“Apple UK doesn’t believe PCs are as naff as its Stateside parent company does. Don’t believe us? Just take a look at the company’s TV adverts for Intel-based Macs. In the original, US-oriented ad, Apple takes a dig at ‘dull’ PCs, but in the version cleared for UK audiences the d-word is peculiarly absent,” Tony Smith reports for The Register. “Compare and contrast. First, the US advert, premiered by CEO Steve Jobs at Macworld Expo in January this year: The Intel chip. For years it’s been trapped inside PCs, inside dull little boxes, dutifully performing dull little tasks, when it could have been doing so much more. Stating today, the Intel chip will be set free and get to live life inside a Mac. Here’s the UK voice-over: The Intel chip. For years it’s only been inside PCs, dutifully doing all the things PCs were built to do. Stating today, the Intel chip will be set free and also get to do all the things Macs were built to do.“
Full article here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Robert D.” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Take: Good. Now change the US version to match the UK and you’;ll be cooking with gas, Apple. Maybe someone in Apple’s marketing department has been reading our own SteveJack’s opinion articles? As we’ve stated on this site previously, the problem with Apple’s ad isn’t that it insults the likes of Dell, it’s that it insults the very people to whom Apple wants to sell Macs. Apple’s US version of the ad is another very refined, very well shot, immaculately produced advertisement that’s designed to make Apple Mac users feel superior, but imagine a Windows-only user’s reaction. The ad tells them that their computer, the one for which they spent a good chunk of change, is “dull.” It tells them that their processor is being wasted “trapped inside their [Windows] PC, when it could have been doing so much more.” Boy, you’re just so stupid, the new Apple Intel ads tells the US consumer. You should’ve bought a Mac because, drum roll please, now the Intel chip will get to live inside a Mac. Then they show an iMac with a blank blue desktop and the Apple logo with the word “Mac.” That’s it, not even a Dock. Huh, the Windows-only using American asks? Why should I buy a Mac, again? Pretty cases? “Imagine the possibilities,” the ad smugly concludes. Fade to black. Thud. Give us a @#%&! break!
Apple needs to continue what they’re doing in almost very other area, but if they’re going to run TV ads for the Mac, they need to hire someone who can explain WHY the Mac is better, not just churn out ads designed to make Mac users (and Steve Jobs?) feel superior. Otherwise, just forget the ads and concentrate on building Apple Stores. We Mac users already know we have the superior personal computing platform, Mr. Jobs. The rest of the world is left with no clue as to why, as usual. You and Apple should them try telling them someday.
Related articles:
Apple ad disses Dell, others – and Intel claims it’s okay – February 03, 2006
Report: Intel didn’t know about Apple’s Intel ad calling PCs ‘dull’ until just before Jobs’ keynote – January 11, 2006
MDN I agree, good take!
This is a no-brainer. The Brits don’t value free speech in the UK the way we do in the US (except when Parliament meets, and the Prime Minister is giving a speech, then it’s a free-for-all).
Remember Apple’s “SuperComputer” TV ad a few years ago? It ran in the US but was challenged in the UK for ‘accuracy.’
I agree with MDN and others. Apple’s TV advertising for the Mac simply does NOT tell the Mac OS X story. They’re caught up way too much in the artsy-craftsy attitude of Chiat-Day art directors who think winning ad awards is more important than selling products.
The iPod ads were slick, cool, and classy (though not always original) and may have helped sell to a hip generation and won a few awards, but they haven’t been able to transfer that magic to Mac OS X or the Mac line.
Sigh.
Tera Patricks
TeraTalks
Amen. People use PCs to do some pretty important things. Like medical research. But, unless you are using a Mac to do video editing and watch downloaded episodes of The Office, what are you doing — per Apple — is summed up as “dull little tasks.”
Don’t get me wrong — I love my Macs and my iPod and I *do* download episodes of The Office from the iTunes Music Store. The Office is just about the funniest show on TV, and it’s great to be able to download it.
But… the smugness with which Steve Jobs comes across gets to me sometimes.
There is more to life than Macs and iPods.
hey apple, you make computers as well as macs, wouldnt know it from the last 5 – 10 years of advertising in uk.
Yeah americans really value free speech specially now they have the patriot act.
>The Brits don’t value free speech in the UK the way we do in the US
ROTFL. Watched Fox news lately? McCarthy anyone?
Has anyone considered that this might be a case of language differences? I believe a more proper definition of dull (other than boring) is stupid. I don’t know that Apple would go so far as to claim people have been doing “stupid” tasks even if they would say “boring” tasks.
