Apple iPod Marketshare and Future Ads?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)

MacNN reports (http://www.macnn.com/articles/05/05/04/merill.on.aapl/) on a Merill Lynch analyst note from Steven Milunovich.

According to data from NPD, Apple's market-share of Flash based MP3 players from from 43 percent in February to 58 percent in March. Meanwhile, Apple's US hard-disk player market was at 90% and iTunes marketshare above 70% in April.

Also noted were expectations that iTunes enabled mobile phones were still coming as well as wireless and video iPods on the way. All of these products have been rumored/speculated for some time.

Of particular interest is the indication that Apple may start a heavy ad campaign "highlighting Macs". Apple has had an ongoing iPod TV ad campaign but has comparably little Mac advertising.

[Ups85]

Its about time they started advertising macs...this could really help boost marketshare

[iGary]

How about a video iPod that you can play your own movies on?

Steve always bitches about content, but how many millions of people have home movies?

[Ja Di ksw]

Hopefully people will be more receptive to mac's now that ipods are fairly mainstream. Can't wait to see the ads (most ad's make me mute the tv).

[narco]

About time. The iPod commercials are more visually stimulating rather than informative, so it'd be nice to see Apple merge nice graphics with a lot of information for a Mac ad. I've seen a lot of print ads that were pretty informative, but not really so much on TV.

Fishes,
narco.

[xli_ne]

I am in need of a new phone (since mine broke a couple of weeks ago). Has a service provider ever been brought up yet that might carry this apple phone? :confused:

[Noiseboy]

Nooooo...

I don't want Macs to have a larger market share. I like having no malware directed at me, I hate the idea of having to worry about viruses, trojans spyware ad nauseum. Leave it for the windows posse.
However, I do want a tablet Mac. :)

[virividox]

yeah i havent seen many ads for macs at all

last one i saw was the g5 blowing the guy out of the house, prior to that the sunflower mac sticking its cd tray out at the guy in the window

[Frisco]

Didn't Apple recently hire HP's Marketing Director?

I can imagine if advertised right the iMac and Mac mini would sell like hot cakes!

[tamtam]

Apple should advertise their outstanding products in the media more often. Sick of seeing only Dell ads

[MattG]

How about *no* advertising? The last non-iPod ad I can remember seeing is the one when the G5 came out...the one where the guy gets blown out the back of his house.

[vienna]

They should have ads pushing the benefits of Mac's and different ads that show off some of the cool features of Tiger. There's some real eye candy in Tiger that might open the eyes of Windows users to what they're missing.

[Sedulous]

You mean Apple makes computers?

Really, it is about time to enhance the halo effect. Of course, maybe a little more money spent on whips would go a long way at the IBM fab.

[Mudbug]

You mean Apple makes computers?

Really, it is about time to enhance the halo effect. Of course, maybe a little more money spent on whips would go a long way at the IBM fab.


whips?

[macmax77]

Its about time they started advertising macs...this could really help boost marketshare


Apple has to try and convince people they are not an iPod seller, but a computer seller.

I hope the Mac's market share improves too

[marmotte]

You mean Apple makes computers?

Really, it is about time to enhance the halo effect. Of course, maybe a little more money spent on whips would go a long way at the IBM fab.

That would be a smart idea to use all these money they make to educate the masses. Even my technically savvy co-workers don't know that Macs can run MS Office or that Macs are cost-effective, that they can do wireless, etc, etc.

[fedora]

I think they definatly need to advertise tiger, because when longhorn (eventually) comes out people might not think Microsoft are so big and clever if they have seen some features in OS X before on TV, like expose and dashboard over a year earlier they are available on windows.

[macmax77]

That would be a smart idea to use all these money they make to educate the masses. Even my technically savvy co-workers don't know that Macs can run MS Office or that Macs are cost-effective, that they can do wireless, etc, etc.

+1

when my friends see what this Tiger can do, i can tell you that literally their jaws drop and i have to clean the floor!!!
:D

[iWillard]

That would be a smart idea to use all these money they make to educate the masses. Even my technically savvy co-workers don't know that Macs can run MS Office or that Macs are cost-effective, that they can do wireless, etc, etc.


AGREED! That's one of the frustrating things, the myths/preconceptions out there... Soooooooo many people think that Macs are the "incompatible" computer...

TV ads would be cool... I would actually look farward to commmercial breaks! :D

[iWillard]

I think they definatly need to advertise tiger, because when longhorn (eventually) comes out people might not think Microsoft are so big and clever if they have seen some features in OS X before on TV, like expose and dashboard over a year earlier they are available on windows.

exactly... It'd be nice to beat MS to the punch, so to speak... even though Apple's punch is coming years in advance, it'd be good to "telegraph" it to some people! :rolleyes:

[the_mole1314]

I wouldn't be surprised if we see a marketing push for the iMac & Mac mini the next few months as the college kids go to school and need new computers, and I think we'll see a Mac mini with a lite iMac push this fall as the units are upgraded and Christmas comes around. PowerMac advertising will probably be ramped up towards high end contractors and buyers, but not the users. eMacs will see a modest push to schools who have showed Mac interest in the past.

PowerBooks and iBooks will be pushed aside as they are selling themselves right now, but expect a huge marketing campagin around the PowerBook G5, when it comes out that is. :)

Good to see the iPod market share is going up, as is flash player. Apple here needs to push in store advertising of the iPod (not at Apple Stores) as people want MP3 players, so Apple should make sure they hook the customer. New marketing campagin for a video iPod and wireless iPod would be nice, but I think as the iPod phoo showed, people want the same line across the board, with the only difference in HD size. Get rid of the black & white iPod, upgrade and make the iPod photo the regular iPod and add wireless, then make an iPod video, but make it totally different looking.

[gwangung]

Apple advertises in a LOT of places.

They're just a lot more efficient than a lot of you marketing wannabes are. They've targeted specific markets such as high end scientific and general business (ads in BUSINESS WEEK and SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN).

And ads really AREN'T supposed to be "informative"....they're supposed to catch your eye so that folks who want to dig into the information can go get it themselves.

[iMetalG5]

maybe we'll start to see Pepsi/Coke style ads for Mac OS X/Windoze XP that would be funny.

I have never seen a Mac TV ad. But the truth is Mac will never reach the market share of the Windoze Machine. Will never happen unless something drastic happens to this world.

My co-workers think Macs are some kind of rouge system. Outcast. When I tell them Mac can run MS Word, Excel, etc... they are shocked. They never knew. Most people won't switch for the single fact that "I'm use to Windows" And I do not know of any corporation that uses Mac. *Maybe* an ad dept. in a corporation but even so Networking freaks hate Macs.

I'd like to see some Mac ads on TV just because. But the reality of it is Apple will never gain as much market share as Windows. It just can't be done. :(

[1macker1]

apple can't make any good Mac ads. I've come to terms with this.

