“The new Apple ‘Bean Counter’ ad goes straight for the Microsoft jugular, no messing about at all. Answering the question ‘you think that amount of money will fix Vista?’ the PC punch line is a resounding ‘no, you are right, I’ll put it all in advertising,'” Davey Winder reports for iTWire.
“It’s a very clever twist of the knife that builds on the less than successful promotion of Vista in the marketplace and amongst high profile customers,” Winder writes.
“While Microsoft attempts to imitate Apple and build a friendly, lifestyle image for the Windows brand, Apple gets straight to the point and demolishes Vista. The message is clear: fix Vista problems instead of employing distraction tactics,” Winder writes.
Winder writes, “All in all, Apple would appear to have poured water onto the whole Microsoft campaign, extinguishing any hope of lifting the Windows image that was the whole point of the expensive advertising exercise.”
Full article, which also discusses Apple’s “V Word” ad, here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Chuckles the Microsoft CEO” for the heads up.]
MacDailyNews Note:
Apple Web Ad: Bean Counter
Direct link to video here.
Apple Web Ad: V Word
Direct link to video here.
See the ads in higher quality and in various sizes via Apple.com here.
That’s funny!! Esp. budgeting.
Budgetting is the best mac ad I’ve seen…
I can’t figure out which is more brutal; Budgeting or Off the Air
If you listen really carefully, you can hear an office chair being thrown in Redmond.
Ouch.
Simple Great!
Funny and it did not last 15 minutes either cost 300 millions…
Budgeting is absolutely brilliant.
MS left themselves wide open for this.
Best ad yet in an incredible lineup.
Awaiting the posts about how Apple is “threatened” and how the proof is in these new ads.
Yeah, it’s a strawman, but usually a true one…
haven’t we already discussed these two in another thread, just a few headlines below?
Budgeting is one of the best yet, a nearly perfect response to those ridiculous MS commercials. MS spent all that money on those long, nonsensical ads, and in one simple 30 second spot, Apple just punched them in the face, again. Sweet…
It’s a great spot, but I wonder if they’re spending a little too much time “going negative” these days. The ads are all about Microsoft’s problems and not as much about Mac benefits.
This is really new territory for Apple ads – Budgeting goes squarely after Microsoft management, where their attacks before were via the product.
I love that Apple calls bullsh*t on Microsoft in this way.
“Bean counter” has to be the most devastasting ad in the series ever. Interesting that its power comes from simply telling the truth: Microsoft is throwing money at Vista advertising instead of fixing the damn thing.
The best move, so subtle that I missed it the first time, is the scoop of Macs arm to suggest the investment should be made in fixing Vis — BZZZ — ta instead of in advertising. Nice contrast.
t’s a great spot, but I wonder if they’re spending a little too much time “going negative” these days. The ads are all about Microsoft’s problems and not as much about Mac benefits. —jgarbers
Some of the ads in this long-running series do focus on the shortcomings of Microsoft’s products, but others focus on the Mac’s strengths (the ability to run Windows, for instance). Besides, this ad campaign has been so stunningly successful that I don’t think anyone need worry that Apple is being too negative here. Anyway, Microsoft deserves it.
jgarbers–There’s a theory in advertising that going negative can be a positive or a negative for the advertiser depending on how it’s done. I think these are done in a lighthearted, humorous way, so they catch on.
A couple of other things. I’m not exactly sure how long this campaign has gone on, but it has to be over 3 years. It’s consistent, so we really don’t listen to the individual commercials, but at the whole group.
Microsoft has changed their campaign so many times, that I have no clue what they’re saying. And Microsoft is acting defensively to Apple, and that means game set match for Apple.
Agree with others. I was really laughing at the Bean Counter ad.
Peace.
I can understand why advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day made this advertisement ridiculing advertising: Microsoft is not their account.
Thankfully for TBWA\Chiat\Day, Apple needs to make advertisements about Microsoft Windows as long as Apple continues to produce an operating system.
Very interesting to see Apple’s response to the MS “I’m a PC” ads. Initially, we saw a torrent of new iPhone and App Store ads from Apple, yet no new “Get a Mac” ads. I think that these iPhone ads took some of the focus off of the Mac/PC tit-for-tat pissing match, and instead showcased just why Apple rules this new computer/consumer space (palm top smart phones).
Now that the initial blush has worn off the “I’m a PC” ads, Apple comes roaring back with their “Get a Mac” response, and its brilliant; in one deft stroke, Apple has destroyed Microsoft’s $300M ad campaign by demonstrating the pure folly of putting lip-stick on a bloated pig called Vist… I mean Windows.
Simple, elegant, Apple.
@The Great Apple Fanboy Massacre
“When you have nothing of your own to boast about, attack the other guy. That’s the Apple way. God forbid they would ever have more class than that.”
Poor, even for you. You can do better trolls than that.
You’re no Zune Tang. Read some of his trolls and prepared to be schooled on how it’s done.
Apple’s campaign has been good for humor, but doesn’t really illustrate to people why they should use Apple products; they come off as more of an inside joke for existing Apple users.
Microsoft has most of IT brainwashed through their MS certified courses.
Brainwashing consumers through TV spots has just run into a roadblock that the certified courses don’t have to contend with.
Keep up those negative ads Apple. Throw in one for the MS Certified Weenies as well.
I was loving those ads everytime I saw them yesterday. That and the fact that I was crushing the other guy in fantasy football yesterday.
Oh, yeah – GO PHILLIES!!!
The best hitting lineup top to bottom.
Agree the budget ad is the best yet.
This is very aggressive advertising; opportunistic; like pummeling your opponent when he’s down. Unlike some of the really pitiful ads out in the political spectrum, these ads have a consistency, humor and lightness about them – more like an invitation than an insult for those suffering in the opposite camp – and they exploit truths rather than attempt to mislead.
You have to admire Steve Jobs; he truly has taste. In contrast, Uncle Fester comes across as a lowlife, straight-faced liar. I see parallels in this battle with the current election campaign. The forces of light should triumph over the forces of darkness. Before any retard stands up to cheer, I should add that I’m not talking about skin color… but heart.
The end does not justify the means.
No offense… but the real reason Apple is going for this type of marketing is clear. They’re taking advantage while they can.
Apple knows that many of Vista’s problems will be fixed by next year when they release their incremental upgrade (they’re moving to an Apple OSX model of incremental upgrades, as opposed to ground-breaking ones).
Now I love OS X and my iMac, but I don’t think Windows doesn’t have its place. I’d shudder to think if there was no Windows around. To a certain degree it keeps Apple honest. Remember, folks, they make great stuff, but Steve Jobs does not love you.