# Sick of the Apple switch commercials



## kting28 (Jul 20, 2002)

I don't know if its only me but I'm really quite annoyed by some of the apple switch commercials. The stability of windows xp is quite well known now and one of the ad is STILL complaining the long gone BOD (blue screen of death). The new ad featuring the stupid high school girl is even more hilarious: paper disappearing during editing ? sound of "bli bli bli bli " ? Hey, MS word (which I assume she was using) has auto save, learn that feature. Sounds to me that she hit the power/reset or just messed up the word editor herself. The only impression given to average PC users by this ad is that Mac users are idiots.

Well I'm not a troll from MS, I even hate this company, but hey, Mac users should be advertised as smart ones.

I understand the need to attract below average users (no offense, below average in using computers) and the need to continue advertising the ease of use of Mac, but still , apple, please give FACTS,  no more MYTH of how difficult or how unstable PC/Windows is.


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## simX (Jul 20, 2002)

Like Mac OS X, not many people use the latest version of Windows.  So, Apple is still giving facts in their commercials, not myths.


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## themacko (Jul 20, 2002)

Umm, these are real people telling their real stories.  Not everyone has Windows XP (which is no more stable than 98, IMO).  I think the switch commercials are just fine and are targeted for the perfect audience of PC users who don't know that Macs are a viable substitute for PCs which tend to be buggy and flakey.

Non tech-heads don't care about numbers and facts, they want something that works well and is reliable.  That's exactly the point that the switch ads are making.


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## kting28 (Jul 20, 2002)

thanks for the reply, the reason why I'm resenting these ads is that as a LINUX/UNIX guru who recently adopted his new beloved powerbook 800, I'm continuously being mocked by my co-workers as one of those not competent to operate even windows. 

While I don't care much about these comments but I do think Macs should be advertised as the SMART alternative, but not as a REFUGE. Ad featuring Dave Haxton the programmer is a good example. But Ellen Feiss .... well, may be that's what the commercial wants to say: even idiots can use Macs.

XP is rock solid stable COMPARED to win98, ask any admins around. But its no match for Unix. But at least MS continued to develop its OWN product and tried her best to make it good. Apple simply gave up her own technology and move to UNIX, wise move, but its a set back. Jaguar is no way "wildly innovative", its just great technology from the 70's plus a great GUI. I switched to Mac mainly because of the Unix behind and the great hardware design.


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## Sogni (Jul 20, 2002)

> _Originally posted by kting28 _
> *I don't know if its only me but I'm really quite annoyed by some of the apple switch commercials. The stability of windows xp is quite well known now and one of the ad is STILL complaining the long gone BOD (blue screen of death).
> 
> *[/i]



Um... tell that to my client, who's XP keeps giving her BSODs so often I'm going to have to redo her computer with 2000 instead! 



> _*
> 
> The new ad featuring the stupid high school girl is even more hilarious: paper disappearing during editing ? sound of "bli bli bli bli " ? Hey, MS word (which I assume she was using) has auto save, learn that feature. Sounds to me that she hit the power/reset or just messed up the word editor herself. The only impression given to average PC users by this ad is that Mac users are idiots.
> 
> *_



Happened to me, and I'm not an idiot! 
I've been using windows since 3.1, I've been using Office since 95, and I do know about the auto-save feature... I've lost more papers than I care to admit... it's sooo heart wrenching and devestating! ok so I didn't get all the "bli bli bli bli bli" like the girl did, but I cringed and felt her pain just the same... been there too many times! 

*Goes to hide in a dark corner in the fetal position from such horrible memories*


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## Oscar Castillo (Jul 20, 2002)

You simply need to understand the marketing behind all the Apple commercials.  The message is not catering to any particular group or segment of the viewing audience, but to the mass audience can understand.  Too cerebral a message and you lose the inexperienced.  Too silly and you lose the attention of the more professional user.  The switch commercials are just an attempt to attract attention to a product line.
I would rather Apple have commercials which show more product details and less story and music, but the current formula has worked for them in the past.  I think if they want to attract more users they need to show off more of the hardware and software they are trying to sell.