[FoxyKaye]

You mean Apple makes computers?
I was thinking the same thing - you took the words right out of my mouth.

Doesn't Apple also have this Unix-based operating system thingy that kicks Windows *ss? :p

[Sedulous]

whips?

Yes, whips (or chips). Otherwise, I'm afraid if the foot-dragging at IBM continues, the macheads are gonna break out the torches and pitchforks.

[The D Man]

The Tiger Launch says it all

People walk by and ask

'What is a tiger?'

[legacyb4]

More often than not, at work I encounter the following type of situation:

Them: "My PC got hit with a virus last night and I spent an hour on the phone with Dell getting my system restored... what do you (me) do when that happens?"

Me: "Honestly? It never happens to me." (I'm a sysadmin where I manage a nearly 99% Windows-based network but I don't do a hard sell on people because I don't like to get involved in evangelizing)

Them: "Oh really? What are you doing to protect yourself and how do you avoid trouble like that?"

Me: "Uhm, I use a Mac..."

Them: "Oh really? Can you do everything you need on a Mac?"

So yeah, I think it's about the right time that Apple starts promoting on the lowest common denominator in advertising on what they CAN do...

[swissmann]

I hope the iPod & ITMS continue to do well and that Mac market share stays low. That keeps Apple stable and allows my computer to be relatively protected.

[FoxyKaye]

...but even so Networking freaks hate Macs.
See, this I've never understood. Trying to build a stable and reliable Windows-based network is like entering the seventh circle of hell. I think M$ spends a lot of time and money convincing people that their way is the only way as part of those certification courses.

Plus, networking aside, there's never been a stable version of Apache that can run on a Windows machine (at least there wasn't the last time I looked in to it), and using a Windows machine as a mail server is just asking for trouble. These features come at no cost to OS X users, and benefit from the overall stability of the platform.

[iMetalG5]

The Tiger Launch says it all

People walk by and ask

'What is a tiger?'

at the world premier bystanders were baffled at what "Tiger" is. They just shook their heads and laughed at us in line when they found out it was just some new OS.

:p

[nagromme]

About time. The iPod commercials are more visually stimulating rather than informative, so it'd be nice to see Apple merge nice graphics with a lot of information for a Mac ad. I've seen a lot of print ads that were pretty informative, but not really so much on TV.

I know what you mean, but I think that's the nature of TV.

A print ad you can study at your leisure. Pick up the big message at first glance, and explore the text if you wish. Read something twice if you need to.

A TV ad hits you and then it's gone. It can't convey a lot of information effectively.

So what a TV ad should probably do is simply generate interest (as the iPod ads have done well) and then get people to go to Apple.com.

THERE they can get lots of info.

So it has to be a two-step process I think. TV, then web. For people who don't follow through and get curious, the ads can still raise awareness and mindshare.

The most information I can see TV ads getting across is one simple message per ad--and not too many different ones in rotation--and not with a lot of supporting details.

You could easily lose people by trying to make Spotlight something that drills through their TV stupor :D

[TheMasin9]

Nooooo...

I don't want Macs to have a larger market share. I like having no malware directed at me, I hate the idea of having to worry about viruses, trojans spyware ad nauseum. Leave it for the windows posse.
However, I do want a tablet Mac. :)


i have seen a tablet ibook made, and i dont thing that apple will be releasing a new tablet os any time soon, the os is what they are doing so well, we dont want them to get distracted and start going and making 4 different os like (cough, cough) microsoft. Also the os is what is keeping the viruses and spyware out, windoze maintains so much backward compatability that the holes that were there in late 1990s are still there today, letting all the viruses get in. by updating the os, apple has again made a new set of code for hackers to try and figure out, besides, u know most hackers are on macs or linux comps anyway! I think so long as apple advertises the hardware and not the security of the os they will be fine, if you saw ads for a imac and then a dell run by, what would u think is sexier!!

[xsnightclub]

I really never see TV ads since I have TiVo and the only programming I watch real-time is several HBO series, Thank god for HBO.
TiVo has somewhat the same ability to do to broadcast televsion that the iPod is doing to braodcast radio, You have the ability to take control of the programming. Thereby leaving commercials out.

I do howver feel that Apple does need to get its message accross better, And I agree with the earlier post that effective Ads are not always full of information. Heavy repetition of poignant points is the most effective, with eye-catching visuals.

I beleive they can do very well with this. Or they could just sponsor the Amercian Idiot talent search show.

[broken_keyboard]

With the impressive new iMac and Tiger, it's a good time for a bit of advertising...

[PlaceofDis]

i hope to see new ads of course, it would really help spread apple.... a counterpoint to the new XP ads would be great

[Wonder Boy]

How about *no* advertising? The last non-iPod ad I can remember seeing is the one when the G5 came out...the one where the guy gets blown out the back of his house.

worst. commercial. ever.

[trose]

It would be very nice to see Apple promote the Mac more...

Does anyone else think that a campaign specifically advertising the fact that Macs are virus and spyware free would do wonders?

This is the #1 problem, by far, I see that consumers have with computers these days. Unless you are an intermediate user (even then it can be tough) keeping your Windows machine clean and safe is a daunting task.

Something like,
"Number of documented viruses for Windows: 13,193,321"
"Number of documented viruses for Mac OSX: 0"
"No headaches, no frustrations, no weekly visits to the local tech guru."

Just a quick example, I know those numbers aren't correct, but you see what I mean. Take advantage of this huge problem that has been inflicted upon the mass of PC users.

And Noiseboy: C'mon, you don't honestly believe the only reason Macs aren't infected is because of their marketshare? That's bullcrap that the avid Mac bashers would like you to believe. Even considering all exponential factors and what not, don't you think there would be at least *some* viruses for OSX considering its marketshare is around 4-5% of millions?
The fact is, it is much more secure than Windows. I want to see the platform grow, because I believe it would be better for the common user, and I am a loyal Apple customer.

[xsnightclub]

i hope to see new ads of course, it would really help spread apple.... a counterpoint to the new XP ads would be great


Brings up a good point, If MS didn't feel threatened by Tiger, why launch a massive ad campaign for a realatively ancient OS that 90+% of computers use anyway.

[Sedulous]

I was thinking the same thing - you took the words right out of my mouth.

Doesn't Apple also have this Unix-based operating system thingy that kicks Windows *ss? :p

Yeah. I guess that is the general reaction we all sometimes see. "OMG, an Apple computer?!? There are the various stages of obliviousness:
1, What is a computer?
2, Where do the vacuum tubes fit?
3, I didn't know (usually spelled "no") Macs had the internet... and/or compatible with the Windows internet.
4, "UNIX", isn't that dudes that had their Wang (remember those computers?) cutoff... WHY WOULD I WANT THAT!?!
5, Where is the "C:\ prompt"?