We shun free speech in the US. Don’t kid yourself. Free speech is the unpatriotic past when liberals ran the country.
Dull little tasks. I was cheering when I heard that. Get ’em Apple!
PC users don’t know how backwards they are. The world is moving into the next century, Windows is still in the 80s.
Apple does need to talk about the Mac in terms of what makes it special. It’s a rocky road though because you can do all the same things with Windows, though in a very different way.
Showing a blue screen though is pretty lame. Dell’s using a very similar-looking screen in online ads.
Dang. I never understood MDN’s fussiness over a bit of stupid marketing hype. People do what they do on their PCs… just as OTHER people do what THEY do on their Macs. It’s ALL boring (dull) to SOMEBODY, folks.
MDN’s take forgets that the SOUL of this machine was birthed in a 1984 ad that saw a hammer smashed through the face of “boredom,” in a room filled with “dull,” grey suits. Worked for me then, it works for me now.
And please forgive me, but stuff done on PCs is WAY more “dull.” This is proven again every time a PC user watches me set up a slide show in iPhoto (etc. etc.) and breathlessly begs me for the name of the store that sells the app. Yes, Apple’s ads are correct, and I support truth in advertising. What’s more, I seriously doubt whether they’re “offending” anybody, but if there’s a PC weenie out there somewhere sporting tears because of an Apple ad, well… hey.
Keep your Dell, dude.
What about a campagin in the vain of the switch one, except you show short movies, slide shows or music made by “normal” users and then finish of with the made with a mac line?!
From: Tera Patricks
……….The Brits don’t value free speech in the UK the way we do in the US ……………….
huh???? this does not merit a response actually.
————–
……….Remember Apple’s “SuperComputer” TV ad a few years ago? It ran in the US but was challenged in the UK for ‘accuracy.’
Well maybe it was quiestioned because it was not strictly true…… you seem to equate freedom of speech with the freedom to lie…….
Whereas I agree that the US version of the ad could be taken that way, I think the majority of Apple’s target market are going to “buy into” the ads insinuations. From the last few months of Apple’s activity, I think it’s generally obvious they’re going after the entertainment market, not the business sector. And, since the business sector is the target mainly being made fun of, the average joe will be more than happy to get rid of their clunky, dull pcs in favor of the new sleek, speedy iMac that just so happens to go oh so well with their iPod.
Simply put, the average American is very easily swayed through psychological manipulation, ie: the cool factor, not logic. In the UK, they seem to have a more calculated approach, appealing more to the intellect in pointing out that the intel chip can not only do all the necessary business things it’s been doing, but now will be able to do even more now that it can take on it’s new identity inside the iMac.
It’s all simply a matter of catering to the target market, and using the right language as well as psychology.
The big difference between advertising in the US and the UK is not to do with free speech, but to do with advertising regulations and that British advertising is not allowed to be misleading.
Television adverts are governed by a regulator, the Independent Television Commission, which is not part of the government. All adverts are required to meet certain standards for accuracy, decency and many other criteria. If a viewer feels that a particular advert falls foul of those guidelines, they can complain to the ITC, it will be investigated and if upheld, that advert will be banned.
In the case of the previous Apple advert, 8 people complained about Apple’s claim that the PowerMac G5 was the world’s most powerful personal computer. The investigators believed that Apple used skewed tests which unfairly favoured it’s products. An independent tester concluded that “the G5 was generally as fast as the best Intel-based workstations currently available”. You and I might dispute his assessment, but the fact remains that he was appointed as an expert arbitrator and that’s what he said, so the ITC accepted his advice. The ITC considered that there was insufficient evidence to support Apple’s claim ” the world’s fastest, most powerful personal computer”. The ITC upheld the complaint and the ad was withdrawn as it’s forbidden to make a claim that can’t be substantiated.
The recent Intel ad would probably fall foul of a different rule, whereby advertisers are not allowed to make derogatory remarks about rival products.
So it’s nothing to do with free speech, or Apple UK not believing that PCs are naff. It’s simply that British TV advertisers have to be able to back up any claims and not knock the opposition. British adverts are required to meet strictly enforced standards of honesty and fair play.
MDN, MDN, MDN. The ad is perfect in the US. The ad in the UK makes it seem that Apple is now “me too me too” with the new Intel chip.
Go get them Apple…
Politics and govenment entertainment aside, Apple needs to advertise that damn Mac already! Let’s hope it happens soon. A whole campaign at WWDC or after everything switches…
foureyes said: “Dang. I never understood MDN’s fussiness over a bit of stupid marketing hype.”