> _Originally posted by kting28 _
> *I don't know if its only me but I'm really quite annoyed by some of the apple switch commercials. The stability of windows xp is quite well known now and one of the ad is STILL complaining the long gone BOD (blue screen of death). The new ad featuring the stupid high school girl is even more hilarious: paper disappearing during editing ? sound of "bli bli bli bli " ? Hey, MS word (which I assume she was using) has auto save, learn that feature. Sounds to me that she hit the power/reset or just messed up the word editor herself. The only impression given to average PC users by this ad is that Mac users are idiots.
> 
> Well I'm not a troll from MS, I even hate this company, but hey, Mac users should be advertised as smart ones.
> ...


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## Gregita (Jul 21, 2002)

At first, I didn't like them.

After I watched a few of them, and actually saw them on tv, I started to like them more and more.

Just last night, I watched all of them back to back.

Sick? Yes. Fun. YES.

Having been on the dark side, I relate most to what Mark Frauenfelder says: "it's like being stuck in a bad relationship. It works on some level so you are afraid to make that jump."

So true.

I also loved the Bill Gates one that was on here.

I must have watched that one ten times.

I even played it for friends.

"I have been using Microsoft for a long time. I guess you could say I was an early adopter. " 

Classic.

Anyway, I am happy with the ads. The people scare me sometimes, especially the two newest ones. 

For the most part, though, I am happy that Apple is taking Microsoft on head on.

I think it is about time.


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## Oscar Castillo (Jul 21, 2002)

What Bill Gates Switch Ad?  You mean the geeky kid with the iPod?  Or the guy with the suit and glasses?



> _Originally posted by Gregita _
> *.........
> 
> So true.
> ...


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## Gregita (Jul 21, 2002)

The Bill Gates ad is a parody. I think you will like. 


Here is the link to it:


http://www.macboy.com/cartoons/switch/gates/index.html


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## Oscar Castillo (Jul 21, 2002)

You're right, I thoroughly enjoyed that.  



> _Originally posted by Gregita _
> *The Bill Gates ad is a parody. I think you will like.
> 
> 
> ...


:


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## salsa (Jul 22, 2002)

Gregita, the Bill Gate's parody is hilarious. Thanks.

But I'm with original poster -- it does seem to appeal to the lowest common denominator. And doesn't really tell me anything about the OS other than stability. I find the ads rather stupid and without substance.

I do love the ads about the iMac, with the guy mimicking its movements through the store front window, and its quirky sense of humour appeals to me.

I liked some of the older ads by chiat-day.

Now, is this a hoax or not? I read on some post that actor Will Ferrell did an ad identifying himself as a "porn star". Where can I see that? (please don't think less of me!)


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## Gregita (Jul 23, 2002)

I am glad that you two enjoyed the Gates ad.

I don't deserve credit for it.

Someone else on here posted it originally.

I just recycled it. 

Of course, since I couldn't find the original thread it was on, I had to use Google to track it down. 

I love that commerical. I even put a link to it on my blog at one time. 

Anyway, glad you liked.


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## pezagent (Aug 11, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Gregita _
> *
> 
> For the most part, though, I am happy that Apple is taking Microsoft on head on.
> ...



Apple taking Microsoft head on? Are you confusing marketing strategy with business design? I think so. 

Please, stop giving into the hype. Apple would be more successful if those who already use it would be less idealistic and learn how the real world works.


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## pezagent (Aug 11, 2002)

> _Originally posted by themacko _
> *Umm, these are real people telling their real stories.  Not everyone has Windows XP (which is no more stable than 98, IMO).  I think the switch commercials are just fine and are targeted for the perfect audience of PC users who don't know that Macs are a viable substitute for PCs which tend to be buggy and flakey.
> 
> Non tech-heads don't care about numbers and facts, they want something that works well and is reliable.  That's exactly the point that the switch ads are making. *



Buggy and "flakey"? Is it fact or opinion that PCs are "flakey"? Can you give any "real world" examples of how PCs are more or less "flakey" than Macs?

The truth is, Macs are just as "buggy" and "flakey" as any other commercial operating system. 

