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Microsoft Uses "I'm a PC" Character In New Ads
Posted by
ScuttleMonkey
on Fri Sep 19, 2008 12:44 PM
from the straight-for-the-jobsular dept.
from the straight-for-the-jobsular dept.
arcticstoat writes to tell us that in the wake of their largely unsuccessful Jerry Seinfeld ad campaign Microsoft is setting their sights directly on recent Apple ads by featuring the "I'm a PC" character in their new advertising campaign. "He then follows this with another phrase, such as 'and I've been made into a stereotype' before the advert shifts to a range of people performing a diverse assortment of jobs, all of which also say they're a PC. Among those featured are astronaut Bernard Harris, as well as religious author Deepak Chopra and 'Desperate Housewives' actress Eva Longoria. The ad also features a wide range of anonymous people, including a shark diver, a teacher and a guy with a beard."
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Guy with a beard? (Score:5, Funny)
Deepak Chopra? (Score:5, Funny)
If that quack uses Windows then I'm going to hug my Linux box when I get home.
Unedited version: I'm a PC... (Score:5, Funny)
...but I run Linux.
The hidden meaning (Score:5, Funny)
Lie! (Score:5, Funny)
"Hi, I'm a PC, and I run Linux" (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:"Hi, I'm a PC, and I run Linux" (Score:5, Interesting)
I'd love to see a Mac vs PC ad where PC gets attacked by an angry stuffed penguin and after a flash he gets up with completely new clothes saying:
PC: Hey... that was... refreshing... I feel.... different!
Mac: PC, watch out, there's a virus!
PC: The power of GNU compells you! *hits virus*. I feel Powerful... I feel invincible... I feel... FREE!!!
Mac: Want a performance race?
PC: You betcha!
*Mac and PC begin sprinting*
Female voice: "Linux. Just like a Mac, but Free".
Parent
Mac vs. PC parody (Score:5, Funny)
Given that Microsoft is parodying the Mac vs. PC ads, this is on topic, right?
Best Mac vs. PC parody [youtube.com] ever.
Computers suck.
Ad Video (Score:5, Informative)
Microsoft just don't get it (Score:5, Funny)
I find it amazing the extent that Microsoft is screwing up at the moment.
Hey Apple marketing guys, Microsoft is doing your work for you!
This one is for free:
Justin Long: I'm a Mac.
John Hodgman and large crowd, together: And I'm a PC.
Justin Long [sincerely]: Hey guys, nice to meet you! There's so many of you! And you look like cool guys!
[John Hodgman looks smug]
Justin Long: I'd really like to hang out with you guys. [face lights up with idea]. Hey, would you like so see some of the new products we're working on?
[Lots of enthusiastic noise and nots - everyone follows Justin as he exits stage right. John Hodgman desperately tries to stop people. Final sequence - John Hodgman on his own, looking sorry for himself and a bit confused.]
Weakness (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:New ads (Score:5, Interesting)
I think the ad was pretty good... much better than the Seinfeld ones, anyway.
Parent
Re:New ads (Score:5, Insightful)
Parent
Re:New ads (Score:5, Insightful)
Microsoft just failed on an epic scale. They didn't take the time to understand the Apple ads, so now they're lashing back at thin air.
The purpose of John Hodgman was not to "stereotype" PC users. The purpose was to provide a boring image of PCs themselves through the comedy of John Hodgman. The idea was that the more artistic nature of Macs should appeal to users of all walks of life. Microsoft obviously didn't get that.
Mark my words: These ads will preach to the choir (the people who already hate the Mac commercials) but will do nothing to asuage those commericals. If anything, Microsoft has just drawn MORE attention to Apple.
Way to go, Microsoft.
Parent
Re:New ads (Score:5, Insightful)
Except that they just acknowledged their existence. If Apple ignores these ads (which they will because they have no "punch") Microsoft will end up looking petty. And again, Microsoft is drawing attention to Apple's ads. Don't draw attention to your opponent unless he has managed to grab sufficient mind-share to demand a response! Microsoft still has the lead in the market, so there is no way they can "win" back attention they haven't lost. All they can do is continue to lose ground.
Parent
Re:New ads (Score:5, Interesting)
Admit it, you would hate the Microsoft commercial no matter what its content was.
I'm a Mac and I found it to be pretty decent, for a commercial about an operating system.
Parent
Re:New ads (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm a linux fan myself and I liked the ads. Much better than the Seinfield ads.
The bit at the end with the guy in the shark cage "I'm a PC, and I'm scared" was pretty good.
(Disclaimer: I recently built a Vista gaming rigs and have been extremely pleased)
Parent
Re:New ads (Score:5, Insightful)
Lay off the anti-MS brownies a bit will you?
Parent
Re:New ads (Score:5, Insightful)
horrible? I thought it was really *really* good. Not only does it help kill the stereotype, but makes the Mac commercials much less effective as well.
Exactly! I'm getting "only on Slashdot" feelings about some comments here. :-S
I'm planning for my first MacBook in a near future, but despite this, I have to commend Microsoft for getting a commercial out that makes Apple's predecessor look plain silly/stupid/childish in comparison.
OK, to be perectly clear here -- what message Microsoft is trying to get across, is that Microsoft doesn't cater to a "kind" of user, like Apple implies in their commercial, but try to cater for all kinds. And in the process of doing so, doesn't try to smear other software platforms, but just speaks for themselves.
I think the commercial is great, especially compared to the offensive-defensive Apple commercial.
Parent
Re:New ads (Score:5, Insightful)
Mod parent up.
I can't stand Windows. The operating system is a piece of crap.
However, this commercial is not. It's the old "positive/negative" campaigning option. Like it or not, Mac's ads are more or less 'negative' campaigning in that they specifically single out the opponent and paint it in a negative light. Note that the "Mac guy" never seems to do a whole lot, just stand there and be way 'cooler' than the "PC guy" while the latter bitches about how awful he is.
This Microsoft ad accepts that complaint, and without responding in kind, instead shows that being forced into a box - the activity Mac users in theory would rail against - is exactly the sort of thing those commercials are trying to do to PC users, who aren't so easily described.
I'm not going to go out and buy Vista. But I do think this commercial is a major success for their ad department.
Parent
Re:New ads (Score:5, Funny)
do they have a guy running round a street with a shotgun shooting people shouting "It crashed and lost my f***** work, I'm a b****** PC you c**** !"
No? Perhaps its modelled after Vista... a huge fat guy stuffing his face full of burgers, "I'm a PC, now give me more resources".
No? Pity, they'd be more in-tune with reality :-)
Parent
Re:New ads (Score:5, Funny)
Guy with a beard? Fucking traitor!!!
Parent
Re:No, I'm sorry, can't accept that (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:No, I'm sorry, can't accept that (Score:5, Funny)
Emacs?
Parent
Re:I liked it. (Score:5, Funny)
Wait, don't you mean "they're still getting a lot of things done..."?
It's a Freudian Astroturf!
Parent