I think MDNs problem is not with what the Apple ad says, but what it doesn’t say, and I agree completely.
Apple has never used their ads to explain to the computer using masses that:
1. A Mac can do anything a PC can do…Many people out there think they are going to be losing some functionality if they switch to a Mac.
2. A Mac has all the software the need built-in…Most people see the cost of buying Mac software as being a deterrant to switching.
and
3. Macs are not affected by PC viruses…Believe it or not many PC users just don’t understand this.
So, the question is: Why doesn’t Apple advertise these facts instead of focusing on the processor or the hardware design, which most people care little or nothing about.
How does the US version insult the very customers Apple is trying to sell to? “…dull little tasks” are exactly what the Intel chip has been doing inside a PC. You can’t tell me that fighting viruses, adware and spyware is exciting. Now the Intel chip will be doing something worth while like productive work and personal things like surfing the web and playing games.
MDN – good take for once. But then why do you never miss an opportunity to also take the same smug swipes and PC’s and their owners?
> You can’t tell me that fighting viruses, adware and spyware is exciting.
Take a look at the CPU load on a PC some time. This takes less than 1% CPU on most machines. Given Mac’s have been 4x slower than their Intel equivalents until about a month ago, I can’t quite see the problem.
MacDragon, sorry, but MDN did wax wordy about how the campaign would ..oh, I forget the exact words, but something to the effect of, “offend the people they are trying to persuade.” (Especially funny considering MDN’s comments, especially when it comes to virus matters, do far more to incite than to make peace with PC freaks.)
And although I do agree that Apple could, and should say more, your claims need inspection:
“1. A Mac can do anything a PC can do…”
Wrong-o. My wife is a realtor, would LOVE to use a Mac but CAN’T because it doesn’t properly support the MLS. I’m sure we can come up with other examples very easily if we simply look into vertical markets. The PC folks have us WAY outnumbered when it comes to application software.
“2. A Mac has all the software the need built-in…”
ALL? Really? Puh-leeze. If that were true, I and many others could have saved thousands of bucks. Yeah, iLife is cool — I used it to make my point earlier. But my Mac is worth MUCH less if you take away everything but what came with it.
UK advertisers are not allowed to make as wild claims about their products as they are in the US, unless it is backed up by an independent survey.
Therefore unless Apple can proved that PCs are considered dull and boring, they cannot make that statement.
This isn’t a question of free speech, it is a question of a regulatory body trying to ensure that avdertisers do not bambozzle the public with promises that are not correct.
I agree wholeheartedly that Apple continually miss the point with their advertising. Who cares about slamming the competition, tell the public what your products can do. Isn’t that what the iPod commercials do? Why not for the Macs?
MW – music – now that’s a coincidence
MDN’s take is DULL.
Apple said go jump off a cliff MDN, go on, do it; we’ll watch and see how your smash against the rocks.
Does it matter? Only late-night watchers of minor channels are ever going to see the ad. Apple has never marketed the Mac on prime time here. This is unlikely to change.
Removing the word “dull” is not going to sell more Macs in the UK. Apple (as has been pointed out numerous times by MDN) needs to actually advertise specifically what you can do with an Apple and its strengths.
http://getkickedoffaplanewearingthis.blogspot.com/
I like the U.S. version, none of that pussy footin’ around crap.
I hate all these over sensitive people, all a bunch baby whiners.
If the U.S. version pisses off some people, then they’re to sensitive and are better off on a DULL Windows PCs.
The truth hurts.
Not dull. Just a bit gormless.
The US version’s wording flows better, but the UK version, well…kind of makes more sense.its more convincing that makes are better, I mean.
Trouble is that here in the UK we are now getting ads that claim that MS cares and indeed ensures about a high level of seecurity in its operating systems. It seems that levels of accuracy can be less than objective.
However that said the free speech jibe is something I won’t lower myself to repond to except to say that it is generlly those who boast about being free who least understand the true concept or their position within it.
Since we seem to be casting votes here, I’ll weigh in in support of MDN’s take.
If Apple’s going to put down the competition, they should do it with facts, not smug-sounding invective that’s likely to put off the fence-sitters.
Better yet, Apple should sell the Mac’s many virtues. The most remarkable thing about Mac users is our exceptionally high level of satisfaction and happiness with the products. It’s time for Apple to use fact-based, feel-good messages to communicate to Windows sufferers exactly why we are so pleased with our purchases.
Snotty put-downs are exactly the wrong approach.
Honestly, I don’t think anybody takes their computer so seriously. If anybody gets upset that an ad called their computer dull, then they have more serious problems to work out than what their next computer should be.
r_y_a_n “The truth hurts.”
