“At any given time, an iPod advertisement will grace the airwaves. The Pepsi/iTunes promotion has also kicked into high gear, so the Apple logo can be seen in a lot of places. With all this buzz about Apple’s digital music division, I find something missing,” Eric Schwarz writes for SchwarzTech.
“The Mac Mini is being ignored. Quite frankly, the computer that could easily boost Apple’s market share is still unknown to many. Sure, it has been mentioned in many newspapers and magazines, but many people still don’t know what makes it better than a Dell or Gateway. The Mac Mini needs to be advertised on TV to an obnoxiously, similar to how U2’s ‘Vertigo’ has become almost synonymous with an iPod commercial,” Schwarz writes.
Full article here.
[NOTE, 3:40pm ET: The “Mac Tablet” story was pulled due to its ripe old age. Sorry ’bout that one! – ]
I also am not a fan of the switch campaign, but it appears thats Apple’s next step, being that Apple is asking for “new to mac” stories.
A good commercial would be nice.
Hahah the tablet Mac story got pulled.
Owned.
Anyway, why doesn’t Apple advertise any of their computers outside of print publications? It’s the huge mystery…
U2 and the Mac Mini? At the same time? In any context? God please no!!
One possible reason they aren’t running a media blitz is because they have low stock. Why spend millions on ads if you can’t sell the product?
The writer is right in one respect – Apple aren’t advertising, and are undoubtedly missing out on sales. I think this is deliberate though. They’re relying on early adopters to buy the mini without advertising to keep costs down, and they’re succeeding. Its well known to be selling out pretty much everywhere, and the last thing they want is a run on them without being able to meet supply. Apple seem to have got the supply/demand balance almost 100% with the launch of the mini. Having gauged reaction, and taken note of any issues, shortfalls, or problems with the specification, price-points, or design they will roll out a version 2, probably with increased ram and other minor changes, and ramp up production in a big way to coincide with the launch of Tiger in Spring, and a massive advertising campaign.
They’re just very sensibly biding their time to bring together the vital ingredients for a successfull assault on their market share. Personally I think the launch was brilliantly handled, and the company has avoided any criticism of being short on supply while being able to gain rave reviews of the product from journalists and users alike. Having established such ground-level support and formed a base, they’ll build their success on it over the next few months, you watch.
The mini will be everywhere by summer.
I believe that Apple is already not able to provide for current demand, the Mac mini is a hit already.
So what’s with the Apple tablet story MDN?
Spoke out of term?
Apple got your tongue?
I don’t see why Apple doesn’t advertise the Mac mini, or for that matter, Macs in general. Nearly everyone understands the appeal of the iPod, but too few understand the appeal of the Mac.
MDN Magic Word = “lead”
As in: Apple should lead the way in marketing!
Waiting until Mini supplies ramp up to meet demand. Waiting until Tiger can be pre-installed.
This is an excellent example why the “mainstream media” is becoming less and less mainstream and being marginalized by the “new media.”
Think of it this way–
“Let me see, hmmm. Apple’s got a 2 to 4 week wait for the Mac mini. That means, none in stock at the stores. Can’t buy one and get it tomorrow (or next week) from the online Apple Store.
Hmmmm.
Boy is Apple really DUMB because they’re not advertising this really cool product.”
See what I mean? Is it possible Apple’s not advertising the Mac mini because demand is already so high that the channel pipeline hasn’t filled yet?
When’s the best time to advertise the mini? How about when the mini is actually available for purchase? And how about when it ships with Tiger?
That seemed waaaaaaay too easy to figure out, huh?
Tera Patricks
Mac360
and there was never a new iMac G5 commercial either, and I believe that was too because of the demand that was already prevelent.
I think they thought if there were advertisments, they wouldn’t have any product, and this is the same with the mini…
It’s unfortunate. Apple never gets the product out the door. You’d think after all these years… oh well…
MDN probably pulled the story on the ‘tablet’ mac by accident. It is public record, and there is no law against reporting on public record.
I think the marketing wizards at Apple have told Steve that the mac mini is taking away sales from their other computers. They want the mini hidden away in the background.
Apple needs to bring out some faster higher end computers.
AND What Apple needs to be doing is advertising its in entire line of computers – not just the mini.
But has Apple ever had an ad that sold any product?
(Of yeah, and all the ad budget is allocated to the Apple stores to make them (seem/more) profitable.)
Dear Mr. MacMan
I do hope you had a nice sleep and feel refreshed.
Please come back again soon when you feel up to it.
Bless.
Maybe it is a supply problem? Here in SoCal Fry’s is a joke. They seem to totally ignore Mac’s. The one time they had a Mac mini it was not even working. THis weekend they had no Mac Mini’s. Comp USA although they do have an Apple rep. also had no Mac mini’s this weekend.
Ken
well youve got to wait in line for a month to get one, not sure i would advertise about that either
As many have indicated in their comments, with the current 2-3 week ship times, Apple would just dig a deeper hole with aggressive marketing of the Mac mini.
Ken….
Frys has always been a joke, as far as Macs are concerned…
Try going to http://www.apple.com/retail to find a real Apple store near you
Me said…
Waiting until Mini supplies ramp up to meet demand. Waiting until Tiger can be pre-installed.
and it didn’t take rocket science to figure that one out…
Back to Mac dood. Thank you for confirming what I suspected of Fry’s. Apple apparently is now placing reps in certain Comp USA. The results appear to be quite encouraging as they have someone to answer many Apple questions from the PC curious. I spoke to the rep. about the problem with Fry’s. The rep said he knows about Fry’s and said they refuse to even let an Apple rep in their store. makes no sense to me! Fry’s better wake up and understand that they can sell a lot more Mac’s and iPods if they allow an Apple rep to help them.
There are at least 2 Apple stores fairly near me. One is at South Coast Plaza and the other at Fashion Island, both in Orange County, SoCal. I find the Apple stores quite nice to go to and the sales people are quite knowledgable and helpful.
From now on I will only buy my CD and DVD media from Fry’s. Perhaps we Apple users should boycot Fry’s?
Ken
Apple really does need to advertise the Mac mini, I made an ad for it:
http://kassie.zoness.net/files/Movie_4.swf
Comon Apple, get some ads out!
Actually, Ken, I’ve never seen a mini in CompUSA in Fountain Valley, which does surprise me. Fry’s, well, is Fry’s. The Macs have a row amongst all the PCs and that’s about it. Fry’s is more useful for those hard-to-find items, like video cards, obscure adapters, etc.
In regards to advertising, I tend to agree that Apple doesn’t need to advertise the mini when they can’t keep enough of them on the shelves as it is. It’s also a case where the iPod advertising is, in some ways, a Mac “Halo” advertising.
One constant complaint about Apple’s advertising is that it’s tough to throw all the Mac advantages into one 30 second advertisement. I think ‘Switch’ came pretty close. But when people want an iPod, where do most of them buy it from? They go to an Apple Store or buy it from the Apple web site, where they get exposed to other Apple products.
Maybe they’re waiting for the G5 iMac Minis…
Tera: I was thinking along the same lines. I ordered my Mini almost a month ago and no ship date yet. Why would Apple want to advertise a product they can’t get on their own shelves yet? Sly
I thought I read somewhere that Apple will be advertising the mini as soon as supplies catch up with demand. Wouldn’t want to advertise and then not have the computers ready for consumers