Apple is running a new multi-banner Web ad campaign in which the top banner states, “‘Leopard is better and faster than Vista’ -Wall Street Journal” and the familiar Mac (Justin Long) and PC (John Hodgman, who’s a Mac user himself in real life) characters begin in a large vertical ad on the right side of the page.
Mac stays in that banner, but PC actually moves from one to the other via step ladder as he “fixes” the Wall Street Journal’s by stapling a “NOT” sign at the end.
After he finishes his task, PC says, “Come on Mac, we’ve got the whole Internet to correct. Grab the ladder.”
Here’s the ad as seen on The New York Times Web site:
Direct link via YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPObm2GwQTQ
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Michael B.” for the heads up.]
Just saw it on the New York Times site.
Moderately funny.
There were some CNBC videos, a post keynote Steve Jobs interview and David Pogue spots, being shown on the site, too, with Microsoft ads before. LOL!
Blah!
People need a cheap, expandable Mac that runs Windows software without Windows, nearly flawlessly.
The world uses Windows, and it’s software.
Windows sucks, but it’s chained with a lot of development in third party software. This is what keeps it alive. Along with the fact that Windows can run on any hardware from any PC vendor.
If Apple can address some of these issues, they will surpass HP in volume sales in a very short order.
2008 will definitely be a banner year for Apple Inc.
If Apple addresses those issues, we’ll have too many switchers asking why OS X doesn’t have the same shortcuts as Windows. There are already too many Windows geeks using Macs for my taste.
Let’s let the switchers learn a little more about the Mac before opening the floodgates.
Three word for ya old man:
Never Gonna Happen
Another funny and creative ad!
THAT is fscking tight! LOVE it!
great use of multiple ad spaces.
is anybody else doing this type of interlocking multiple ads on one page?
wish is would auto play.
Old Mac Man is right … in a way. If we want the Mac to move from #3 in the US to #1 in the world by Jan ’09, that’s what we have to do. balloonknot is also correct … it ain’t gonna happen.
One thing Apple has that has the rest of the industry turning green is profit margins on everything it makes. Apple likes this. The shareholders like this. Why change a working formula? Apple can only grow “so fast” – safely. Grow too quickly and you may suffer quality issues. Try to grow by invading the low-margin end of the market and you’ll certainly suffer quality control issues. AND lower your own profit margins.
Parse out Mac sales by niche and you’ll see much higher market shares all around. Try checking “consumer purchases, $1,000 to $1,400”, or “consumer purchases, $1,400 to $2,000”, or “consumer purchases, <$2,000” and see what you get. Into the double digits. Why? Well, We know that the vast bulk of Mac sales are to consumers, and that the consumer niche is smaller than the enterprise niche – instant doubling. We also know that most PCs sell for under $1,000 while most Macs sell for over that number.
Macs are entering the Enterprise system little by little, and gaining share in the consumer market much more quickly. More software is becoming available on the Mac every quarter. Sure, Visio and some other tiny niche products are not going to move … but those are tiny niches. And more people need to be able to read the output than need to be able to run the programs. Even so, with Windows now available for the Mac, those niches have been opened up.
Being right “today” or “in the near future” does not mean things won’t change. Our concern is for the niches we compete in, not the entire market as defined by some third party.
Dave
Your Big Brother just got bigger.
From the news wire:
“Microsoft submitted a patent application in the U.S. for a ‘unique monitoring system’ that could link workers to their computers.
Wireless sensors could read “heart rate, galvanic skin response, EMG, brain signals, respiration rate, body temperature, movement facial movements, facial expressions and blood pressure,” the application states.
The system could also “automatically detect frustration or stress in the user” and ‘offer and provide assistance accordingly.'”
Great idea. It detects the frustration of workers struggling with Vista and offers to buy the employees a Mac.
One of the primary reasons I switched (over 10 yrs ago) was dealing with “Windows can run on any hardware from any PC vendor”….NEVER F**KIN` HAPPENED!!! there`s a lot to be said about an OS that runs on limited hardware profiles, less crap to go wrong with turd hardware and very few driver issues. I`ll take stuff that works (at a premium) than roll the dice cheap hardware anyday.
i’m this close to deleting the Windows partition on my MacBook, this may just confirm it.
I love this ad campaign – I think the internet ads are even better than the TV spots.
I also think Apple should focus on the MacMini. They desperately need to refresh their lower end offering.
Is this ad going to crash and lock browsers all over like the last multi-banner had? I don’t recall what the problem ended up being with that, but I think Engadget removed it eventually. It got lots of complaints.
Very clever ad though.
“i’m this close to deleting . . .”
Please hold your hands up again. I was on the other side of the internet and I didn’t get to see how close. (j/k)
Apple forgot to say “Neener Neener Neener” in the ad, and until they do, I’m not buying it.
IMHO – I like it
But, on my 10.3.x Safari 2.x – the ad doesn’t load correctly
However – with Firefox 2.x it IS ok
And probably no big deal, for me. I’m not in the target audience.
But, but, but –
Over on my WinTel XP machine
(yes, I know, but I need it for WinMX, and to test site renderings – like in this situation. And, Grasshopper, is always smart to be aware of what the ‘other side’ is up to, or down with)
Anyway, on XP/IE – no load/render properly
But with Firefox is ok
And that DOES worry me, since a vast majority of our lost neighbors will be seeing this ad via IE and hope they don’t end up with a bad taste in their mouth.
Now, all that being said – could just be something with my machines/browsers/set-up. Hope so.
Can’t imagine Apple will put up an ad that doesn’t render properly on the machines/browsers we’re trying to reach.
Thanks, BC
Oh, sorry, duh
Is 10.FOUR.x
Grrrr, about made my Tiger jump out of his cage with THAT mistake.
BC
I need an 802.11n mac mini. Where is it already Apple? I’m tired of my mini choking on large video streams from my airport disk.
AND – all of those ‘tests’ were done at NY Times Site
BC
Anybody notice this is the first time in a while that the end of the ad featured the Macbook Pro advertisement? When are they going to update those, anyway?
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
Also on WSJ
“When are they going to update those, anyway?”
November 1st, 2007: MacBook Pro – new BTO 2.6GHz, 250GB HDD.
So you’re saying you think it’s a good idea to buy a MBP now? I was considering waiting until the beginning of February because I wasn’t sure if Apple would come out with something new.
I don’t really like the look of the Macbook Air, so if Apple is going to model it’s next generation of MB’s & MBP’s off of that, I might just order my MBP this Saturday.