It was a real kick (and perhaps effective marketing as well) to see a huge line of people snaking around the mall during Tiger's launch.

[GilGrissom]

I think Apple should do way more ads for all its products, get them in the face of the people. Im guessing this will be mainly in the US and not in the UK :( , but I hope us Britains get some aswel at some point. The iPod adverts were wicked and highly effective. When I talk to "none-Apple folk!" about Apple, they always wonder why they don't advertise. I know they have their reasons but its not always a very strong good arguement against simple people who take at face value what they see on the TV!! "If its not on TV it can't be good, Ive never heard of it" kinda frame of mind!!

[the_mole1314]

Apple advertises in a LOT of places.

They're just a lot more efficient than a lot of you marketing wannabes are. They've targeted specific markets such as high end scientific and general business (ads in BUSINESS WEEK and SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN).

And ads really AREN'T supposed to be "informative"....they're supposed to catch your eye so that folks who want to dig into the information can go get it themselves.

Which is why market share is rising, right? Oh wait, that's due to consumer demand. Last time I saw, the average Joe who wants a computer dosn't read Business Week or Scientific American.

[TreeHugger]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif (http://www.macrumors.com)
Of particular interest is the indication that Apple may start a heavy ad campaign "highlighting Macs". Apple has had an ongoing iPod TV ad campaign but has comparably little Mac advertising.

Spread the gospel!!!
It's about time. :D

[GilGrissom]

Which is why market share is rising, right? Oh wait, that's due to consumer demand. Last time I saw, the average Joe who wants a computer dosn't read Business Week or Scientific American.

That's my point exactly!! I know Apple are very good at the advertising they do (Business Week etc as already stated) and Im not a marketing wannabe!! hehe!! But I do agree with you, they should get more into the general public eye with their computers. Could create a "iPod halo effect" in advertising. Too many people are ignorant to Apple computers and their capabilities. Took me long enough!

[xsnightclub]

It would be very nice to see Apple promote the Mac more...

Does anyone else think that a campaign specifically advertising the fact that Macs are virus and spyware free would do wonders?

This is the #1 problem, by far, I see that consumers have with computers these days. Unless you are an intermediate user (even then it can be tough) keeping your Windows machine clean and safe is a daunting task.

Something like,
"Number of documented viruses for Windows: 13,193,321"
"Number of documented viruses for Mac OSX: 0"
"No headaches, no frustrations, no weekly visits to the local tech guru."


This type of ad would have the potential to blow up in their face, which is why I believe they will not exploit it. Yes the sheer number of MS viruses is daunting, however it would only take one well exectued not necessarily critical virus on OS X to shoot a hole in this type of ad. It doesn't matter as much how many viruses are out there, it really matters if your computer gets one. Then if there was a somewhat low-level quasi-effective virus for Mac, the media would be all over it and exploit the market share increase leads to virus increase myth.

[vienna]

Apple advertises in a LOT of places.

They're just a lot more efficient than a lot of you marketing wannabes are. They've targeted specific markets such as high end scientific and general business (ads in BUSINESS WEEK and SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN).

And ads really AREN'T supposed to be "informative"....they're supposed to catch your eye so that folks who want to dig into the information can go get it themselves.

Advertising to specific industry sectors is fine, but marketing to the general public includes the people who work in the specific sectors Apple has targeted in the past. Also getting the word out about how good Tiger/Macs are can only help with the adoption of Macs in all sectors.

Obviously Apple can't show all the advantages of Tiger and their hardware, but just getting something out there that gets people to Apple.com would be a start. It's easy enough for Apple to offer targeted marketing on their website for people are attracted their from the TV ads, they could even use that data they collect on the web visit stats to influence how which features that advertise in future, based on what people seem to be interested in. Hell, at least have a prominent FAQ or something.

[G.Kirby]

How about *no* advertising? The last non-iPod ad I can remember seeing is the one when the G5 came out...the one where the guy gets blown out the back of his house.


That ad got pulled in the UK because trading standards thought that the line '..world's most powerful home computer..' was not exactly the truth and was misleading the audience.

However, I agree that apple should make some Mac ads. Spread the word. :D

[centauratlas]

According to data from NPD, Apple's market-share of Flash based MP3 players from from 43 percent in February to 58 percent in March.

Did it go up "more more" too? :)

[SiliconAddict]

Of particular interest is the indication that Apple may start a heavy ad campaign "highlighting Macs". Apple has had an ongoing iPod TV ad campaign but has comparably little Mac advertising.


YES!


God. I think I just had an orgasm. :eek: :D

What a novel concept. Apple actually competing. Will wonders never cease.

[SiliconAddict]

As for the flash players. I'm a little skeptical. How many flash players are on the market? What did everyone give them all up at once? Hmmm

[centauratlas]

...maybe a little more money spent on whips would go a long way at the IBM fab.

Nearly two years after Steve said "we'll be at 3ghz in one year" (roughly) we're at 2.7ghz.

Did IBM buy Motorola and I just missed it?

:rolleyes:

[jayscheuerle]

I wonder why some other mp3 player doesn't come out with

"The mp3 player for the rest of us"?

And obviously "Think Different" doesn't apply when every 7th person on the street has the white ear-buds on...

I hope Apple can make the connection clear to people between the pleasure of using an aesthetically and ergonomically superior entertainment device and using a similarly designed computer. I think they'll need another term, as "computer" is sounding pretty antiquated these days. PCs are about information and data management, digital creation and entertainment, connection to the world outside. Apple just tries to make all these things easier...

[SiliconAddict]

More often than not, at work I encounter the following type of situation:

Them: "My PC got hit with a virus last night and I spent an hour on the phone with Dell getting my system restored... what do you (me) do when that happens?"

Me: "Honestly? It never happens to me." (I'm a sysadmin where I manage a nearly 99% Windows-based network but I don't do a hard sell on people because I don't like to get involved in evangelizing)

Them: "Oh really? What are you doing to protect yourself and how do you avoid trouble like that?"

Me: "Uhm, I use a Mac..."

Them: "Oh really? Can you do everything you need on a Mac?"

So yeah, I think it's about the right time that Apple starts promoting on the lowest common denominator in advertising on what they CAN do...

DAMN. That is almost verbatim what I tell people in my office. Hmmm I think we need to form a Mac user \ Windows Sys admin support group.

[SiliconAddict]

Nearly two years after Steve said "we'll be at 3ghz in one year" (roughly) we're at 2.7ghz.

Did IBM buy Motorola and I just missed it?

:rolleyes:


Please stop. :rolleyes:

[plazmyd]

Nooooo...

