07/31/2006, 8:55am, EDT
Monday, July 31st
Mac ad campaign too easy to parody?
After much success with the iPod ad campaign to push the digital music player as hip and cool, some question the quality of the new Mac-centric "Get a Mac" ad campaign. In a recent OSWeekly.com report, columnist Brandon Watts says the ads are rather low-budget compared to previous Apple efforts. The ads have already been easily parodied and mocked by internet-based Windows enthusiasts--using supplies as simple as a white backdrop and video camera. However, Watts believes that the critical belief that these advertisements are too harsh to Microsoft and come off as rude and condescending is simply not true. "Companies always try to point out the advantages that they have over the competition, but instead of going the traditional route, Apple used two distinct individuals to portray the differences between Windows and OS X," wrote Watts in his recent column. The advertising battle will heat up later this year as Microsoft gears up for the launch of its new campaign for the release of the much-delayed Windows Vista featuring comedian Demetri Martin.
Filed under: Apple
,
, 15
,
,
,
,
,

subscribe to comments
for this article
They are not parodied because Apple is popular, they are parodied because the ad themselves are popular (i.e. known) and easily identifiable, and, in fact, some parodies aren't even mac/pc oriented. The parody is of the commercial, not the product.
If you recall the switch commercials, there were lots of parodies there that had nothing at all to do with Apple being great or sucking.
Do people parody on stuff that is unknown to the world?
Again, since its about the commercial, if the product is unknown, its probably because it has no advertising. And therefore it can't be parodied.
And I would have to say that this was all part of the plan of the ads in the first place (esp. considering the switcher parodies). I'm sure the advertiser and Apple knew that the simple ads would make them easily parodied, which raises awareness of the product and the ad even more.