Not Cool Enough (or Rich Enough) to Be A Mac: New Microsoft Ads
3:53 am, March 27th, 2009, Nicole Martinelli
A series of Microsoft ads are aimed at budget consumers worried about price tags, further perpetuating the pricey Mac myth.
Associated Press reports the ads were shot by recruited unwitting subjects by posing as a market research firm studying laptop purchasing decisions.
It picked 10 people who answered a call for volunteers on Craigslist and other websites and sent them out with a camera crew and budgets ranging from $US700 to $US 2,000. If they found a computer that fit their criteria, they could keep it.
In the first 60-second ad, a red-haired recent college grad named Lauren is on the hunt for a speedy laptop with a 17-inch screen and a “comfortable” keyboard, all for less than $1000. She strides into an Apple store; then, the scene jumps to her walking out empty-handed, telling the camera that the only laptop in her price range has a 13-inch screen.
Back in the car, she sighs and says, “I’m just not cool enough to be a Mac person.”
Lauren heads to Best Buy next and buys a Windows notebook made by Hewlett-Packard Co. for $US699. And she wasn’t alone. While some might have been able to find an Apple computer that fit the budget, Microsoft said none of the people they filmed picked a Mac.
Via The Age
Posted by Nicole Martinelli in News, iPod | Comment on this article
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She probably got a Celeron with a 32 bit system and Windows Vista Home Basic. And i bet the laptop is like 2cm thick. That computer will slow down to a Pentium 3 in about 6 months.
Denis, on March 27th, 2009 at 4:02 am
“Microsoft said none of the people they filmed picked a Mac”
Mm. Strange that none of the actors that appeared in their advert bought a Mac. Gotta love Microsoft’s PC users aren’t cool shooting-self-in-foot thing. It follows on nicely from Ballmer not battling iPhone by saying Windows Mobile devices are cheaper, but arguing the toss over flashiness and cost.
Craig Grannell, on March 27th, 2009 at 4:52 am
I’d like to know if after a few months, the bill she’ll pay for tech support plus the $699 would (or not) exceed the $1000 :->
Filipe Miguel Tavares, on March 27th, 2009 at 5:18 am
Sucks to be poor. Sorry!
MaxT, on March 27th, 2009 at 5:18 am
“I’m a PC, and I got just what I wanted.”
…until she turns it on a finds 2GB of HP Bloatware installed. Unless, of course, that was part of her “criteria” maybe?
blackf0rk, on March 27th, 2009 at 5:21 am
Microsoft: “Hey, here come some young adults who are possibly students, and thus likely to be less well off than those in regular employment, and probably even less well-informed about the sheer variety of computer user experiences that exist.
“We’ll make you think we’re as hassle-free to use as Macs, because lying in this way is the easiest way to get people to early-adopt, before they’ve seen and tried the admittedly, far superior products our competitors have to offer. It’s certainly easier for us to make these claims than it is to simply try to make a better product.”
It’s the only way they can get and keep people: keep them ignorant about the alternatives to their shoddy products – even lie to them if necessary (but call it ‘marketing’). Catch them when they have the highest vulnerability of knowing nothing. Microsoft are the real cult in this game.
When you’ve had Mac, you don’t go back. Baby.
Anthony, on March 27th, 2009 at 6:09 am
She got just what she wanted? Apparently she was looking for high-maintenance, overly complicated operating system with weekly spyware checks and domineering antivirus software.
Dave, on March 27th, 2009 at 6:17 am
Let all people choose for themselves – what is she going to use it for ? Or shall we just buy a laptop simply because we want it ? I say no all of us shall think what will it be for (the purpose) and then go choose one that will meet that purpose, othervise getting a laptop will become the sole purpose (by the way that is the buy PC message)
jurap, on March 27th, 2009 at 6:31 am
Wow – the first store she runs to is the Apple store, nice compliment for Apple. They are always the first on everyones list. But she’s not cool enough. Thats right! Stay Out! lol I have to use peecee’s at work, and they are garbage – pay the extra for a Mac ad get some work done.
Momar, on March 27th, 2009 at 6:40 am
It’s a good ad.
It will hit home with a lot of people.
Well done Microsoft.