I don't want Macs to have a larger market share. I like having no malware directed at me, I hate the idea of having to worry about viruses, trojans spyware ad nauseum. Leave it for the windows posse.
However, I do want a tablet Mac. :)

I have mixed feelings about the whole idea that Mac's do not have viruses and other malware because of the low market share. Not being a 'cracker' I do not really know how difficult it would be to write malware for Macs, but I believe crackers do their thing for notoriety. Sure many infected windows computers = notoriety, but don't you think cracking the touted 'bulletproof' Mac OS X would also = notoriety? I can't imagine that a reasonable amount of people have not tried to do some damage to the Mac reputation. Just my 2¢ on that.

[G.Kirby]

I have mixed feelings about the whole idea that Mac's do not have viruses and other malware because of the low market share. Not being a 'cracker' I do not really know how difficult it would be to write malware for Macs, but I believe crackers do their thing for notoriety. Sure many infected windows computers = notoriety, but don't you think cracking the touted 'bulletproof' Mac OS X would also = notoriety? I can't imagine that a reasonable amount of people have not tried to do some damage to the Mac reputation. Just my 2¢ on that.


The hacking jollies go to the one that can cause 50% of the US to grind to a hault, not the one who irritated 50 odd Macs. Until Macs are holding a HUGE market share, say 20%+, it will be uncool to hack a Mac.

Bring on a larger market share and lets see them try.
:D

[Lepton]

Abysmal marketing gets the entire blame for Macs tiny market share. It's 25 years of poor marketing that's killing them.

No, the Mac advertising doesn't stink, it's merely a) the wrong approach and b) nonexistent. And advertising isn't the same as marketing.

Apple Mac ads are stylish, clever, and say nothing. They don't say what the computer does, they don't say how it is better, they don't say anything except Macs are cool, Apple is cool, Macs will blow your mind, blow you away. This is utterly wrong. Apple already has the cool. The ads should NOT mention the cool. They should talk about functionality, reliability, completeness, ease of use, SECURITY, INTUITIVENESS, COMPATIBILITY, VALUE.

To a businessman, cool=toy, cool=flimsy, cool=style over substance, cool=expensive gloss. These things are fantastic general business tools and no one knows it. They will help you get your WORK DONE.

These things are not toys, they are not artsy-fartsy, they are not overpriced. STOP making ads that say this. Make ads that show people accomplishing things, and I don't mean making a home movie. Making a business document, a resume, moving seamlessly between PC and Mac, doing finances, presentations, doing things people mistakenly think it CAN'T.

Some of the print ads are more on target. Specs. Uses. Comparison. Value. Do some of that on TV for God's sake. Make it look like the thing can really DO something.

And take a tack from recent political campaigns. Marketing should be responsive to errors made in public by others. We have all seen TONS of times when a pundit, an ad, a reviewer says something that is outright factually wrong. CORRECT IT. Get in there and make sure these opinion leaders tell the truth. Let them have any opinions they want, that will eventually take care of itself, but every time a fact is wrong, get in there and correct it, right away. There is nothing wrong with the product, but misconceptions about it are rampant. Fix 'em!

[trose]

This type of ad would have the potential to blow up in their face, which is why I believe they will not exploit it. Yes the sheer number of MS viruses is daunting, however it would only take one well exectued not necessarily critical virus on OS X to shoot a hole in this type of ad. It doesn't matter as much how many viruses are out there, it really matters if your computer gets one. Then if there was a somewhat low-level quasi-effective virus for Mac, the media would be all over it and exploit the market share increase leads to virus increase myth.
I knew someone would say that.

The point is... I feel Apple should exploit this problem. I do IT work, I do computer repair... I see these issues day in and day out, and I *know* they are avoidable by using a Mac.
I do phone customer support... and 90% of problems that come into me are virus/spyware related. Consumers HATE this. They hate that they get a new computer and a few weeks later it feels like it is 10 years old.

Put the ad out, I doubt anyone is going to write a virus because of it, and if they do, big deal. The attention would be good for the platform.

I think it's funny how people imagine none of the hacker types want to break OSX. Trust me... they would, if they could. It'd be a far bigger prize than saying you wrote another 1337 script to attack Windows.

[FoxyKaye]

Bring on a larger market share and lets see them try. :D
You said it, South Wales!

I am marginally of the mind that there are few to no viruses, spyware, etc. for Macs largely because if hackers want the biggest bang for their bucks then Windows is the way to go.

However, trying to sneak things past OS X in the same ways that are done with Windows is dang hard. There's always going to be someone who takes advantage of some FreeBSD hack or something in Apple's proprietary part of the OS, however, one of the things that attracts people to Unix/Linux is that they're both very hard to break. It's why so many companies are migrating to Linux farms for their servers - people spend more time using them then they do maintaining them.

[amac4me]

Of particular interest is the indication that Apple may start a heavy ad campaign "highlighting Macs". Apple has had an ongoing iPod TV ad campaign but has comparably little Mac advertising.

If Apple starts to advertise Mac's that would be a HUGE DEAL. I've been waiting for Apple to do this for a long time, it's long overdue. Apple really needs to get the word out how highlighting Macs.

I've started a blog to try to get to people to "Switch To A Mac". Hopefully people can start interacting on it and we can get more people to make the switch.

Go Apple Go!!!

[Bobak]

Abysmal marketing gets the entire blame for Macs tiny market share. It's 25 years of poor marketing that's killing them.

No, the Mac advertising doesn't stink, it's merely a) the wrong approach and b) nonexistent. And advertising isn't the same as marketing.

Apple Mac ads are stylish, clever, and say nothing. They don't say what the computer does, they don't say how it is better, they don't say anything except Macs are cool, Apple is cool, Macs will blow your mind, blow you away. This is utterly wrong. Apple already has the cool. The ads should NOT mention the cool. They should talk about functionality, reliability, completeness, ease of use, SECURITY, INTUITIVENESS, COMPATIBILITY, VALUE.

To a businessman, cool=toy, cool=flimsy, cool=style over substance, cool=expensive gloss. These things are fantastic general business tools and no one knows it. They will help you get your WORK DONE.

These things are not toys, they are not artsy-fartsy, they are not overpriced. STOP making ads that say this. Make ads that show people accomplishing things, and I don't mean making a home movie. Making a business document, a resume, moving seamlessly between PC and Mac, doing finances, presentations, doing things people mistakenly think it CAN'T.

Some of the print ads are more on target. Specs. Uses. Comparison. Value. Do some of that on TV for God's sake. Make it look like the thing can really DO something.

