apple news/media reports

02/05/2007, 11:00am, EST

Monday, February 5th

'Get a Mac' ads contribute to Mac sales

Apple's 'Get a Mac' ad campaign is boosting company sales -- which grew three times faster than sales of PCs over the last three months of 2006 compared to the same period in 2005 -- according to AdWeek. Creative Strategies president Tim Bajarin says the Mac comparison approach is working, noting that half of all Macs are sold to non-Mac users and that Apple's share of the total computer market is growing steadily -- from three percent three years ago to five percent in 2007. The ads depict a nerdy 'PC guy' played by comedian John Hodgman and a hip 'Mac Guy' played by actor Justin Long. Apple's "Mac vs. PC" series earned the honor of Best Spots' 2006 Campaign of the Year, and the 2006 spot that resonated most with consumers was "Virus." Hodgman as the 'PC guy' in "Virus" catches a cold, crashes, and passes out while 'Mac guy' Long remains sympathetic and healthy throughout the spot.


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no wonder
0
02/05, 11:30am, EST
the Billion Dollar Baby in Redmond is throwing tantrums over the ads.
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Joined Sep 2001
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The ads are working...
0
02/05, 12:59pm, EST
This post is for the critics and "experts" who criticized the ads as insulting to PC users. These people insisted that the ads would drive potential switchers away as they (the ads) portrayed PC users as clueless, dense, uncool. The critics here also claimed that the Mac guy came off as arrogant, condescending and would further drive customers away. The critics said Apple was being arrogant in claiming OS X was more secure than Windows. They said the ads would enrage the hacker sub-culture and would spawn a flood of OS X viruses and exploits in the wild to teach Apple a lesson.

Of course NONE OF THESE PREDICTIONS HAS MATERIALIZED! So what do the ads critics have to say now that the ads are indeed reported to be working and drawing switchers into the fold? Do I hear crickets chirping?

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They worked on me.
0
02/05, 3:04pm, EST
I was strictly an avid PC user for years, even to the point of belittling Mac users for their choice. I found the ads appealing not distasteful. So, I looked into what they were claiming and it all seemed to check out. I even went to www.symantec.com after seeing the "virus" ad and searched like crazy and couldn't find a single virus listed that affected Macs. I got a MacBook Pro to try it out in Jan 07, and, like all my Mac using friends used to say "once you try Mac, you never go back". I have to say I am absolutely AMAZED how much better the Mac system works over windows based machines. I even bought Norton for Macs as my first software purchase (used PCs my whole life, remember) and it came with a widget I installed that lists the latest virus threats which seams to be Norton’s idea of sarcasm because there is never one that affects a Mac. Now that I know this my only complaint about the ads is that they should be shouted from the roof tops instead of humbly conveying the message. But, alas, that is not the Mac way. In groups of 2 or more my PC using friends always make fun and say I’m a switch hitter now, but one on one they all ask the same thing – “Is it really true?”. So, Mac, keep playing the ads, save us all, for all PC users long to be saved just like me, despite what the grumpy dancing monkey boy may say.
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as if by chance
0
02/05, 3:38pm, EST
There appears to be a "new" zero day exploit effecting all Microslop Office products. Even Office 2004 for Mac. Redmond's current fix is "Don't open the maliciously hacked documents. Just open the safe ones." Thanks MS. this'll work fine, i'm sure. OpenOffice.org, here I come!
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JEB
re: tins
0
02/05, 3:46pm, EST
Congrats and hey, I think you're right that ads in the past haven't always "gotten the point across." The last round of Switcher ads (actual people telling their reasons for changing to a Mac) were a step in that direction.

One major change from before, too, is that the newer "getamac" pages on Apple.com really does have fantastic info about Mac benefits. Tons of info, reasons listed, even "old myths" disspelled -- I think anyone who has never spent 30mins. reading thru Apple.com . . . would be pretty enlightened by doing so. So that's what I say to people thinking of buying a computer: "Take 30mins. to go thru Apple.com, if you can't actually get to a store to ask them in person. Really."

These ads seem very direct, hower in a subtle-subliminal kind of way.

GO APPLE!!! GO JOHN HODGMAN!!! GO JUSTIN LONG!!!
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Yep_
0
02/05, 4:02pm, EST
Little Billy Gates doesn't "get them"

http://dailytech.com/Bill+Gates+Speaks+on+Windows+Criticizes+Mac+Ads/article5957.htm

It hurts his massive brain so much that it goes right over his intelligence that his product is actually weaker and crappier alternative to anything else available as a desktop system_
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also.....
0
02/05, 4:03pm, EST
Whatever !
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monopoly
0
02/06, 12:17am, EST
here's a question... what is macs OSX ended up with 90% of the computer market like microsoft does... because you can only get it from purchasing computers from apple inc, do you think they would be forced to open up to 'competition' and allow other makers (dell, etc) to bundle and sell computers that run OSX? Opinions/legal experts needed!
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re: monopoly
0
02/06, 2:37am, EST
Only time would tell, but I would guess not, since the issue with Microsoft is that they coercively used their SW to force PC makers to do things. None of that would apply. Monopolies in and of themselves are not illegal.
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