Justin, on March 27th, 2009 at 6:50 am
How nice that the person they filmed is actually an ACTOR. Jeez…
Fidyyuan, on March 27th, 2009 at 7:09 am
The cost of ownership by having a pc was too high. That was one of the major reasons I switched to a mac years ago. I do not buy a lot of electronics; but when I do I want something reliable and simple to use. For me that has been my mac.
Kelly, on March 27th, 2009 at 7:21 am
to be totally honest I always thought that this was a myth, but in reality it is not.
I do think that certain products like the ipod, iphone, imac, mac mini are worth the price.
But looking into the laptops and displays the prices are out of this world. For the macbook you get “13 display(which we hear disappointing feedback about) 160gb HD , and 2gb of memory NO firewire for $1300 . Compare that and you will know how expensive it is.
king, on March 27th, 2009 at 7:25 am
Go ahead, compare that macbook: Core 2 Duo Processor, DDR3 memory, better graphics card, better screen res, etc., etc.
PJ, on March 27th, 2009 at 8:14 am
GM is the worlds largest automaker because…. people are too stupid to know that they could have bought a Mercedes for the same price (after calculate depreciation, high insurance and repair cost). PC vs Mac is no different. You get what you paid for. Done.
Greg, on March 27th, 2009 at 8:16 am
I really don’t think comparing Macs and PCs based on price alone makes any sense. That’s like giving someone $10,000 to go buy a new car, and bragging when they don’t come home with a Mini Cooper. Yes, the car they do end up getting can get them from point A to point B. Yes, it has 4 wheels. Yes, it runs on gasoline. It might even be faster and out-perform a Mini Cooper in many ways. But at the end of the day… it’s not a Mini Cooper.
Style, aesthetics and usability are a big part of the Apple brand, and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you’re not into it, then don’t buy it. If you’re like me and really appreciate well-designed products, you probably buy Apple.
thelottery, on March 27th, 2009 at 8:28 am
Maybe I should continue: LED backlit screen, aluminum (not plastic) unibody enclosure, multi-touch glass trackpad, double the battery life, some 35% lighter, half the thickness, better build quality…
PJ, on March 27th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Just got another mac laptop (13″). The best machine I have ever touched and I currently run a network of 400 HPs running microsloth XP, so that is saying something… Last laptop was a mac too and it finely died after 6 years and dropping it 6 times. Try that with a plastic POS that HP, Dell and others produce. You DO GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.
cheers
d
dan, on March 27th, 2009 at 8:50 am
I am cool, creative, smart, and rich enough to be a Mac person!. If $1500 worth a computer makes you rich.. then I’m rich! and I’M A MAC!
Ed, on March 27th, 2009 at 9:00 am
It is funny how the FIRST place she goes is the Apple store, and as many have stated in 6 months she will not only will have spent the rest of her cash on tech service to remove all the spyware, adware and viruses she will be thinking “Son of bitch… I should have spent the money on a real laptop at the Apple store”.
This ad just proves people buying Windows have zero clue about quality and only shop based on price, which in the end will cost them both arms and both legs to keep running.
At least when you buy Apple you offer 1 arm and 1 leg in advance knowing you get to keep the others lol.
JD, on March 27th, 2009 at 9:04 am
“Not cool enough to be a Mac person”?
No you’re not.
No, you’re not.
David Bailie, on March 27th, 2009 at 9:15 am
@ King
Another perfect example of someone that only considers the upfront cost vs the cost of ownership. No one disputes Mac’s cost more initially but I can show you over an over where your “cheap” Windows pc will bleed you to death and cost you more time, money and frustration in 2 years than my mac costing twice as much up front.
Enjoy your spyware filled PC’s, 3 moths after you connect to the internet you will lose 50% of your machines speed, have no clue how to clean it up and pay the “geek squad” $150 bucks to do $10 bucks worth of work because the Windows user base is blissfully ignorant to what’s happening. There is a reason PC’s like Dell and HP either sell Virus software with their machines while Mac’s don’t.
I know reality sucks and facing facts and the truth isn’t fun, but educate yourself a little bit about total ownership costs and the initial costs argument becomes pointless.
JD, on March 27th, 2009 at 9:15 am
http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook?mco=MTE3MzM
Macbooks start at $999.00 not $1,300. Plus you get the arguably the best OS for fun and productivity and you get iLife 09 installed. You get stability, usability, efficiency, great support, long life, great looks.
People can get what they want. You get what you pay for.