And take a tack from recent political campaigns. Marketing should be responsive to errors made in public by others. We have all seen TONS of times when a pundit, an ad, a reviewer says something that is outright factually wrong. CORRECT IT. Get in there and make sure these opinion leaders tell the truth. Let them have any opinions they want, that will eventually take care of itself, but every time a fact is wrong, get in there and correct it, right away. There is nothing wrong with the product, but misconceptions about it are rampant. Fix 'em!


you are so right, i remember seeing the advert on tv for the apple powermac g5, it said something about speed, but after watching the advert i totally forgot what the product was and it gave me no desire to actually want to buy it. and the switch campaign really sucked as well. all that did was state a problem with pcs, but not clearly mention the solution. along with making better ads, they should also stop expecting people to know who they are. flashing a apple logo on a tv is not enough to make someone buy a mac. saying pcs suck will not make someone buy a mac. talking about the points you mentioned combined with a advert that will clearly state the product they are trying to sell will be far more effective and if apple are really desperate they can advertise more on the price sector.

[FoxyKaye]

There are the various stages of obliviousness:

1, What is a computer?
2, Where do the vacuum tubes fit?
3, I didn't know (usually spelled "no") Macs had the internet... and/or compatible with the Windows internet.
4, "UNIX", isn't that dudes that had their Wang (remember those computers?) cutoff... WHY WOULD I WANT THAT!?!
5, Where is the "C:\ prompt"?

It was a real kick (and perhaps effective marketing as well) to see a huge line of people snaking around the mall during Tiger's launch.
Hee, hee. And yes, I remember Wang - when I was but a wee lass in gradeschool in New Hampshire, the regional VP of Wang came to our school to talk about computers. I raised my hand and asked, "Excuse me sir, but isn't Wang going down?"

Seriously though, Apple needs to convince folks that their hardware/software is for everyday use. Right now it seems to be trapped in peoples' minds as "high-end graphics" or maybe enterprise-level stuff (with all the recent XServe clusters cropping up). Although I'd also say that's part of Apple's marketing challenge: it's trying to be everything, everywhere. Of course, its products are capable of this, but it seems to me the way to reach greater market share is to please stop trying to be cute with your advertisements. Cute is fine for iPods, but not for heavy lifting.

[Angelus520]

I was on a road trip last weekend with a friend who's not really tech savvy. He asked what kind of MP3 player to get so I whipped out my 3G iPod and handed it to him. He'd heard of iPods and seen the ads on TV, but didn't realize they played MP3s. So I let him play around with it for a while and told him how to get the music from CDs to a computer to the iPod and how easy it is. Also, said that the new ones are even better than the one I have and that my 1GB shuffle is great when you're working out.

He complained that the iPod ads were all flash and no substance, especially since they never tell you what they do and how easy it is. He's looking to get a mini now because I took the time to explain things to him.

Some people aren't that tech savvy so they needs ads that are a little more substance. It would be weird, though, seeing an Apple ad like that.

[rdowns]

About time. The iPod commercials are more visually stimulating rather than informative, so it'd be nice to see Apple merge nice graphics with a lot of information for a Mac ad. I've seen a lot of print ads that were pretty informative, but not really so much on TV.

Fishes,
narco.

I'd love to see an Apple as open with an iPod silhouette and morph into a person talking about how great his iPod works that he decided to get a Mac. Turn this into a series of informative ads. On on compatibility, one on iLife, one on the OS/no virus/spyware etc. Tell people what owning a Mac would mean to them.

Not some slacker being blasted out of his house and a claim of the world's fastest computer. The vast majority of people couldn't care less about that.

[mac-er]

Apple has to walk a very thin line when advertising the Macs.
Apple doesn't like to advertise the fact they are virus-resistant and that there are no viruses for OS X.

One of the hackers would love to be able to claim that s/he was the first to right the first virus for Mac, right after Apple advertised it didn't have any.

I think Apple needs to take a different approach to their advertising:
1. They need ads that have nothing but screen shots of the OS in action with a very fast, catchy soundtrack.
2. They need to advertise the eMac and Mac Mini WITH prices in the ads.

Showing someone getting blown through the wall of their house is not going to convince grandma to buy a Mac when Dell is advertising a computer for $499.

[jayb2000]

i hope to see new ads of course, it would really help spread apple.... a counterpoint to the new XP ads would be great

yeah, maybe they could show show someone using Word or IE on a wintel box and getting a fatal application error, then a blue screen....cut to the pc in the trash next to a iMac box

then a slow pan of the beauty that is iMac with iPhoto, iTunes, word etc open, something printing while popping a cd out and then fade to the apple logo with the text

Don't just start something.... FINISH SOMETHING
www.apple.com/imac


:D

[G.Kirby]

iPod has the feel of 'how did I get this far in life without having my iPod' Apple need to get this feel over to the Mac range. In the UK we rarely see Mac ads on Sky or Cable and literally never on terrestrial channels. Lets see a bit of Mac hard sell through the summer months ready for the iPod clad back to school mob.

[Phobophobia]

I never knew so many MacRumors members were experts on advertising--it's not like Apple pays upwards of millions of dollars to generate their product ads....

[Agathon]

If Apple had a 30 second TV promo featuring nothing but the extreme eye candy of Tiger it would work better than any "informative" campaign.

[seashellz]

APPLE has to start doing ads that are informative-they are too into "trendier-than-thou" ads which seem designed by old guys in mid-life crisis.
A small market of the 'ultra-chic' exists for trendy products, but APPLE needs to show HOW and WHY Macs are better for THE REST OF US-and leave the pretentious ads to BMW, or Bang & Olafsen...if it really wants to move beyond the groovy 5% marketshare-of film, art and music geeks.
That kind of stuff either turns off, or goes right over the head of the average consumer...(Joe and Jane six-pack)

someone did research that showed that for every ONE Mac virus/malware in the last 10 years there have been ONE THOUSAND targeted to Windows

and OS Xs' style of asking "Something has just come up- do you want to install/open?" will keep Macs from having the huge virus/malware problems that face Windoze-which by now wont see Longhorn-and a crippled one at that-for nearly 2 more years!

[geniusj]

I have mixed feelings about the whole idea that Mac's do not have viruses and other malware because of the low market share. Not being a 'cracker' I do not really know how difficult it would be to write malware for Macs, but I believe crackers do their thing for notoriety. Sure many infected windows computers = notoriety, but don't you think cracking the touted 'bulletproof' Mac OS X would also = notoriety? I can't imagine that a reasonable amount of people have not tried to do some damage to the Mac reputation. Just my 2¢ on that.

The whole thing would happen a little differently than how a worm usually spreads on windows. On windows, worms typically spread automatically through open ports. A mac comes with no ports open by default. So it probabably would not rely on that method of infection. It could spread easily, however, via something like Mail.app if they were to discover a security hole in it that they could exploit.

The easiest thing to write for a mac, however, would just be a trojan. It'd be easy to fork off a background process and put it in your crontab or something. If they wanted to run it as root, they'd have to exploit a local vulnerability in order to gain those privileges.

Basically, it's possible, there's just a few more hoops that they'd have to jump through. It wouldn't spread like wildfire quite the same way that it does on Windows. It would spread mostly by people manually opening untrusted binaries/applications.

