The latest "Get a Mac "ads

http://www.apple.com/getamac/ads/

Have a laugh on me ;D

Hm, the page is blank :/.

I got them! Made me laugh ^_^

Weird... page is blank when loaded in Firefox...OK in IE (stuck on a work XP machine...no Safari)

I can't believe this same ad campaign has been going on for 4 years. It's ok, but I think it's time for some fresh material.

mrplow said:

Weird... page is blank when loaded in Firefox...OK in IE (stuck on a work XP machine...no Safari)

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Try turning off adblock guys!

works for me in firefox, with adblock on. It's quicktime though, got your plugin setup for firefox?

I love how an acquaintance puts these ads, "my operating system choice defines who I am. I am artsy & fartsy. I am smarter than you. I am better looking than you. I am more active than you. I am more politically active than you. I am in better shape. I eat better. I drive a better car. I own a bigger house. I am superior to YOU in every possible way!
all because I use OSX!!!! "

I think they should move onto a different campaign already. These commercials do nothing more than talk bad about the other product and created arrogant and skewed users.

Funny! I especially liked the cheerleader one;

"Well, I'm pleased to say I've been error free for nearly a week." (repeat x 4)
"It's so hard to watch."
"Could someone restart him, please?"

Love it!

I like the office for Mac one. It also has the most truth behind it.

EGGO said:

I love how an acquaintance puts these ads, "my operating system choice defines who I am.

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Aren't most product commercials about "selling" a lifestyle? Apple has always tried to associate their products with more than "just a computer", these ads just take that concept an extra step.

EGGO said:

I think they should move onto a different campaign already. These commercials do nothing more than talk bad about the other product and created arrogant and skewed users.

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I agree a bit on that: Whilst the adds do a great job of introducing people that have perhaps never seen or tried a Mac to some "basic truths" (e.g. they run office, are reliable etc), they might alienate more knowledgeable users.

However I think that Vista actually does a great job of counteracting that point: Even diehard windows fans love to trash vista, so whilst these ads may be taking a "cheap shot", they're probably more likely to believe the digs at vista than digs at XP.

(Side note: I just installed Vista this weekend, and I don't really see the big deal - for me as a causal "once a week" user, it's no better or worse than XP).

EGGO said:

I love how an acquaintance puts these ads, "my operating system choice defines who I am. I am artsy & fartsy. I am smarter than you. I am better looking than you. I am more active than you. I am more politically active than you. I am in better shape. I eat better. I drive a better car. I own a bigger house. I am superior to YOU in every possible way!
all because I use OSX!!!! "

I think they should move onto a different campaign already. These commercials do nothing more than talk bad about the other product and created arrogant and skewed users.

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Actually what the ad's relay are the superiority of OS X over Vista. IOW, the truth and nothing but the truth. No matter how much it hurts.

Man I love these commercials,

I heard that the guy who plays "Mac" is getting his own tv show, like a comedy spoof one or something like that, anybody else hear about this?

Hilarious!

I just think those are so funny!

Matt Fauris

Aptmunich said:

Aren't most product commercials about "selling" a lifestyle? Apple has always tried to associate their products with more than "just a computer", these ads just take that concept an extra step.

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As someone who is in the advertising industry, I'd say no. Unless it's what my director calls bull**** advertising.

However I think that Vista actually does a great job of counteracting that point: Even diehard windows fans love to trash vista, so whilst these ads may be taking a "cheap shot", they're probably more likely to believe the digs at vista than digs at XP.

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Agreed. But what I'd say it's creating is a smug, pedantic, arrogant userbase. And it got the PC people becoming just as every bit as the same even moreso.

I used to be rather offended by what these ads implied since a huge part of my preference of OS X over Windows is that I think it's a better platform for doing the kind of non-artsy work I do (Most any tool for development, etc. that works on UNIX/POSIX/Linux/etc will work on OS X seamlessly, whereas in Windows I often have to resort to some strange thing like Cygwin to get what I need... UNIX file system and app file locations also just make more sense to me than that registry nonsense and the intractably anachronistic mess that is the CWINDOWS directory in general). In fact, I recall the holiday commercial where Mac was disappointed he got a C++ GUI programming guide downright dumb, because unlike Windows, OS X actually has a UNIX terminal that I can do gcc/g++ from with no extra stuff needed but the Developer Tools that come on the OS X Install DVD. I think aspects such as this actually make OS X a better development environment than Windows if you're not doing something that requires Windows-specific technologies.

Thus I feel like almost the opposite of what these ads say is true, simply because the only reason I would (and have, for a time) put a Windows partition on this machine is to do fun, average consumer-oriented things like play games.

I stopped feeling this resentment toward the ads when I accepted that these are not directed at advanced users, or even median-skilled users of computers. These are directed at the very least demanding users in terms what they actually use their computer for and what they know it's capable of. These are for the users that only want to upload photos from their digital camera up to Facebook, possibly view a slideshow or movie from said camera, and occassionally check their email and browse the Internet. Maybe throw some Microsoft Office in there so they can bring home a little work from the office. These users make up the majority of the computer userbase in general, and Apple decided to aim for them. I just accept that and laugh at the antics of the PC guy (though he's far more amusing in the British and Japanese versions). It's much easier to not be disgusted by the ads this way.

Discerptor said:

These are directed at the very least demanding users in terms what they actually use their computer for and what they know it's capable of. These are for the users that only want to upload photos from their digital camera up to Facebook, possibly view a slideshow or movie from said camera, and occassionally check their email and browse the Internet.

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Or the 90% of the market share that Apple lacks. ;D

@ EGGO -

Apple feels its too far behind Microsoft in terms of users, and they want to catch up, fast. I see no problem in it. But I do agree, it is giving windows users a great reason to make even more stabs at the Mac platform, and its giving the average Mac user even more reason to think they are better for whatever reason. But business will be business.

After how many years, the theme is becoming tired. These ads are nice (the Living With Vista one may be the best of the bunch) but they just aren't as original and funny as they used to be. Apple needs to retire this ad line while it is still funny most of the time. You know, quit while you are ahead.

Waterpolo820 said:

Man I love these commercials,

I heard that the guy who plays "Mac" is getting his own tv show, like a comedy spoof one or something like that, anybody else hear about this?

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He's already been in several movies. My favorite is Jeepers Creepers.