I use OS9, and it brings the WHOLE SYSTEM down all the time--virtual memory is a frickin' joke.  At least with Windows, you can get out of a problem without bringing the whole system down. I only get the "blue screen of death" when the AMD chip overheats in the laptop--and that's rare. It's no more of a hassle then when Apple starts up with a "system error" reboot message.

As far as OSX is concerned, I hope Jaguar is as fast as it needs to be, because previous versions are frickin' slow compared to XP. I did a side-by-side comparison, and I could get the new iMac to crash numerous times while XP ran quite smoothly and stable. 

If non-tech heads want something that is stable, one could recommend either platform. Apple switch ads are a feable attempt at wooing customers. I think Apple needs to "think different" about their marketing strategies at this point... just watching these ads makes me want to buy a PC.


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## pezagent (Aug 11, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Oscar Castillo _
> *You simply need to understand the marketing behind all the Apple commercials.  The message is not catering to any particular group or segment of the viewing audience, but to the mass audience can understand.
> *


What? If a marketing team ever came to me and said "we're not targeting anyone inparticular with this campaign" they'd find themselves unemployed.

Of course the switch ads are targeted... *you* simply need to understand whom they are targeting. I haven't watched all the ads because they annoy me, but it's pretty obvious they are targeting single (unmarried, with or without partner) 30 somethings who have bought a PC but might be looking to switch to something else. Since the group are in their 30s and unmarried, they're probably in the duck-phase of their lives, which means getting serious about coordinating household appliances--matching furniture, etc. That's where the quirky dancing iMac comes in... there's a single guy, out at night, probably about to meet his mates... store windows regularly attract buyers, and here's a new computer, so interesting in its design it stops and gets your attention--how? By dancing with you, of course. Hey man, that's cool. I bet one of these would look good with my new home office, blah blah blah...

Unfortunately for Apple, their Switch ads are really grasping for air--making people look like idiots for the sake of advertising is really low... it's like something the nurds at DDB would come up with...


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## Oscar Castillo (Aug 11, 2002)

> _Originally posted by pezagent _
> *
> What? If a marketing team ever came to me and said "we're not targeting anyone inparticular with this campaign" they'd find themselves unemployed.
> 
> ...



If you bothered to read and quote the rest of my post...  
Apple could have released ads listing systems specs, like MHz, GHz, ATA drives, GeForce4 so on and so forth and that would have been just perfect for me and others here as well, but everyone else is left out.  
When you have a product that is for a segment of the market, such as for adults, but not for kids. Then you have to come up with marketing that targets only adults.  But for a product that can be used by everyone, you will severely limit revenue by targeting one segment.
Targeting too much of the enthusiast segment will only get you that.  But you loose the majority of the folks that are non-technical, which is a very big segment of computer users.  The majority in fact have no idea about the inner workings and how it ties to the OS or even care to know.  We've all met that person more times than we care to acknowledge.  Those like me that go out and get the parts to assemble there own computer are a very small minority in the computer industry.  
Simplicity is the trend now and not just for Apple anymore.  The industry has been moving in that direction for a while now.  Aside from the Apple ads that are simply for the humor and curiosity, the Switch ads are about what its always been about, simplicity and ease of use.  Even Microsoft agrees there, just look at the Fisher-Price color scheme of Windows XP.


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## pezagent (Aug 11, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Oscar Castillo _
> *
> 
> If you bothered to read and quote the rest of my post...
> ...



Do me a favor and don't try to figure out the advertising industry on the fly, okay? Your original post stated that Apple wasn't targeting anyone in particular, which is just not true.

As far as your thoughts on "severly limiting revenue" by targeting one segment, that's just plain BS. Do me a favor, go to the library, take out a book on basic marketing (there's plenty) and do some research. I expect a better reply next time.


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## Oscar Castillo (Aug 11, 2002)

> _Originally posted by pezagent _
> *
> 
> Do me a favor and don't try to figure out the advertising industry on the fly, okay? Your original post stated that Apple wasn't targeting anyone in particular, which is just not true.
> ...



Just Switch and be done with it.


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