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Apple Mac/PC Ads With a UK Twist
leppi writes "Japanese isn't the only language barrier Apple's decided to cross with its 'I'm a Mac, I'm a PC' ads. Those Brits love their 'shenanigans and tomfoolery' just as much as the next guy. Watch the Peep Show's Mitchell and Webb do the honors as PC and Mac, respectively."
With some truth in them, too...
Bollocks - they completely ignore the fact that a mac is a PC.
There are shills on slashdot. Apparently, I'm one of them.
Perhaps Apple's marketing consultants need to go on a quick computer course - after all, only a Windows PC is vulnerable to the "140,000 viruses" and whilst, using Crossover Office, it's possible to run MS Office on Linux, this is not the norm.
In the UK, we have an Advertising Standards Agency that should stop misleading adverts - this looks to be a prime example for them now...
Gentoo Linux - another day, another USE flag.
One advert makes the point that the 'PC' is a boring machine designed for boring office activities and the Mac is the free-spirited bundle'o'fun that'll bring joy an amusement to your home.
Then a couple of adverts later, they proudly tell you how your Mac'll run MS Office, a package which pretty much defines 'non-fun office stuff'
"Hello, Im a Mac, AND IM A PC. Im all about fun on holidays, looking cool and being a rebel. IM ALL ABOUT GAMES. I dont have any games. I DO, INFACT I HAVE SO MANY GAMES NO MATTER HOW MANY OF THESE ADS WE MAKE I WILL ALWAYS BE IN FRONT. Oh. YUP. So these ads wont do anything to help MacOS? NOPE. Bugger"
Exactly what I thought when I saw this - Jeremy is funny not because he's "cool", but because he's trying so desperately hard to be cool (and quite often just ends up looking silly). So in essence, they're saying Macs are for people who aren't especially cool but want to look/act like they are (and don't mind parting with more money to achieve it), which is perhaps not the message they were aiming for. Maybe by choosing this pairing for the ads, Apple themselves are trying to be cool and missing the point somewhat, too? (On a sidenote, I love Mitchell and Webb, for all their faults).
I was thinking exactly that, when I first heard of these ads...
I think the Apple marketing team has missed one essential point:
Both of the main characters of Peep Show are wankers!
That's one of the things that dawns on you as you watch the show is that the two characters are equally worthless human beings. You start off siding with Jeremy because he's cooler, but then realise he's a wanker, so then Mark appears slightly better because he's on the surface a bit more kind... but then he turns out to be a prick as well.
Which I guess is spot on. Computers are a pain no matter which one you use!
Daniel
Carpe Diem
and I would include the mac ones. I am a mac user and always have been, but the way these ads are presented does nothing but perpetuate the fanboi propoganda.
Of course, the fact that both of them have done numerous voice overs in ads (both tv and radio) for ages means they became "sell outs" a while back.
It doesn't detract from the fact that they produce some damned funny work and will no doubt continue to do so for some time to come. Besides, why shouldn't they make some money while they are at the "height" of their careers? If the only way is down as you imply, then they'll need something in the old retirement fund.
www.vurt.co.uk
I mean it's a bit like selling coke and pepsi; not so much difference between Macs and PCs but people have their very clear and very strong choices...
The Ads are cute and funny and like any other ad are designed to sell one product at the expense of an other. I think they do that very well.
http://www.hawknest.com/