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TMFBent (99.85)

Is Steve Jobs Just a Giant Sissy?

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July 17, 2009 – Comments (10)

Sounds like it to me:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124776877181852759.html

Apple Inc. legal representatives asked Microsoft Corp. recently to "stop running" advertisements suggesting Apple's computers are expensive, Microsoft Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner said...

Mr. Turner said the call from Apple took place two weeks ago, and the attorneys asked that the company no longer run the ads because the company had "lowered our prices."

It's OK for Apple to run years worth of it's "I'm a PC, I'm a Mac" schtick, often promoting completely false information about windows (such as that UAC is a big deal... you see it only when you install software...) but if someone points out something everyone already knows: that Macs tend to be pricey...

That's unfair and warrants a whiny call from Apple's lawyers with a pathetic "please stop"?

Maybe the MSFT guys are just making this up?

Sj

10 Comments – Post Your Own

#1) On July 17, 2009 at 5:28 PM, TMFBent (99.85) wrote:




There's what Apple's whining about. I can see how they would be upset by the way those people look at Macs, then decide they don't want them...

Much better to write fictional ads featuring a smarmy little jerk that most people want to punch in the face...

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#2) On July 17, 2009 at 5:54 PM, JakilaTheHun (99.93) wrote:

I've never liked the "I'm a Mac ... I'm a PC" commercials.  They were always too ... obvious.  Oh, here's this young, "hip" looking guy and he's a Mac ... oh and here's this middle aged, slightly overweight guy who looks slightly nerdy ... he's a PC.  So, go out and buy a Mac!  I've seen beer commercials that were less blatant than that!  Besides, John Hodgman is actually a lot more awesome than the "Mac" guy. 

Errr ... in any case ... I completely agree with you.  This is really stupid.  Apples are pricey ... there's nothing illegal about implying as much in your ads.  I don't even like Microsoft, but I think their counter-ads have been a lot better than Apple's original ads and I see nothing foul about them.

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#3) On July 17, 2009 at 6:29 PM, ChannelDunlap (< 20) wrote:

This seems very out of character for Apple.  Microsoft, for the most part, took the I'm a Mac ad's completely in stride.  They made a couple I'm a PC ads which flopped, but overall you didn't see M'soft out whining about how it's unfair to depict them as geeky nerdy losers, despite the fact that nearly every piece of software available for mac is also available for PC.  But when they turn around and make a very honest, even less insulting ad, Apple thinks they should pull it because it's not AS true as it used to be?  Please.  I hope Bill Gates personally told Mr Jobs were to shove that request.

Besdies, Apple should be embracing this ad.  Expensive is always better.  The trendy stuff is always more expensive.  Why do you think Ipods beat out the range of similar-featured-and-usually-cheaper MP3 players?  Aside from brand recognition and herd mentality, of course.

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#4) On July 17, 2009 at 7:01 PM, Varchild2008 (84.38) wrote:

That means MSFT's commercials are having a positive effect on increasing PC sales while decreasing MAC Sales...

I believe recent earnings reports did show exactly that...

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#5) On July 17, 2009 at 7:11 PM, gdude501 (95.22) wrote:

If you want a slow second-rate clunky computer, it's always been possible to purchase some piece of crap running Windows at a low price.  Too bad the ads don't mention how much the hapless users need to subsequently spend on word processing, video editing, anti-virus and acceptable versions of  other basic software.

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#6) On July 17, 2009 at 7:22 PM, ChannelDunlap (< 20) wrote:

gdude - it really depends if you're talking about a Mac vs PC computer, or Apple vs Microsoft.  If you plan to deck out your PC in fully Microsoft supplied software, then yeah, you're going to pay out your rear end for it.  But you can take your PC and install Open Office and get word processing, I'm sure there are some freeware video editing apps, aside from Windows Movie Maker, and plenty of free anti virus.  Hell after installing my [pirated, to be fair] copy of Windows, I can get my PC fully up and running absolutely for free. 

I'm not saying the same isn't possible on Macs (I really don't know, since I don't use them), just saying that outfitting your PC with software does not have to be an expense.  

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#7) On July 17, 2009 at 7:53 PM, Varchild2008 (84.38) wrote:

I have tons of software I use regularly that I never paid for.....uhm....because it was free....really...it was...

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#8) On July 17, 2009 at 9:12 PM, TMFBent (99.85) wrote:

@Jakila, totally agree. The PC guy is way cooler than the smarmy mac guy. But I think worse than being Mr. Slickster, the Mac guy is actually a blatant doppleganger for a younger Steve Jobs. 

On Vista: if yer cheap:

Open Office, windows movie maker is as much movie software as your average shmoe needs (and there are more choices in higher-level video editing for windows than for mac... I was turned on to Vegas pro recently myself and it's a great package for $80 or so, far superior to that overprice Adobe garbage), and on Vista there is a lot more interesting shareware.

For my moolah, MSFT office is worth the dough. It does things (especially via excel plugins, with one-note, and tons of freely available templates) that no other office suite can match. Besides, I'm big on tablet computing, and MSFT office supports it very well. It doesn't even exist on Mac.

Or, if you don't like any of that, dual-boot to a linux install and get as much free stuff as you like. You'll still pay less for the laptop.

But this is about the commercials, which I'd never seen, and about a really lame response from Apple. Actually, I wonder if this has more to do with Jobs not being in charge. He's a king-sized ego, but he seems to know PR better than this. Between this and the locking out of the Pre (and calling it a "false" ipod pretender) the skin seems to be thinner than usual at Apple.

Sj

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#9) On July 17, 2009 at 9:22 PM, Sleddawg63 (22.42) wrote:

One thing to understand about advertising.  If you acknowledge your competition in your ad then you are admitting you have a problem.  #1 doesn't mention #2, but #2 always takes shots at #1.

It's the whole McDonald's/Burger King thing.  You'd never see McDonalds take a shot at Burger King, but BK was always comparing itself to McD.

Question is, with both Apple and Microsoft taking shots, do neither think they are top dog? 

 

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#10) On July 18, 2009 at 10:59 AM, UrbanBard (< 20) wrote:

 Microsoft has used this kind of FUD before. Steve Ballmer would use mocking humor to spout meaningless accusations  and opinions which had no factual back up. At best, his position would be self serving blather; at worst, it constituted agitprop.

Mr Turner's uncorroborated assertion is puzzling in that he was so inaccurate about how much Apple had dropped the price of its notebooks. It seems implausible that he would be so ill informed. Therefore, this comes across as spin. 

It is clear that Microsoft's ads intentionally refuse to be equitable. The PC's which are bought are never what the actor said they wanted. The people in the Ads are never likely Apple customers. Therefore, the Ads are not effectively targeted. If cheapness is your only criteria, why go to a computer store? Why not buy your computer out of some guy's trunk?

It is unlikely that the Ads are effective in keeping people from converting to the Mac. The sales statistics say that they are not. While PC sales continue to drop worldwide, Apple is still growing.

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