Microsoft's Mother-Son Ad
Oh, boy... Not again! Microsoft released another new advert -- this time, a Mother-Son duo! The new tagline: "They're very popular at this age." WHAT?!?!?! Are you telling me that Apple Computers are suited only for kids?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qui43P1kztw&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eengadget%2Ecom%2F2009%2F04%2F09%2Fnew%2Dlaptop%2Dhunters%2Dad%2Dproves%2Dmacs%2Dare%2Djust%2Dfor%2Dchildren%2F&feature=player_embedded Here is the Ad, in question.
Let's analyze what they say.
What they want:
They want a laptop with "speed, a large hard drive and a good gaming computer" for under $1500. A fast computer to look up info and head out, and to do homework.
Problems with this point:
They don't, even ONCE, mention the specs of the PC they buy.
What they find (Mac):
Supposedly, they find that Macs are suitable more for kids than adults. Also, the mother points out that Macs are more expensive. Very true, but think about what you get: an truely superb operating system, plus advanced insides (Nvidia graphics; Intel Core 2 Duo processors; DDR3 RAM, as opposed to DDR2, etc.), all packed into an entirely elegant chassis.
The son also points out that the MacBook is small. Um, laptops are meant for portability, eh? 13" is pretty small, but makes it even more portable, especially for when they need to get out the door quickly. Lastly, totally contradicting the mother's assumption that Macs are meant for kids, the son suggests to look at PCs. Whoa! Microsoft's main idea for this ad was totally blown out the window right there!
Other Problems:
They're looking for Macs inside of a Best Buy big-box retailer. At least Lauren (from the "Not Cool Enough to be a Mac Person" ad) went to the Apple Store, where she had the oppurtunity to speak to someone who could clearly explain the pros and cons of buying a Mac, instead of going on their own.
What they find (PC):
The mother, again, points out how good looking the machines are. Is that her only role in this? Also, the employee explains how the HP they are looking at has a remote to control the system. Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn' Apple have some sort of remote device to control your Mac. I think it's called the Apple Remote, used particularly for Front Row. After this, the mother tries to show a pink Sony to her son, asking what he thought. This was meant to be a joke, but it's just so predictable from a 10-12 year old boy. The music then stops for a moment, to show how the boy is not amused (well played, Microsoft. Seriously, the joke made for a more interesting ad). She then leads him to another Sony with a 16.4" screen. It is also touted to be "good for games," which depends on the graphics processing capability, and memory... and hard drive speed... and processor speed. They both then call out to each other "Blu-Ray!" Blu-Ray is expected to be on a Sony computer because, well, Sony invented Blu-Ray! Now, granted, Blu-Ray is not an available feature on a Mac yet. Steve Jobs, himself, said that "once [Blu-Ray] becomes more of a standard, they'll integrate it into Mac." And very few companies make Blu-Ray players, even, besides Sony. They then proceed on buying that final computer, and when the cameraperson hands them the $1500 they were allowed, the mother just went crazy! They then call it an "amazing computer," at least until closing out with a final joke regarding age.
Other Problems:
Where did the Best Buy employee come from? They were on their own at the Macs, then, out of nowhere, this employee comes up to help them buy their PC. Secondly, throughout the whole ad, the son A.K.A. the child who finds Macs to be more popular, is much more enthusiastic about buying a PC than his mother. Again, they contradict the mother's point about "Macs being meant for kids," as it were.
I've noticed that with each ad Microsoft puts out, they act more mature. They try to claim the market a lot smoother and with more finesse this time around. The jokes that they threw in there were a definite plus on their account, making the ad more interesting to the viewer. However, deep behind the jokes and finesse, they do have one goal: to prevent switchers. In 2008, there were more Mac switchers than in any previous year of sales. Microsoft now tries to make up for that in 2009, and they are improving with time, I must say.
Mike Khuraibet Apr 10, 2009 at 12:29 AM
Reader Comments (1)
Mac's don't come with free apple remotes. The ad is bogus though.