[Thataboy]

I qas going to post the exact same thing. apple is already "cool"... what it needs to do is INFORM (contrary to what the above marketing expert believes) about the OS..

I think a series of 30 second fullscreen tutorials, like a flashier version of .mac learning center, would work. show off spotlight, dashboard, expose... use office (if legally possible), use the web. use iLife. show it off. and tout security. at the end, just the text overlay "This is Mac." with www.apple.com and the apple logo.

if ihe hear one more moron say "macs are only good for graphic designers"......

Abysmal marketing gets the entire blame for Macs tiny market share. It's 25 years of poor marketing that's killing them.

No, the Mac advertising doesn't stink, it's merely a) the wrong approach and b) nonexistent. And advertising isn't the same as marketing.

Apple Mac ads are stylish, clever, and say nothing. They don't say what the computer does, they don't say how it is better, they don't say anything except Macs are cool, Apple is cool, Macs will blow your mind, blow you away. This is utterly wrong. Apple already has the cool. The ads should NOT mention the cool. They should talk about functionality, reliability, completeness, ease of use, SECURITY, INTUITIVENESS, COMPATIBILITY, VALUE.

To a businessman, cool=toy, cool=flimsy, cool=style over substance, cool=expensive gloss. These things are fantastic general business tools and no one knows it. They will help you get your WORK DONE.

These things are not toys, they are not artsy-fartsy, they are not overpriced. STOP making ads that say this. Make ads that show people accomplishing things, and I don't mean making a home movie. Making a business document, a resume, moving seamlessly between PC and Mac, doing finances, presentations, doing things people mistakenly think it CAN'T.

Some of the print ads are more on target. Specs. Uses. Comparison. Value. Do some of that on TV for God's sake. Make it look like the thing can really DO something.

[rockthecasbah]

I was on a road trip last weekend with a friend who's not really tech savvy. He asked what kind of MP3 player to get so I whipped out my 3G iPod and handed it to him. He'd heard of iPods and seen the ads on TV, but didn't realize they played MP3s. So I let him play around with it for a while and told him how to get the music from CDs to a computer to the iPod and how easy it is. Also, said that the new ones are even better than the one I have and that my 1GB shuffle is great when you're working out.

He complained that the iPod ads were all flash and no substance, especially since they never tell you what they do and how easy it is. He's looking to get a mini now because I took the time to explain things to him.

Some people aren't that tech savvy so they needs ads that are a little more substance. It would be weird, though, seeing an Apple ad like that.
Well the reason they don't tell you what they do directly is that it is implied. The whole idea behind the Apple ads for iPod + iTunes is that you are captivating by the bright colors and the rockin' music, not to display data. Those flashy ads make you remember how different Apple and the iPod is from the rest of the pack, which makes you then want to research the product (if interested of course).

Making Apple's advertising display a lot of info or have an announcer say specs. would make them another dell; however most do not understand the specs and how Apple's computers while lower in actual # of ghz, etc, actually perform better. Displaying info. like that would kill Apple, as many would see them as inferior to other machines, or in this case, players.

[bcsmith]

I was on a road trip last weekend with a friend who's not really tech savvy. He asked what kind of MP3 player to get so I whipped out my 3G iPod and handed it to him. He'd heard of iPods and seen the ads on TV, but didn't realize they played MP3s. So I let him play around with it for a while and told him how to get the music from CDs to a computer to the iPod and how easy it is. Also, said that the new ones are even better than the one I have and that my 1GB shuffle is great when you're working out.

He complained that the iPod ads were all flash and no substance, especially since they never tell you what they do and how easy it is. He's looking to get a mini now because I took the time to explain things to him.

Some people aren't that tech savvy so they needs ads that are a little more substance. It would be weird, though, seeing an Apple ad like that.


Now try to condense all of this into a 30 second ad that will keep people's attention.

That's the problem with advertising. You need to grab people's attention long enough to get a web address in their face. Then hopefully, they go the website and figure out what is going on.

[seashellz]

>>specs and how Apple's computers while lower in actual # of ghz, etc, actually perform better...
---
why not an ad which, along with bar graphs proclaim: "The 2.2ghz G5 Mac is as fast as a 4ghz Pentium!"

[dernhelm]

Please stop. :rolleyes:

No kidding. So few consumers even care anymore about the speed of their computer. Spend 30 minutes with someone in front of iMovie, though, and all you'll hear is "man I wish my computer could do THAT!".

Even pro-sumers aren't looking at GHz anymore: they want a speedy whole-system performance - FSB, amount of RAM, speed of hard-disk, graphics card capabilities, SATA vs. SCIS, etc all factor into their decision as much as GHz ratings of the processor.

System performance is no longer a deal maker or breaker for the Mac platform. It will be the quality (and eventually) the quantity of the software that will end up being the deal breaker for most people.

[slb]

It would be nice to see ads with music in the similar vein of the iPod commercials, portraying the iMac and the Mac mini as hip gadgets to have that can make movies, CDs, has iTunes and connects to your iPod (of course), doesn't crash, finds all your files anywhere, and looks gorgeous.

The "Windows viruses: 12,375,000 Mac viruses: 0" line would also be very effective. I can see the Windows number on screen counting up, with the Mac number humbly appearing below it. :) That would turn the heads of a few people I know.

Nobody's saying we're advertising experts, but we are consumers and we know what would be cool to see on television. I really hope Apple has something incredible up its sleeve. It needs to hit one out of the park with a new ad campaign, if there is indeed one in the works.

I don't know how effective the "Switch" ads were--most of them were mocked even by Mac users. But that was before Apple suddenly became the hippest brand name out there. So I'm sure Apple's marketing droids know how to capitalize on this since they've been doing so incredibly well with the iPod, and if they did do something, it would tie into the hipness of the iPod in some way.

Really, Apple has been lax in tying the iPod into the Mac. For instance, the iTunes Music Store could be rife with Apple Mac ads all over the place, and Mac brochures could be included in every iPod box, but they're not. Cool of Apple to keep all the advertising out of it, though at the least, iPods could come with a mention of iMacs or something, like a flyer. I don't know.

[JulesTM]

See, this I've never understood. Trying to build a stable and reliable Windows-based network is like entering the seventh circle of hell. I think M$ spends a lot of time and money convincing people that their way is the only way as part of those certification courses.

Plus, networking aside, there's never been a stable version of Apache that can run on a Windows machine (at least there wasn't the last time I looked in to it), and using a Windows machine as a mail server is just asking for trouble. These features come at no cost to OS X users, and benefit from the overall stability of the platform.

Network Technicians would be outta a job if they used macs, duh :)

[scarletbiro]

I wouldn't mind some help showing people what's cool about my Mac. Having switched myself, I know I am amazed daily about how my PowerBook 1Ghz with Tiger is the best machine/gadget/software I have ever used -- what really gets me is how it's simultaneoulsy much more powerful and much more "beginning user"-friendly than Windows. But I don't think I'm an effective teacher when it comes to showing this off.