MESLL, on March 27th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Attacking the competition directly is something market leaders don’t do. With this ad, Microsoft is admitting it is number 2 in everything but market share, and even that has nowhere to go but down.
Joseph, on March 27th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Did some one told that girl she will pay more later when that piece of shit stop working ?????
Angel Santiago, on March 27th, 2009 at 11:02 am
Sorry, I think this is a very smart ad -and it hits home with me. I’ve used both PCs and Macs and chose a PC for my latest computer. Why? Because I didn’t find Macs significantly easier to use (in fact at times more frustrating) and because I could buy a more powerful machine for half the price. I’m completely happy with my bargain basement PC running Vista (yes really) and ultimately if it does go wrong I can buy another and still have spent less than I would have done on a Mac that will be outdated in the same amount of time…
Andy, on March 27th, 2009 at 11:33 am
This is about SELLIN;, this is their truth.
So what!?
I’ll NEVER buy an Armani even if I could.
You guys live in a country whose people scream liberty as their way of life, but people hardly think by their head, it has to be either a liberal/conservative, Mac(which is my choice)/PC …
… Where is free will?
Why people buy ferrari, they make awful cars!
Deocliciano Okssipin Vieira, on March 27th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Whenver discussing some new software or accessories, my friends with Macs, always have to ask, “get I get that for a Mac.” Thankfully, I’ve never had to ask that question.
PM, on March 27th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
She’s right…she isn’t cool enough.
cheeseinaz, on March 27th, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Is this an ad for a PC or a Mac?
1. First stop, Apple Store
2. I’m not cool enough for a Mac
3.” I’m being drawn to this one.” She likes the look of one PC over another. If you want a good looking computer you get a Mac.
4. Price of the computer was $699.99, but for some reason she says she got everything she needed for just under $1000. PC doesn’t come with everything you need. More than likely the Mac will.
Seems to be an ad highlighting the differences between the two computers without a conclusion as to which is better.
elen, on March 27th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
Honestly, the thing that rings to me is, if you could find a laptop that fit your criteria, for less than $x, you could keep it.
Hmm, sure makes my criteria a little flexible doesn’t it? A free laptop for me, if I find one that fits my criteria, but if I can’t then I don’t get one?
I bet MS had to look pretty hard to find cash strapped people to film the commercial.
However, like some said, this will definitely get people to probably not even bother walking into the Apple store, which is unfortunate. I love my Mac and had been a Windows / Linux user for a long time. You just can’t compromise on quality.
Joe, on March 27th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
That just goes to show she *wanted* a Mac and had to settle for less.
Kate, on March 27th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
I am assuming that she was given the criteria for the computer. She had to find “such and such” under $1,000.00. If she wasn’t an actress and was just given $1,000.00 to buy any computer she wanted I don’t think she would have picked the one she ended up with. It was obvious she liked another PC better and that she was upset that she couldn’t buy a Mac. She settled on the HP. That must be a very proud thing to do. She is a PC and she got just what they told her she could have.
Matt, on March 27th, 2009 at 3:06 pm
Awesome, we are all cool!
Thanks Microsoft!
But I still won’t buy your crap. I’d pay double for my Mac just because of the whole zero-maintenance, zero-antivirus, zero-spyware, zero-frustratingly-crap OS that comes with everything you have to offer.
And I’m still cool!
Steve, on March 27th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Uh, this isn’t about value, about quality, or even about Mac vs PC.
It’s about advertising. Can you make a PC more attractive than a Mac?
And they did a GREAT JOB.
imajoebob, on March 27th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
you guys and your macs get over yourselves. the ad is brilliant. you buy a mac mostly cause you feel cool with it. if you knew anything about microelectronics or computers in general you would know that you are being totally scammed for the components you’re buying. don’t believe me do some straight up comparison shopping on lenovo or whatever.
what are u paying for? well mostly those crappy mac ads, the shiny box, modernist minimal design that often doesn’t function properly and how can I forget, oh yes, your identity as part of the mac cult. but in the end the computer can’t give you anything more than you don’t already have. it’s just a tool, just like a pc. it won’t solve your life problems or even save you much time. in fact the simplistic gui in most mac stuff will have you searching for hours to do the simplest of tasks. but alas there are only 4 buttons with brilliant shiny logos!
she hit the nail on the head, apple doesn’t sell great products as much as they sell ‘coolness’ – just watch the Simpson parody of it, it says it all
– or try watching a mac ad with the sound off. you just might see through all that BS. good luck.
bob, on March 27th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
Maybe Lauren would be “cool enough” for a Mac if she hadn’t spent $30K on a convertible VW Beetle.
