just a cute commercial with people who use computers and get them to work how they want.

it also shows people together.

i really dont get this whole PC vs Mac – EI vs FF vs Linux vs Opera battles
i mean. just use what you want! if it works for you, than shouldnt that be enough? do you need to attack people based on what they use?

I myself am a Mac user at home and relegated to using a PC at work. I switched to Mac several years ago and will likely never purchase another PC for my own use. That said, it was not the “I’m a Mac” ads that convinced me to switch, it was all word of mouth from other users.

Dave, I do have to disagree with your comment that the Apple ads imply that using a PC makes you nerdy. My take on the ads is that they communicate that (and I have to agree) for the average user doing things like personal slideshows, working with pictures, e-mailing or keeping in touch with friends, etc., a Mac is a simpler machine and much less prone to errors.

Anyway, I do think that the recent ads from Microsoft will help to build some pride in the ranks of PC users and that will be a good thing for the brand. I commend them for the quality of the ads and the idea, I think it will do quite well for them.

For what it’s worth, I work in design and every single person in our company (60+ people) uses a PC.

I think a lot of what the ad bloggers were responding to was the fact that we’ve seen this campaign many times before. It’s the old “go around the world and find interesting people who use our product” formula– Cisco did something very similar a couple of years back.

Now, to your point, that’s not to say that it’s terrible to re-use a good idea. Or that anyone outside the ad industry recognizes this as a formula ad. It’s well done, nicely shot, has a recurring cast (the African teacher and her students were in the very first spot- this is the second or third)

My fear is that it comes off as saying “well, if you have to use a PC, you’re in good company.” “Have to” being the operative words here. The next step in this campaign has to be to show us why these people are using a PC.

One final thought: It’s interesting to see that Microsoft is clearly taking on Apple as if they were a major competitor and this was a Coke vs. Pepsi type situation. But as BIG Kahuna points out, Apple’s market share is much smaller that Microsoft’s, so we’re looking at Coke vs. RC or similar. But acknowledging Apple’s place as a primary competitor, are they inadvertently making Apple look bigger and more powerful than they actually are?

It appears to me, the Mac campaign has grown old. Like a sitcom that has Jumped the Shark, it becomes a parody of itself. That has left it potentially vulnerable.

Because from that caricature, Microsoft has launched its campaign. You’re now one or the other – Mac/PC, Red state/Blue state. MS has taken a competitor that’s 10% of the market and made them an equal partner.

So, the question for me is: Is this a good identity campaign for Microsoft, or are they helping make the case for Apple?

Nonetheless, I think you raise very valid points – hard as it is for me to admit, since I made the move from PC to Mac two years ago (and that’s after growing up on Windows 3.1). The quality of execution is debatable, but the brand management behind it is unique and a step in the right direction for Microsoft.

Mariella – Being a Mac isn’t a bad thing. The problem is when Apple acts like just because you don’t use a Mac, then you must be a nerdy, behind the times laggard. I think Apple is actually giving good Mac people a bad name!

Alli – I was excited for them as well. The campaign with Jerry and Bill was “interesting” so I’m glad to see them follow-up with such a strong campaign.

Keep the comments coming and thanks for reading