Hi. I’m a PC … and I Was Made on a Mac [UPDATED]
by John Paczkowski
Posted on September 19, 2008 at 4:12 PM PT
A PC is not a stereotype. And neither are you. If you’re a PC, you belong to a community of more than a billion individuals, working, playing, and connecting. Doing their own thing. If you’re a PC, we want to celebrate you. So stand up.”
The irony is enough to make your head explode. The latest evolution of Microsoft’s (MSFT) new ad campaign–the one designed to seize back control of the Windows PC image that Apple has so mercilessly tarred and feathered–wasn’t even made on a PC.
It was made on a Mac. Metadata in the images of the stereotyped PC user featured on Microsoft’s “I’m a PC” site reveal that they were produced using Macs running Adobe Creative Suite 3, not PCs running Microsoft Expression Studio software.
My God. This is how Microsoft and its ad agency hope to turn Apple’s disparagement to their advantage?
I would have assumed that an advertising campaign touting Windows PCs over Macs would, you know, not be created on Macs. But then I don’t work for Microsoft. (To be fair, the Symbol devices Apple uses for roaming transactions in its retail stores do run Windows CE.
UPDATE: Microsoft issued the following statement on the matter:
As is common in almost all campaign workflow, agencies and production houses use a wide variety of software and hardware to create, edit and distribute content, including both Macs and PCs.”
UPDATE: More commentary from Daniel Eran Dilger over at Roughly Drafted, who notes that Microsoft has scrubbed the offending metadata from the images.
Previously:
- Seriously, Windows Is Just Another Way of Saying We Have Each Other?
- Which Do You Like Better, Steve: “No Mac for You!” or “Vista–Not That There’s Anything Wrong With That”?
- The Simple Life: Gates and Seinfeld, the Hilton and Richie of Tech
[Image credit: LuisDS/Flickr]
Comments
Alas, even a Mac can’t save an ad with a bad idea.
Posted by Lawrence Haynes at September 19th, 2008 at 7:12 pmMicrosoft: “As is common in almost all campaign workflow, agencies and production houses use a wide variety of software and hardware to create, edit and distribute content, including both Macs and PCs.”
Then why scrub the metadata after the fact? It just makes you look like the Chinese Communist Party.
Posted by zato Gibson at September 19th, 2008 at 9:32 pmWhat is more astonishing is that the media thinks this is news. This fact was clearly stated in Fast Company’s June 2008 issue. As with most ad agencies, Crispin Porter + Bogusky uses all Macs. It is amusing how hard the media is fighting against this campaign. It is playing perfectly into the marketing strategy, since all news is good news. When was the last time “phases” in and ad campaign was national news? Moreover, Apple will need to launch a new campaign now that Microsoft has launched “I’m a PC.” Mac vs PC makes Apple come off as elitist, right before the launch of Apple’s new Mac line. Everything about Microsoft’s strategy is brilliant.
Posted by Dominic Pannone at September 21st, 2008 at 10:48 pmDominic – you couldn’t be more wrong. First, all news is NOT good news. And this campaign is anything but brilliant – (troll maybe?). The campaign is based on a mediocre product used by “ordinary people”. And the point of the campaign would be???? As to Apple’s campaign, Apple is not “coming off as elitist”. They have a defendable position against a bloated and inferior product.
Posted by Mike Forbus at September 22nd, 2008 at 10:41 amThe bias in these “blog articles” is worse than MSNBC…
Posted by Robert Hoover at September 22nd, 2008 at 12:10 pmLook: I’m fully aware that CP+B is a Mac agency, as are most agencies these days. That said, it dumbfounds me that no one thought to produce these ads on Windows machines or, at the very least, scrub them of offending metadata. It was inevitable that someone would think to look at it, wasn’t it? Clearly.
I’ll say it again: I would have assumed that an advertising campaign touting Windows PCs over Macs would, you know, not be created on Macs.
That’s not “bias,” it’s common sense.
You know, in addition to “It just works,” Apple has another widely used marketing slogan: “Made on a Mac.” And today, that slogan applies to Microsoft’s new ad campaign, just as it applies to the thousands of Web sites and other products that feature the “Made on a Mac” badge.
Posted by John Paczkowski at September 22nd, 2008 at 12:46 pmMike, not sure what your profession is, but “nearly” all news is good news. The publicity this campaign is getting for just putting out new ads is remarkable. People who have not even seen the ads have heard about the ads. The point of the campaign is all about branding. The Mojave campaign is about the product Vista. The “Im a PC” campaign is about getting the brand Microsoft back in the national conversation. I have no qualms with your point on product quality(I prefer Mac), but thats why this campaign is so good. It has nothing to do with directly increasing sales. Regarding Apple’s Mac vs PC campaign, I promise you Apple will drop it. They are to smart not to. They have been forced to move on now.
John, from a PR standpoint, I totally agree that it was a dumb move to not have everything created on a Windows PC(my first reaction when read in FC). They leave themselves wide open to be attacked by Apple, but I just dont see this as newsworthy. That could probably be said for the entire campaign though. From a marketing perspective Im just very impressed on what Microsoft has accomplished…again this has zero to do with the actual product they are putting out. You have a great point about “Made on Mac” badge. Apple would be smart to do something with that in its upcoming campaign attacking Windows.
Posted by Dominic Pannone at September 23rd, 2008 at 9:09 amWhile I think the “I’m a PC” campaign is a big improvement, there’s still a major perception problem with Windows that will be difficult to overcome. As a longtime PC user, who has switched to Mac, I can say, Windows operating systems work well but have a lot of hiccups that drove me crazy. While these problems may be small the bad taste you get from one of them sours you on Microsoft.
Posted by Ken Okel at September 27th, 2008 at 12:33 pmmy perception on Mac is basically the reason people think Mac is better is because it’s ” easier ” to use according to them , which means…. Mac is better for non experienced users on computers, Windows is good if you know a little about it, I admit it is a little tough to figure out some things. Overall though, more people use windows, and, there IS more programs made for windows/pc then there is on a MAC. So doesn’t that tell you something? They are making more programs on windows, because overall more people like windows, and it is a better business decision. And as far as the apple comercials go, I think it is wrong of Apple to throw insult after insult at windows, and I don’t think it looks good for their company. And their commercials are wrong mostly, such as the mac’s get no virsues, and windows has tons of spyware viruses, etc… Well you have to be smart enough to actually get Anti virus programs, and spyware blockers.. etc. And the reason their isn’t viruses/spyware for mac as much is because more people use windows….by the way they act on the IM A PC / IM A MAC commercials, makes me think that they think MAC is GOD or something. Overall , they all have their qualties and I don’t think their is one that is the “best”
Posted by Nick Saint at December 26th, 2008 at 10:12 pm