“One cool-looking bloke introduces himself as a Mac. An uncool bloke in a suit and bad haircut introduces himself as a PC. Through a series of adverts, they discuss the shortcomings of the PC versus the merits of the Mac. The PC character is neurotic, insecure and a nerd; Mac, in return, is relaxed, hip, but – crucially – not unfriendly,” Giles Wilson writes for BBC News.
Wilson writes, “This series has been running for more than a year in the US, with two slightly-known actors in the roles now filled for the UK audience by David Mitchell (PC) and Robert Webb (Mac). Apple has taken the unusual step of reconstructing its US ads verbatim for overseas markets – there is already a Japanese ‘PC’ and ‘Mac’ who have the same conversations with the same dress sense and the same backing music. This is a new twist on globalisation.”
“One of the most significant things about this series is the attitude of the Mac character towards the PC character. In the US version at least, there’s no overt smugness. Mac is friendly towards PC, he’s not judgmental, hostile or self-satisfied,” Wilson writes. “The reason for this friendliness is obvious: smugness is just not attractive, especially if you happen to be telling someone whose computer is crippled by viruses that your operating system doesn’t suffer from them (yet).”
MacDailyNews Take: Stick to reviewing TV ads, Giles. Your parenthetical use of the word “yet” shows ignorance. You obviously know nothing about operating systems. Mac OS X will never become subject to 200,000+ known viruses and large portions of the Mac user base will never be repeatedly taken down in large swaths around the globe. Yes, all operating systems have flaws. Some of these flaws can even be exploited. But, there is just no way to equate Mac and Windows in terms of security. Mac OS X has been online for nearly six years now and there are tens of millions of Mac OS X machines online. There is no “yet.”
Wilson continues, “Casting is critical here: are Mitchell and Webb as effective for a UK audience as the US stars, Justin Long and John Hodgman? For much of the UK audience, it’s possible that a familiarity with Mitchell and Webb’s excellent Channel 4 programme, Peep Show, counts against their effectiveness here. Knowing that Robert Webb plays the opportunistic insincere Jez does not exactly enhance his role as an honest friendly broker for Mac. Similarly, knowing that David Mitchell is likeable, decent and intelligent (albeit a loser) doesn’t ultimately put the PC character in as bad a light as in the US version.”
Wilson writes, “In the UK there are rules against advertisers on TV denigrating or discrediting rivals. The Apple ads have not yet been shown on British TV, but would they be allowed on air? It’s pretty clear what (or who) “PC” represents, with his nerd chic, haircut and pie-charts. (Clue: Could it be the well-known, extremely well-heeled face of a PC-based operating system?)”
MacDailyNews Take: Giles had it right the first time. It’s “what” not “who.” It’s not at all difficult and it should be extremely easy for a TV ad reviewer: The “PC” represents a Windows PC and the “Mac” represents a Macintosh. Hence their names in the ads and the repeated use of the greetings, “Hello, I’m a Mac” and “I’m a PC.”
Wilson concludes, “But luckily for Apple, the term PC is so generic nowadays it would be hard to show that these adverts were denigrating a particular competitor. That might be an interesting matter for the advertising watchdogs to consider.”
Full article here.
Related articles:
Apple takes dead aim at Microsoft’s Windows Vista in latest ‘Get a Mac’ ad (with video) – February 06, 2007
Apple UK posts six new ‘Get a Mac’ TV ads featuring Mitchell and Webb – January 29, 2007
Apple UK’s ‘Get a Mac’ campaign features Peep Show’s David Mitchell and Robert Webb – January 27, 2007
Apple Japan debuts three ‘Get a Mac’ ads – November 12, 2006
I actually agree with what he’s saying about Mitchell and Webb as choices for the Mac/PC characters. Aside from appearing on ‘Peep Show’, Mitchell has appeared on lots of comedy panel shows and various things like that – and he’s constantly hilarious, a very funny comedian.
The problem with that is that the PC character becomes almost likeable in these adverts because of that, and despite being a Mac user I find that the relationship between the two characters in the UK one makes me favour the PC in many ways – simply because of the way he delivers it.
-Leemo
People familiar with Peep Show are just as likely to be familiar with their sketch show and other solo work they’ve done and therefore realise that they are actors who can bring qualities to a role.
It’s also quite clear that these ads, regardless of which country you’re talking about, are not aimed at selling Macs to every person in every demographic. No adverts are. Sure, some people may find themselves put off, but others will get them and hopefully be the type who will be convinced to get a mac.
In terms of their “real life” non-Mac ad personas, I would say that David Mitchell and John Hodgman are very similar. This guy describes David Mitchell as “likeable, decent and intelligent” and John Hodgman isn’t? Probably the biggest difference is in the casting of the Mac and I would argue that the closer working relationship of the UK versions works better since there’s less of a perceived competitiveness if you will.
Context is just like beauty…. all in the eye of the beholder. For mac-aholics, it’s pretty simple. For someone that didn’t know there was a difference, well… it’s confusing and a questioning advertisement at best. Let’s hope those of unawareness become the aware.
Just as annoying as seeing original UK programming being remade for US audiences (such as The Office), it’s equally annoying to see the already excellent US Apple ads being remade for a UK audience.
I for one am very dissappointed not to see the original ads being promoted here in the UK, as they are much more effective – and better acted – than the UK copy-cats.
Look what’s on BBC2 tonight
This is merely the precursor to tonights Vista love-fest. For those outside the UK, the BBC business programme is running two half hour slots on how Vista is the best thing since sliced bread. MS apparently granted them unprecedented access. One hour of unpaid advertising….
For those in the UK, BBC2 at 7 pm. Be sure to have a sick bag handy….
