“Last year, Apple’s ad spend vaulted to US$133 million, surpassing Hewlett-Packard and IBM (according to the tracking firm TNS Media Intelligence),” Webster writes. “But Number One, of course, was Microsoft. Microsoft spent US$191 million.”
“Apple’s ads have fared well in ‘the war for consumers’ hearts,'” Webster writes. “They reiterate a common message, clear to every viewer.”
“Microsoft’s ‘Shoe Circus’ ad, in which the exceedingly well-paid Jerry Seinfeld helped the exceedingly well-heeled Bill Gates (the former CEO of Microsoft) buy shoes, really was a circus. It failed miserably with consumers. After seeing the ad, both Apple and Microsoft users polled in New York had more negative perceptions of Microsoft in the areas of innovation, technology, trouble-free design, warranty and pricing,” Webster writes. “I figured this must have been a bad thing for Microsoft at the time … until I figured out Microsoft’s exceedingly cunning plan: that’s what Microsoft wants you to think! How else do you differentiate from a company (Apple) that’s perceived as smart, click, clever, well designed and functional?”
“Microsoft, apparently not wanting to do things by half measures, has taken its approach right to the top of the firm,” Webster writes. “How do you come up with someone who is the complete opposite of Steve Jobs? Jobs is slick, a great presenter who has defined ‘smart-casual’ as top executive dress (hear hear – suits and ties are so last century). Jobs is almost worshipped by the Apple fans and has a clear cut, autocratic style that has stamped its mark on high-quality Apple-badged products for decades.”
Webster writes, “Enter stage right – Steve Ballmer! It’s pure genius! What lengths will Microsoft go to next?”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: May Steve Ballmer remain Microsoft CEO for as long as it takes!
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “iSteve” for the heads up.]
Um, April is early this year I guess….
We interrupt our regularly scheduled Mac adoration for some Microsoft bashing….
We interrupt our regularly scheduled Apple adoration for some Windows bashing….
I echo MDN’s sentiments. Steve Ballmer is a godsend to MicroSoft. I hope the shareholders do not see the light.
This article, while being a satirical hit-piece, is still giving Monkeyboy Ballmer too much credit.
Of course!
I’d like to echo what Clyde2801 said, but he beat me to it.
The only thing that Microsoft has done right lately is…
Um…
Sheeesh!
@Regular Reader:
I agree. but it’s absolutely impossible to give Balmy too little credit!
I think the photos they’re using on Bing are just smashing.
Microsoft may be doing one or two things right, but in the grand scheme of things they’re little more than… rounding errors.
Well, where’s old “one-joke ZT” today and grammar boy “I’m a PC”? I think balmy butt could use their help today.
@ChrissyOne
“I think the photos they’re using on Bing are just smashing.”
I totally agree that the Bing intro page photos are “smashing.”
However, did you know that M$ stipulates that they will pay the photographers of those images ZILCH for the use of the images, not even a photo credit listed.
They pay tons of $$ for moronic ads, but 0 for great photos?? Must be M$ fanboys that are giving away part of their souls to the BORG.
Microsoft strategy is pure genius; They build very problematic products so you have to pay them for support (yes, warranty does not apply to microsoft software), besides that, they make them very difficult to repair and support so they can sell you “Certifications” to support those systems, also they have “Training Labs” so they can charge you for learning how to use their products.
They also charge a considerable amount to PC makers to put their spam in the computers they sell. When ever they are losing money, they came out with a new OS that does exactly the same as the old one, but they move all the settings and all the cycle starts all over again, support, certification, training to use the same old system.
Isn’t that genius?
I’ve been sending Christmas cards to the Microsoft management team for years. This year I’m importing one of the photos from my Windows 7 launch party into PowerPoint and I’m going to add a clever headline like “xBox and Windows and Bing, Oh My!” Most years I use Comic Sans but this year I’m gonna try Arial and alternate red and green letters for a more festive look.
Your potential. Our passion.™
@ sparkplug
Wow.
Yeah, Wow !
Oh, my Wow was for Zune Tang.
Balmer and Pelosi; 2 complete dumbasses!
@X
Leave politics out of it – dumbass!
I just keep wondering — is there a board of directors for Microsoft or is it just Gates and Balmer? Is there any oversight? Granted, they still make money hand over fist (remember that profits are down, they have not had losses AFAIK), so if there is a board, perhaps all they care about is the bottom line. If this is the case, eventually they will become an also-ran like Dell IF a real competitor came along (i.e., a company that supplanted Windows in major corporations and government agencies). They basically stay profitable due to the “Stockholm Syndrome” of all of their current business users!
Microsoft’s grand plan is pure genius. Well said….
http://www.bing.com When it comes to decisions that matter, Bing & Decide
“Last year, Apple’s ad spend vaulted to US$133 million, surpassing Hewlett-Packard and IBM. But Number One, of course, was Microsoft. Microsoft spent US$191 million.”
And so many hungry, homeless, sick and ill-educated people in the world. Shame on both of you.
jonricmd:
“I just keep wondering — is there a board of directors for Microsoft or is it just Gates and Balmer?”
The unusual suspects:
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/bod/bod.aspx
Closed meetings start with jello shooters and hot oil back rubs but eventually devolve into naked Twister, Tequila shots, no rules hide and seek with “Clippy” and Ballmer sulking that no one even TRIES to braid his hair.
Steve Howe says”
“Last year, Apple’s ad spend vaulted to US$133 million, surpassing Hewlett-Packard and IBM. But Number One, of course, was Microsoft. Microsoft spent US$191 million.”
And so many hungry, homeless, sick and ill-educated people in the world. Shame on both of you.”
Dude, without these companies spending this money how many more people would be unemployed from ad agencies, newspapers, magazines, radio and TV stations, not to mention the people who put up billboards and ads at the bus stop. I won’t even go into how many people are employed due to the products that the ads sell. Think about it…