If what they say is actually true, then there’s no problem, they can advertise it. Apple’s problem came when they claimed things that they couldn’t fully justify.
Apple would not be able to get away with having a TV advert in the UK claiming that the new Intel Macs are 4x faster than the previous PPC Macs. The 4x figure is only there because Apple selected specially chosen test results. Most realistic tests show them to be better than 2x faster, which is obviously pretty good, but a claim of 4x faster would be regarded as untruthful and even the most loyal Mac supporter wouldn’t really expect to see a 4x speed improvement in normal use.
“I hate all these over sensitive people, all a bunch baby whiners.”
As every company is obliged to follow the same rules for honesty, it’s a much more civilised state of affairs. I might not like many of the adverts on TV, but at least I can be sure that nobody is telling downright lies and I can’t think of any reason why I would want an arrangement where blatant dishonesty were allowed.
Tera, what makes you say (other than the UK version of the ad) that those in the UK – or other Commonwealth countries (Canada, Australia) – don’t value free speech as much as the US? While we may not have a ‘right to free speech’ clause in a constitution, common law has been just as effective in guarding and regulating our rights to freedom of speech.
And you wonder why we (in Commonwealth countries) sometimes view US culture as brash, loud and not-that-cultured: the right to free speech does not also mean a right to insult whomever you want.
In fact, the advertising regulator could be Apple a favour: protecting them from libel cases, where in the UK, the burden of proof is on the defendant.
A note: I’m Australian, living in Australia, but have half my family in the UK.
The US AND UK versions of the ad are very wrong for Apple and it is a mistake for the company. In EVERY respect it’s a corporate. glossy ‘Windows’ ad, which negatively (and expensively) confirms to every software/hardware buyer in the world that they made the right decision to adhere to the status-quo.
MDN is very misguided too as it also advocates promoting Windows (only MDN don’t realise this).
We live in a strange world indeed – where Microsoft advertising is very good at promoting all the virtues of owning a Mac and Apple advertising defines and reinforces all the rational fantasising behind choosing a PC.
Perhaps the two companies should have an agreement to swop ads just before they go on-air.
Does anyone remember that Macintosh ad where that kid gets woken up by a video playing on his macintosh computer? The ad then goes on to show how he did it…that ad was super cool and highlighted how easy it was for even a little kid to use a macintosh and do cool and creative things.
Excerpt from the British Chamber of Commerce, Foreign Visitation Division, Advertisement Department, Legal Affairs Desk:
To wit, the following advert is deemed acceptable;
Come visit the U.K., I guess, really can’t imagine why. We’re really not better nor distinct nor different than France or Germany or Spain or any other European country. Why, you should really consider visiting another European country should you wish to visit Europe because we are all the same, really. Nothing special here, folks, please move along. Britain, big deal!
I actually like the “dull little PC” ad. I think it will make Windoze users wake up and see the light. Although I do whole-heartily agree that Apple needs to create a series of ads highlighting the benefits of OS X vs. Winblows.
Agree Cubert, totally disagree with MDN here. Apple has taken on the ‘hardline’ in marketing. Why was everybody cheering on the prints hanging around stating: ‘Redmond,…start your photocopiers!’ and now complaining about this one?!
Being blunt and to the point is a course that I personally like. Be agressive, don’t specify too much, raise questions with only a few words. This is not an add for shampoo, this is an add for the company that thinks different, outside that dull little box that seems to be MDN’s and many other’s brains…
Apple go on, you are on track…
Woah yanks. Take that Britain-shaped chip off your shoulders. You’ll do your backs in.
“dull, little tasks”
The phrase is a perfect description of how I see the paradigm in which PC users operate as it relates to a Mac user’s. The most entralled PC users are excited about clicking through their ten to fifteen XP buttons to come out with an outcome that matches what they were hoping for to happen, exactly. Have you any PC users who are excited when they DO something on their computer? They love each step – no matter how uninteresting (dull) it is – in a completely modernistic way.
However, Mac users have found user experience to trump over the tasks, long ago, perhaps. And user experience is the postmodern computing paradigm that will eventually win out. (because it’s, well, POSTmodern)
The ads work. They highlight the fact that PCs are the past, Macs and their OS are the present.
Hey, Dave, here’s another for ya:
Upon care review and thoughtful analysis, it has been decided that “Great” is no longer an appropriate adjective for Britain and, therefore, constitutes an infringement of truth in advertising. Henceforth, the nation, formerly know as Great Britain, shall be called “Semi-adequate Britain”.