I have also come across people who ought to know better who think the Mac is not a "real" computer. And with Unix underneath, this is just not true. All the programmers I know are in love with OS X, and rightly so.

[xsnightclub]

Show PC users frustrated having problems with crashing and viruses.
Repeatedly calling IT desk support personnal, over and over.

Then fade to IT guy still on the phone to users, replying to their issues on overtly verbose techie lingo.

Camera pans around behind to see IT guy using his Mac to finishing burning an iMovie DVD, complete updating his iTunes music library, emailing mulitiple Word and Excel documents, Print a photoshop picture, close out a video chat, and save a powerpoint presentation. Show him finishing these tasks in rapid fire succession: saving, burning, updating, emailing, chating, closing programs while on the phone to users.

Then he hangs up the phone, puts on his iPod headphones, turns out lights leaves office, Than the camera stays focused ON THE MAC.

Nicely this would show people Macs can do all the things the think they can't and ties in the iPod to remind users this is that company that makes that music device that everybody wants, and it still focuses ON THE MAC. (while taking a jab at MS start something ad campaign)

[Swinny]

For a start Apple DON'T want to start advertising the fact we are free of virusses etc at the moment...despite what we all like to think, it isn't an infallable system and public claims like that are only gonna wind up the virus-writing tossers to try and break it...which as soon as they did would make Apple a laughing stock. They do a very good job of letting the press and word-of-mouth tell the no-virus story and they shouldn't get involved.

It'd be nice to see these adverts centred around iLife I think - those are the things that people want to do with a computer afterall - maybe 5 seperate spots, each as a short testimonial type piece from someone who's done great stuff with one of the apps (ie written a hit song in garageband or won and award for an imovie produced piece etc)...all interspersed with lots of shots of various Macs and gratuitous shots of stuff flying about in Tiger (ie expose and dashboard) - simple point is people don't know there is an alternative to windows out there, so they'd be blown away by this free great software all running on an OS that, comparatively, looks like something out of a science fiction film.

...I remember seeing a news piece not too long ago where a guy basically used an expose screen expanging as a lead-in shot to his news piece - looked completely alien even to me who'd been using Panther for a year!

its a tricky thing...Apple need to sell the strenghts of the hardware and software, compatibility, pricing, links with the iPod etc etc all in a 30 secons!

I think the ex-HP woman is the key here...there have been quite a few ads on for them recently - some consumer focused, some more business orientated - but all doing the same thing - getting the name of HP out there and synonamous to the general public as involved with computing at all levels.

[SiliconAddict]

No kidding. So few consumers even care anymore about the speed of their computer. Spend 30 minutes with someone in front of iMovie, though, and all you'll hear is "man I wish my computer could do THAT!".


Well only to a certain extent. The disparity between the G4 PowerMac and the rest of the industry was a big enough deal that even nongeeks started asking the question...well aren't Macs slow. The G5 more then evened the playing field. I'm just amused by the people who were shocked at a 500Mhz difference between the supposed Jobs promise and the end result last year. And it continues to this day even though the difference is 300Mhz. For the love of god people do you think hitting 3000Mhz is going to cause the PowerMac to enter some temporal distortion zone that makes everything 10x times faster?!? Maybe that is where Steve gets his RDF? He’s been around too many 3Ghz PowerMacs. :eek:
The PowerMac updates are solid. (Albeit a bit short on the tech. Where's the PCI Express Apple!??) The iMac updates are solid. The low-end eMac updates are OK for the price and for what it is. The Mac Mini...well it could use a few tweaks.

Where does that leave us? The iBook but more importantly the PowerBook. They are the only major devices that haven't gotten a massive revamp. As much as its about the software, the software is only as fast as the hardware you run it on, and once again Apple is playing catch-up to the rest of the industry.

[ioinc]

AGREED! That's one of the frustrating things, the myths/preconceptions out there... Soooooooo many people think that Macs are the "incompatible" computer...

TV ads would be cool... I would actually look farward to commmercial breaks! :D


What are the odds that apple really highlights such a basic concept of the Mac?

Apple is more likely to have an amazing visual concept that all the mac fans love.. but all the pc users don't understand.

They (the pc people) will simply walk away grumbling that they won't buy a mac until they can use it for word and excel.

[Doctor Q]

Abysmal marketing gets the entire blame for Macs tiny market share. It's 25 years of poor marketing that's killing them.

No, the Mac advertising doesn't stink, it's merely a) the wrong approach and b) nonexistent. And advertising isn't the same as marketing.

Apple Mac ads are stylish, clever, and say nothing. They don't say what the computer does, they don't say how it is better, they don't say anything except Macs are cool, Apple is cool, Macs will blow your mind, blow you away. This is utterly wrong. Apple already has the cool. The ads should NOT mention the cool. They should talk about functionality, reliability, completeness, ease of use, SECURITY, INTUITIVENESS, COMPATIBILITY, VALUE.

To a businessman, cool=toy, cool=flimsy, cool=style over substance, cool=expensive gloss. These things are fantastic general business tools and no one knows it. They will help you get your WORK DONE.

These things are not toys, they are not artsy-fartsy, they are not overpriced. STOP making ads that say this. Make ads that show people accomplishing things, and I don't mean making a home movie. Making a business document, a resume, moving seamlessly between PC and Mac, doing finances, presentations, doing things people mistakenly think it CAN'T.

Some of the print ads are more on target. Specs. Uses. Comparison. Value. Do some of that on TV for God's sake. Make it look like the thing can really DO something.

And take a tack from recent political campaigns. Marketing should be responsive to errors made in public by others. We have all seen TONS of times when a pundit, an ad, a reviewer says something that is outright factually wrong. CORRECT IT. Get in there and make sure these opinion leaders tell the truth. Let them have any opinions they want, that will eventually take care of itself, but every time a fact is wrong, get in there and correct it, right away. There is nothing wrong with the product, but misconceptions about it are rampant. Fix 'em!Excellent post and good points.

I don't think watching somebody prepare a business document is going to score many points with business customers unless it shows something better about Macs. One way to do this is to show the easy integration of various applications, drag and drop, Expose, maybe even Dashboard, all being used together by a businessperson.

It would be good to contrast somebody struggling with a Windows system (installing countless patches and doing yet another spyware scan) with a happy Mac user smiling while getting his or her work done efficiently.

Even for consumers (home users), an ad showing somebody taking photos, transferring them to the Mac, and publishing them to the web all in 30 seconds should have more grab than an ad claiming it's the fastest personal computer or giving vague claims about it being easy to use.

