, until no one else remains. Introduction. The series of commercials and advertisements were entitled “Get a Mac”, which contained 66 commercials aired on TV all arguing one main point: that a MAC is better than a PC. This campaign was one that played out like a story; people enjoyed watching them because of the humor and satire that is going on in the ad. In the first year the campaign produced 19 ads. Written by Lindsay Kolowich Cox hbspt.cta._relativeUrls=true;hbspt.cta.load(53, 'e456cf0e-a9a7-4acb-9c88-e4669ab5a4e8', {}); Originally published Jan 9, 2015 8:00:00 AM, updated August 25 2017, Mac or PC? “If you are thinking about making the jump, I say do it! Today The company is subtly making the viewer aware of how simple their product is to use, and how simple it is to switch from PC to MAC (which is who their target audience is, current PC users who are scared to switch). Overall, the strategies Apple used are able to capture the audience and keep them attentive and interested throughout the whole campaign. Although they were humorous commercials, it effectively showed all viewers that Apple is the better product in a way that everyone could understand. The Get a Mac campaign, popularly known as the "I'm a Mac/I'm a PC" ads, was a television advertising campaign created for Apple Inc that ran from 2006 to 2009. In Apple's very first "Get a Mac" advertisement in 2006, Mac and PC speak cordially about what each of them is good at: PC at spreadsheets, Mac at "life stuff" like music, pictures, and movies. Apple’s Get-A-Mac (GAM) campaign, created by Apple’s longtime ad agency TBWA\Chiat\Day, was launched May 2, 2006. Apple continued their "Get a Mac" campaign with more ads highlighting PCs' weaknesses. In this funny ad, PC is fat and slow from being stuffed with trial software programs. For more information, check out our privacy policy. “PC” comes across as a much older male who is uptight and all he cares about is work and not creativity. They all feature “Mac” (played by actor Justin Long), and “PC” (played by John Hodgman of The Daily Showfame). While the “PC” character at times does not always seem to appreciate “Mac’s” friendship and is seen as the cold-hearted friend. So no matter where you stand, put your software preferences aside and enjoy this glance at the last decade of Mac vs. PC advertising. The “Get a Mac” campaign turned out to be a huge success for Apple. Apple continued their "Get a Mac" campaign with more ads highlighting PCs' weaknesses. However, the game simply says "incompatible versions", and we cannot figure out what is wrong. But ultimately they were trying to point out all the flaws to make PC look bad, maybe even worse then the company actually is. Doing this they were able to make their audience question if a PC was the right type of a computer to have.