Anonymous, on March 27th, 2009 at 6:40 pm
I hope she bought the Best Buy Service Plan. She’ll need it.
It is striking that she wanted a Macbook Pro but she had to settle for a cheap HP.
RSS, on March 27th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
@Kate
Exactly. She was told to spend $1000 on a laptop but it had to have a 17″ screen. Microsoft designed this so she COULDN’T buy a mac. I’m sure she would have been perfectly happy with a 13″ screen.
NewJohnny, on March 27th, 2009 at 9:11 pm
insane…just like I have said in other posts…
YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR…and if you don’t pay for it now you will pay for it in the future…
9-10 year old macs working as hard if not harder as the day they were new…
and never a down moment for me…love MACS FOREVER
scott, on March 27th, 2009 at 9:18 pm
Why is this ad made by Microsoft Not DELL or HP? Did Microsoft sell PC itself or just the OS? Mac runs windows XP and Vista too….
laikos, on March 27th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
I heard she’s selling it on eBay this weekend and then buying a closeout Mac.
LOL
Apple should do a follow up ad.
Paul, on March 28th, 2009 at 6:02 am
@JD
I am a mac person, I converted in 2002. I did because I know what a piece of crap windows is(it got better btw). I know macs are worth it, but let us face it its a luxury product specially on laptops.
Honestly, if I do heavy computing I would use a macintosh , just so much more stable and worth while. The PC’s die too quickly and are always sick.
Most people just want to browse and go on facebook.
I got a flat panel iMac and it is still alive with daily use for hours each day since 2002(is that 7 years?) no PC lasted with me more than 4 years before I HAD to buy another. But you know what the truth is?
That truth is after 4 years, if your mac still working(which is most likely) it will be outdated ,it will be either slow to run current software or you just need high specs. I know I can’t run games with minimum of 1GB mhz, and that was YEARS ago.
So you will have to change it, durability is not the problem, the tech world moves too fast.
king, on March 28th, 2009 at 6:55 am
No one has mentioned one of the BIGGEST selling point to buying a Mac: the included Software! iLife ‘09 is a fantastic suite of products and the average person can create unbelievable projects. Just go ahead and by a PC and then realize you have no software to work with. Start adding in stuff to get up to the BASIC level Mac and you’ll spend a fortune.
I really hate that stupid add, though. Shows PC desperation, and I really hate the PC attitude that Macs are expensive and are “the enemy”. Hopefully some day they will learn. Long live my Macs…
danb, on March 28th, 2009 at 10:15 am
1. i really question that whole ‘no one we filmed’ comment from microsoft. it’s possible that they had folks that actually picked the mac but they didn’t both to film the simulated buy of them to skew the results.
2. also, if you are going to do a side by side, it needs to be a full comparison of the same or comparable specs. all the way down to max screen res, the body construction, the display, the included software. of course this doesn’t include things like ease of setup and updating, available repairs and quality of repair service (are those Best Buy Geeks certified by every vendor they repair? likely not) and so on.
Lucas, on March 28th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Too bad shes a ginger.
Tommy, on March 28th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
yeah anyone who owns a windows PC is not cool enough to have a mac. also my school recently got new computers for a classroom dells running vista business i think one why so many versions? why not just one OS that does everything (like a mac) and two you have no idea how confused i was i had no i dea what i was doing i used xp before at school got to know it pretty well but even after that i was still lost i hate how in the explorer to change drives click the name instead of the dropdown list they dont even include my computer on that sidebar and the “gadgets” sidebar (dashboard/widgets) please yuour better off calling it windows OS X and the windows switch thing with the scrolling? expose much? and the preview of the windows minimized also taken from mac its ridiculous. and as for the actual ad they didnt show much time in the apple store because she loved the OS i guarantee it but the price tag drove her away and as someone said before microsoft shot themselves in the foot she isnt cool enough to have a mac ie microsoft isnt cool i mean look at how many nerds there are who play WoW they have a windows PC then anyone who owns a mac gets laid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHO8l-Bd1O4 notice how many celbrities use macs as well u just dont look as cool with a windows PC also i have been using a g4 mini since oh maybe 2004 it is now 09 i got a windows pavilion from my dad who got it from a coworker for me to mess with within 4 months the hard drive died couldnt even boot from an install disk to reinstall windows but hey go ahead get a windows OS X PC i dont care your loss sure apple could drop prices to a more affordable range and make them look awesome but still have expansion slots but thats not around at the moment besides the mac pro but apple always has been and always will be ahead of the game and better than microsoft
Paul McDonald, on March 28th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
AP’s article said that according to the producers, when they told Lauren she was going to be in a Microsoft ad, there were high-fives, jumping up and down. First, she was probably so excited because she’s an actor and this exposure might help her career. Second, how much you wanna bet the real story was that after she took the laptop home, she sold it on Craigslist, added the money to what she was originally going to spend herself, and went back to get that MacBook. “Thanks Microsoft for subsidizing my Apple purchase!”
