Apple has debuted their latest “Get a Mac” ad in which “PC” tries to hawk a new book called “I Want to Buy a Computer – Now What?” which is aimed at solving the complexities of buying a PC. Mac explains that it really isn’t that hard, in fact, it’s really easy, if you “Get a Mac.” Apple Stores have personal shoppers to help you pick out the Mac that’s right for and even offer workshops for you after you buy your Mac, you know. “PC” thought of that “afterwards” phase, too and tries to sell his new companion volume “I Just Bought a Computer – Now What?”
Apple Get a Mac Ad: Now What?
Direct link to video via YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYoQ77tLeq8
Watch the video in higher quality via Apple.com here.
MacDailyNews Take: Apple’s market research must be telling them that there is a worthwhile target audience for this ad’s message. We’re obviously nowhere near said target, since our first take was: “Uh, whatever. If this ad sells even one extra Mac, we’ll be pretty surprised.” But, we can stretch enough to imagine how a certain type of computer buyer would appreciate personal help before and after the sale; we’re just not sure that this ad gets that message across as well as it could have. For one example, simply having “Mac” say the word “free” before “workshops” would have made this one at least a little bit better. Apple Retail Store Workshops are free, after all. Leaving that word out of the ad is just plain stupid.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “blue” for the heads up.]
now what?
This one does not even come close – and I am a MacAd fanboy!
real – meeh…
And this is supposed to tell me what exactly?
Mac’s line about personal shoppers and training are thrown away.
And guess what?
I want to buy a Mac. Now what?
Oh, we have people to guide you because evidently it isn’t so easy. I mean, if you have to have a person to guide you, is that much better than having a book?
How’d this one get out of the gate?
Eh, I agree to a degree, wings. But I’d definitely rather walk into a store, play with a computer, ask questions to a knowledgeable staff of real people… than spend money on a book. Ya know?
Still, not one of their better ads in the series.
I think it is a good ad. It addresses the confusion that most people have at Big Box Store when confronted with a long row of nearly identical Window boxes. Maybe the ad doesn’t stress the Apple store experience enough, but it is there.
The experience is the product these days, and no one understands that better than Apple.
Of course nothing is free from Apple for long
Are those workshops at the Apple store free? I’m kind of interested, but I don’t know that much about them.
It felt too rushed.
A miss. That’s what.
It’s to difficult for you stupid americano’s
@st1. Three mistakes – spelling, missed capital letter, and wrong use of an apostrophe. Not bad for one short sentence.
Why is it when apple does one type of commercial that it is the same old commercial (same music, visual, etc).
Why don’t they come up with various Mac commercials that actually DEMONSTRATE the functionality of the Mac like they did with the iPhone?????????
Apple is such a great company and producing great innovative products, but I’ve always had a beef with their Mac TV ads. They just seem to lack the power punch potential it could have.
The iPod are good and seem to target the ‘Hip’ audience.
The iPhone is great because it demonstrates the product and produces the ‘Wow’ factor.
The Mac, although the PC vs Mac guys are great comic relief, Apple needs a Mac commercial much like the iPhone as a companion commercial to the PC vs Mac guys.
My 2 cents.
@macmac: I agree.
E.g., show a drag’n drop installation example. (“Boom!”)
Hell, show them drag’n drop all in itself!
PC users don’t use this often because their windows are maximized all the time (Even though the functionality is often there, but in a inconsistent manner, as usual when somebody copies ideas without really “getting” them)
It hits home only for those who get a new computer, excited at what it’ll do, only to find out that there’s not a whole lot– that’s why most use theirs for email and “googling things.”
It doesn’t have the flair of some of the others, but it will resonate with…oh… millions.
The geeks reading this board are not the target audience. Think — the morons at work that can barely turn their computer on. Now that is the target audience; people who would even have no idea that a board like this exists.
I can see my mother in law (my mom already has a Mac) coming to me after seeing those ads and go….
You mean I get free training on the computer? yes, you do…
You also get someone waiting for you at the door when you come in if you make a personal shopping appointment.
I think this is huge… if you’ve ever been in an Apple Store on a weekend it’s udder chaos. The fact that she could go in, not knowing a lot about a computer, which for the most of the general population are pretty intimidating (esp if you’re over 55) is awesome.
I’ve poo poo’d the store in the past (I use to work for Apple) and I’ve sent some pretty heated emails to ol’ Ron Johnson… this is something they are doing right.
The target audience isn’t the current fan base, but Christmas shoppers who aren’t tech savvy.
This ad will disappear after the New Year.
Think about it: a car salesman is a personal shopper “to help you pick out the car (Mac) that’s right for.”
Prior to my switching to a Mac, I was trying to use Windows Vista. I had been considering switching to a Mac, but thought Vista would be just fine considering my high end PC. Well, you all can imagine the outcome there. Every time I saw one of these commercials, it was like salt in a wound, a message to me, someone showing me the light, etc. I finally bought my Mac and I am so much more happier.
The reason I say all this is the commercials had a big influence on me and my purchase. So I’m a big fan of the commercials. This one wasn’t my favorite, but I definitely think that they are a good advertisement for Apple.
I agree with macmac….I’ve been touting Mac for years now & finally took my mom to a Mac Store. She was blown away by the stuff demonstrated on the computer…..now every time she sees one of those mac commercials she asks me why don’t they show the cool stuff the computer does like in the store….
Mac is missing the boat big time….most people have never even seen a mac in operation. These commercials should be showing all the cool features that made me switch to a mac in the first place. Show the new additions to Leopard….show how apps are installed…..show all the cool tricks that even I don’t know yet. PC’s suck, but SHOW the PC users why.
That commercials was WAAAAAAAYYYYY to rushed!!!
Workshops cost money. MDN is right, Mac Guy needs to say FREE workshops. Then it would be ok, but still nowhere near the best Mac ad.
“This one does not even come close – and I am a MacAd fanboy!
real – meeh…”
That’s because it’s not meant for you. Trust me, this ad will resonate with a lot of people. I know I spent 4 years at an Apple retail store and people want to know they can get good help when making their buying decisions. People are intimidated by technology and want to have people help them.
Sometimes I think that fanboys and technerds lose sight of the fact that 98% of the rest of the world doesn’t hang on Steve’s every word or want to run a Linux server.
Again. Not yours.
“but I’ve always had a beef with their Mac TV ads. They just seem to lack the power punch potential it could have”
They aren’t making infomercials. These ads appeal to people by taking complex concepts and making them easy to understand. Throwing a bunch of slick graphics up there only appeals to fanboys and the installed base. Guess what, they don’t need to advertise to you.
The thing is, they must be working. While people continue to complain about Apple’s ads, the market share continues to climb, which just goes to show… they know more about advertising that you do.
“Mac is missing the boat big time”
I have a hard time believing your knowledge of the Mac platform when you say “Mac is missing the boat bigtime”. The company name is APPLE not MAC. MAC sells cosmetics.
And yeah they are missing the boat alright. Marketshare has nearly doubled in the last couple years. Yeah, really missing it.
This one sucked, dude.