Politcal correctness gone wrong.
For fucks sake – I was born in the UK and have lived here most of my life – these guys are ideally suited to the UK version of the ads.
If people get offended by these 2 sterotypes then people need to get a life.
For the record: These adverts are ‘generic’. They are not slaging off particular people, they are coveying a ‘generic’ comparison.
The UK remakes are piss poor in comparison. They should stick with the US characters who have achieved cult status..
Well spotted AJK: ” (BBC) asks what effect the departure of legendary founder Bill Gates in 2008 will have on the future of this world-changing company.”
BBC fawning over Microsoft – yet again. Why don’t they do an item about the TRUTH about Bill Gates and Microsoft??
I had to laugh when the reviewer makes the comment that “smugness is just not attractive” because I was pretty sure that MDN would comeback with some smug, smart-arse comment. True to form, we get a classic MDN “you obviously know nothing about operating systems”. Shame really, it would have been good advice for you bozos to follow for a once.
“Stick to reviewing TV ads, Giles. Your parenthetical use of the word “yet” shows ignorance.”
As much as I love my Mac and am convinced the the Mac is the best by a long shot; parentheticallly adding (yet) is reasonable and certainly not ignorant. Sooner or later it will happen and when it does, the Mac users who smugly believe that their computer is invulnerable will have a really unpleasant surprise.
I’m not going to go out and buy anti-virus protection just yet but I’m also not going to just assume that I’ll never need such a thing.
Macaday – Well, Microsoft did change the world. Of course, so did Hitler.
(Man, that “Snap a pic of the chick” ad is annoying.)
I have emailed the programe saying the following:
Dear Sir,
Maybe you should do a special on Apple’s OS X operating system too for a fair comparison?
If you do compare OS X with Vista I hope you have your facts correct and have done your research. Most of Vista’s ‘new’ features have been in Mac OS X for many years.
For example, Bill Gates was interviewed saying that Vista is the first operating system to have parental controls. This is totally incorrect, OS X has had parental controls for at least 4 years (I should know I use them every day and have 2 children with parental controlled managed user accounts on our Macs).
If you are going to do a comparison I would recommend contacting Apple direct.
“The problem with that is that the PC character becomes almost likeable in these adverts because of that,”
You can say the exact same thing about the US version. John Hodgeman who plays “PC” in the USA is a regular guest on the Daily Show and the radio show “This American Life” and is absolutely hilarious. The point is you’re not supposed to hate the PC, you’re supposed to feel a bit sorry for him. Its is quite clear though, in this double act “PC” is the comedian, and “Mac” is the straight man.
Wilson misses the point. Sure UK audiences are familiar with Mitchell and Webb but US audiences were well acquainted with Hodgman and Long and it didn’t do the campaign there any harm.
Exactly. Are the Mac ads hurt because people associate Justin Long with the nerdy Warren Cheswick from “Ed”? No.
Petey
BBC is obviously not interested in professional journalism. It is business and business only. This is an ad from Microsoft and BBC is playing along. This is how media (at least some of them) are working. In this program BBC will read from the script written in Redmond and show what MS PR agreed to. They will show preselected employees who have been media trained and marketing people, who will do their normal sales pitch. I would be surprised to see really controversial questions being asked. There will be some though, preselected “myths” and “difficult” questions about Windows like “but there are viruses on Windows” or “it took more that 5 years and billions of $”. But don’t be fooled. These questions have been discussed prior to interviews and you will be surprised how quickly and intelligently they will be answered. You may even start to believe it. Sociotechnology at work.
Microsoft is against the wall now seeing how their new OS is being pictured in the media and will pull whatever it can to turn the wave of criticism.
I’m with the Beeb on this. MDN should perhaps not comment so vociferously on something it doesn’t understand – namely how Mitchell and Webb are percieved.
The PC and Mac in Peep Show guise are exactly how the Beeb describes them. Really the Mac’s character in it is oblivious to his falws and thorougly dislikeable. The PC in Peep Show is completely aware of his limitations to the point of being socially crippled by them, but he is a genuinly nice, well meaning person.
So the problem really is “Jez” as the Mac rather than Webb as the Mac.
bbc has its toungue firmly up microsofts ass, don’t expect them to do a similar report on Leopard when it comes out, or to expect that the report on vista will in anyway compare tiger or leopard to vista.
oh and about the ads, if the english guys like them, then thats all that matters, personally i like the US ones.
Well I will be watching this programme with interest…
If there is anything factually incorrect I will be contacting OFTEL, who are the UK organisation that monitors TV broadcasting and will be emailing them with a complaint asking them to investigate.
“bbc has its toungue firmly up microsofts ass”
I hope to all that is holy that the BBC leaves that particular footage out of their Vista lovefest special.
No wonder Gates has been wearing an “I’ve got a secret” smirk lately.
2 + 2 doesn’t equal 5 (yet).
Petey
“New Vista. It’s one of the biggest new products of the year…” – here we have the approach that BBC has taken.
“The Money Programme has had exclusive access to Microsoft to follow the launch of Vista.” and here is the most important part of the program introduction. You don’t get exclusive access for nothing. You need to go through PR department. PR people will make sure you will do no harm to the reputation of the company. I can bet that the contract states that MS has to authorise everything that BBC will air. If the program was ment to be even a little bit controversial the journalist would not get the “exlusive access”.
Ok…why is this an issue?
I feel that people find pointless things to write about and make them out to be bigger than they are.
Just enjoy the commercials…they’re effective, funny, and entertaining. Enough said.
unless you have lived extensively -decades- in both cultures judging the nuances of the Brits is just plain foolish, I’m as Anglophobic as the best of you but most of you are just talking trash ( rubbish)