Tar Heel In Texas, on March 28th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
haha this ad puts a big smile on my face!
I’m still a mac
Freddie, on March 29th, 2009 at 6:11 am
I thought this was a really effective ad, probably the best Microsoft has run in quite a while. The angle that PCs are cheaper than Macs has been played for a long time. But in a weird way, this ad makes that point that PCs are cooler than Macs, like, if you’re not cool enough for a Mac, that makes you cool.
Ole Eichhorn, on March 29th, 2009 at 9:44 am
Isn’t this just sad…every PC user I encounter is confused, has problems from the get go and wishes they had a mac. If you can’t afford the latest model with a big screen get a 13 inch….for goodness sakes people this is the instrument you work with all the time. You get exactly what you pay for! Sigh!!!
b
b, on March 29th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Why is she driving a trendy VW? She could have got a used Buick Skylark off Craigslist much cheaper.
Sinister Joe, on March 30th, 2009 at 4:53 am
Fanboys suck no exceptions..
Operating System Fanboys, Gadget Fanboys, Console Fanboys or any other types of Fanboy.. They all suck and refuse to acknowledge that anything is cooler than what they like
So Microsoft made a PC ad big fucking deal, who cares honestly other than stupid fanboys.. A comercial is made to sell stuff you don’t make an ad where you trash your own product..
So ofcource Microsoft will make an ad where they make PC’s look good.. Apple does it too with all their ads..
I don’t get why people have to get all anal about an ad.. It’s an ad for christ sake their are more important things in life than too argue about trivial stuff..
Bo, on March 31st, 2009 at 5:24 am
This ad reminds me way too much of the ‘Bang Bus’… I think ad men have been surfing too much porn.
Andrew, on March 31st, 2009 at 9:15 am
Especially the ‘Money Shot’ at the end!
Andrew, on April 1st, 2009 at 12:32 pm
A person gets a gym membership and therefore thinks he’s fit.
A person trys to understand and is there branded a sympathiser.
A person buys a Mac and is therefore instantly cool.
A person buys a PC and is therefore instantly dumb.
Personally, I’d rather be “dumb” like Lauren than show how “cool” I am, like the other mac’ards around here.
Blue Monkey, on April 2nd, 2009 at 10:35 pm
omg! i’ve found another cult of fanboys. your love of high priced, inferior hardware(mac) has finally been brought to light.
i can hear the chant in the background….
i love mac <-fanatical fanboy
i love mac <-fanatical fanboy
i love mac <-fanatical fanboy
you guys sound just like the fanatics screaming about how great the hugely overpriced PS3 is. the system least liked by anybody because of poor support and obscene costs that nobody wants to pay.
i think you’re all brainwashed! you’re just like cult members who give away all their possessions and money because the cult leader(steve balmer the palmer) tells them they will be cool for doing it.
fact is, they aren’t cool and are only being laughed at behind their backs by people with common sense.
mac osx is no more secure then windows these days. yes you need anti-virus and firewalls for macs because there are regular exploits being introduced weekly for mac.
if you’re afraid of exploits then use linux if you don’t like windows, but for the sake of sanity. stop screaming mac rocks(i love paying WAY TOO much for inferior hardware) and buy a pc and install a completely free OS like one of the MAN
Y forms of completely free linux based OS’s. they are about as compatible as osx and come with giant repositories of free software that is tested and completely free of any malware.
cultfinder, on April 5th, 2009 at 10:58 am