First I saw
PC World calling PC users losers . Next up is
Paul Thurrott calling PC World losers.
Does the madness end with the PC websites?
No, there are plenty of Mac sites talking about this ad as well.
'I Don't Get It'
The way I see it, debating the
meaning of a commercial is like answering a rhetorical question. It
shows that you didn't get it.
It doesn't mater if Lauren
is a "real person" or an actress.
Who cares if the PC she picked was a piece of crap. Does saying I'm
"not cool enough for Mac" imply that PC users are losers? Probably
not.
Do Mac owners suddenly have to defend their purchasing choices? No,
it's just a commercial.
Microsoft doesn't give a damn how much the computer you buy costs -
as long as you bought it with some version of Windows. If you want to
buy a crappy $400 laptop or a $3,000 workstation, either is fine with
Microsoft, just so long as it has a legal install of Windows.
Why Now?
The more interesting question is why this ad at this time.
Last time I check, Apple's most recent "Get a Mac" ad was at Christmas
time. These were both lighthearted ads with only a subtle sales
pitch.
Why would Microsoft launch an attack ad three months later? Aren't
they supposed to be spending their ad dollars hyping Windows 7?
Steve
Ballmer was recently
quoted as saying the tide is turning on Apple - the economy makes
it hard for people "paying $500 more to get a logo on it?"
While this is a great headline, I think Ballmer was mostly
interested in the possibility that
Apple has lost some momentum.
The best time for a strong play is when the other team losses its
momentum. Ballmer is hoping for a fumble so Microsoft can carry the
ball. Microsoft is trying to play up the weakness in sales at
Apple as much as possible to slow down Apple's growth.
Is Apple Significant?
This is funny, because all Windows FUD likes to trash Apple for how
small and unimportant Macs are in the market, yet we have Microsoft
clearly going after Apple. If the Mac's market share is so small, why
spend the money on ads to compete with the underdog?
The truth is that Microsoft is threatened by Apple. So far Apple has
crushed Microsoft in the music business, taken over a large share of
the smart phone market, and is arguably selling the better operating
system. That's a few too many wins under Apple's belt, and success
breeds envy.
Microsoft's biggest worry today is that Windows 7 will not be a huge
success - or worse, to have success sucked away with endless
comparisons to Mac
OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard". Microsoft sees the need to generate
as much bad publicity for Apple and the Mac as it can ahead of the
Windows 7 launch.
Clearly Ballmer's comments and this ad are trying to promote the
perception that Macs are expensive and discourage sales of these "high
priced" computers.
Offending Microsoft Customers
The other funny thing is I am a Mac user who has both Microsoft
Office and Windows Vista installed on my Mac. If I was easily offended,
Microsoft might have lost me as a customer because of this ad. I know
better, and I understand that any extra money bought more than just a
logo.
Good luck to all of those furiously debating the meaning or
implications of a commercial. Maybe you all could help me solve another
puzzle: Which came first the chicken or the egg?
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We believe in the long term value of Apple hardware. You should be able to use your Apple gear as long as it helps you remain productive and meets your needs, upgrading only as necessary. We want to help maximize the life of your Apple gear.
Steve
Ballmer was recently 
