Apple posts UK versions of “Mac and PC” ads

I don’t like Apple’s Mac adverts very much. The original 1984 ad is a classic, but the iMac ads with Jeff Goldblum felt misjudged, and the new adverts do too.

Goldblum appeared to be using a Mac because he was too inept to use a PC (which you might assume means “Proper Computer”). Witness him bumbling on about email…

The “Mac and PC” ads are not much better. Their objective is to win over new customers to the platform, yet all these adverts do is flatter the existing userbase while poking fun at the PC – and by extension, PC owners.

A computer is an expensive item that people replace every three or four years (my guess). How does it make sense to imply people’s previous purchasing decisions were foolish? My iMac G5 is my third Mac (after a much loved iBook G3 and Performa 6400). During that time I’ve owned two PCs (Evesham desktops).

Was it because I’m a dumb punter who hasn’t seen the light of Apple? No – the first time it was because I genuinely wanted to see if the grass was greener on the other side, the second time because I worked at J-Media and did all my work on Windows. I reckon Boot Camp and Parallels Desktop mean I’ll never need to buy another PC, but not that I’ll never use Windows.

Since when was iLife the Mac’s greatest selling point? What good does it do to name-drop Mac OS X without showing it, when many users don’t clearly understand what an Operating System is?

Mac users have a bit of a reputation for being elitist and smug. If anything, PC guy is more comical and likable than Mac guy in these adverts. Mac guy just looks like a smartass. There are plenty of retorts that could be made to these ads, and Youtube is stuffed with tedious parodies. Heaven forbid PC guy should mention availability of games…

Apple obviously considers themselves far too boutique to do anything as vulgar as showing the Mac in action, so there’s no point suggesting it. They do need to adjust the tone of their advertisements though.