[jayscheuerle]

Y'know.... A split-screeen ad might work well. Frustrated Windows user on the left, dealing with viruses, kludgy interfaces. Productive Mac user on the right, multitasking away...

[rogo]

On a loosely related note, as early as Monday, the 400 millionth song should be sold at the music store. In fact, it should really actually be Monday, or else sales there have slowed to a relative crawl -- i.e. below prior rates.

I note this because this thread is about a stock analyst and I think long term performance of the store is very important to the stock.

So here's rooting for Monday.

[Dagless]

bloody hell, thats quite good. possibly because the iPod is the single greatest music player on the market? hmmm. but 90%... wow.

[le_bigMac]

Apple advertises in a LOT of places.

They're just a lot more efficient than a lot of you marketing wannabes are. They've targeted specific markets such as high end scientific and general business (ads in BUSINESS WEEK and SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN).

And ads really AREN'T supposed to be "informative"....they're supposed to catch your eye so that folks who want to dig into the information can go get it themselves.

Apple is extremely inefficient in its advertising. If if wants to really reach out to windows users and grow market share, it's going to have to do a lot more than just advertise the way you are saying. They need to go on a massive marketing blitz, using TV, radio, the web, print etc. They need to put all the idiotic misconceptions behind like "Macs don't run MS Office", "Macs crash a lot", "its only for artists and scientists", "it doesn't read windows disks", "they're so expensive"...

At the same time, Apple needs to really show off its hardware- the laptocks rock, the iMac is a great all in one machine, the Mac Mini is a great value that will be more than sufficient for most home or even office users. Let's not forget it's software- iLife in itself is worth buying a Mac for, especially when intended for the mass market. Nothing on Windows comes within a thousand miles of it's sheer simplicity and how well all of its components integrate together.

To do all of this Apple will have to do a lot more than its traditional 'we are the coolest' advertising, with much style and no substance. The closest they've come to do that is their 'switch' campaign, but even that was weak.

Apple has amazing brand recognition right now, a fantastic operating system and so much going for it with its software and hardware, it would be a shame that they don't invest a good chunk of money to get more people on board.

[Phobophobia]

Apple is extremely inefficient in its advertising. blah blah blah

Its growing market share, brand value, and record sales would suggest otherwise. There is always room for improvement, but to suggest it as "inefficient" is complete BS. The statistics say otherwise, and I am sure Apple has some ads for Tiger etc. up its sleeve.

[Balin64]

While I believe that Apple could have better and more efficient adverstising, I believe that a major media blitz would be premature at this time. I would wait and let Apple's presence grow in the Market. Remember taht most people (at least in the U.S.) are not objective about computers. Most still think that Macs are underpowered, expensive and have no software. The iPod is making strides into this front of ignorance, but it will take more time... :(

[marmotte]

I remember a TV ad by Intel a couple of years back, where they would show a 3D App with a cool visual effect, maybe a game snapshot, etc. and it would finish with the Intel logo, even though the Intel chip had absolutely nothing to do with those apps, which all existed on the Mac as well, and the Mac PowerPC, could run them just as well and maybe even better, but Intel was able to associate itself in that ad with cool applications. Apple just needs to do something similar. Let's face it,. they are hugely misperceived out there and claiming to be different and just not going to attract average buyers and uneducated buyers.

Intel did that again later with Centrino: they had absolutely nothing new there (and still don't) but for some reason (i.e. huge amount of $$$) they are able to make people perceive them as wireless champions...

Apple can just show what Macs can do (and now they have enough Apps themselves that they barely need to show third-party apps) and dismiss the myths.

I am always floored at how complicated things are on the PC side and just showing users how simple it is to build a DVD on a Mac would score big, if not done in some cheesy way (Apple had an ad like that a few years back and it was horrendous. Remember the first iPod ads, how bad some were?)

Apple has some real killer Apps, such as iChat AV. Put that on TV and every business traveller should notice. But right now they just don't know it exists. PC users have no equivalent that's as easy and intuitive to use.

MM

[oskar]

Apple advertises in a LOT of places.

They're just a lot more efficient than a lot of you marketing wannabes are. They've targeted specific markets such as high end scientific and general business (ads in BUSINESS WEEK and SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN).

And ads really AREN'T supposed to be "informative"....they're supposed to catch your eye so that folks who want to dig into the information can go get it themselves.

I've always seen Apple ads in provideo and graphics magazines. From the G4 PowerMacs until now. Mainly it's been only PowerMacs, Final Cut, and the rest of the pro apps.
I think the whole point now is that Apple will be trying to focus more on the consumer level with iMacs, mac Minis, and iBooks. Every pro knows when it's better to use a Mac and it usually depends on what specific app they'll be using. Studio Max, Maya, Shake, Final Cut, it doesdepend... and a lot of pros don't use Windows as the Mac alternative FYI.

It's been a while since I haven't seen a Mac on TV if it's not part of the set on some comedy/drama/whatever.

[amac4me]

Apple needs to get an ad on television ... not just any network and not just any time slot. What they really need to do is pay for a slot in primetime during a major show ... something like NBC during the Apprentice or ER.

Until Apple makes a serious pitch on television, people won't switch. I'd really like to see the marketing department at Apple begin a serious advertising campaign on Television.

[le_bigMac]

Its growing market share, brand value, and record sales would suggest otherwise. There is always room for improvement, but to suggest it as "inefficient" is complete BS. The statistics say otherwise, and I am sure Apple has some ads for Tiger etc. up its sleeve.

Apple is efficient in raising the coolness factor, very inefficient in growing market share when it comes to anything other than ipods. But if Apple wants to reach out to Windows users, which it's obviously been trying hard to do, and get more people to buy macs, then their ads and their marketing strategy in general have been lousy. The reality is Apple's overall market share is still a drop in the ocean of the Windows world. Most Windows users haven't a clue as to what Macs can do- if Apple can address that better it might have a fighting chance of really growing their market share beyond the paltry single digit figure it lays claim to now.

[Porchland]

I think they definatly need to advertise tiger, because when longhorn (eventually) comes out people might not think Microsoft are so big and clever if they have seen some features in OS X before on TV, like expose and dashboard over a year earlier they are available on windows.

Like how the Start button directly ripped off storing apps "under the Apple." But Start is different because it's in the lower LEFT corner.

Riiiiight.

[Porchland]

Apple needs to get an ad on television ... not just any network and not just any time slot. What they really need to do is pay for a slot in primetime during a major show ... something like NBC during the Apprentice or ER.

Until Apple makes a serious pitch on television, people won't switch. I'd really like to see the marketing department at Apple begin a serious advertising campaign on Television.

Which one: Apprentice or ER? The Apple people are waiting!!

[amac4me]

Apple is efficient in raising the coolness factor, very inefficient in growing market share when it comes to anything other than ipods. But if Apple wants to reach out to Windows users, which it's obviously been trying hard to do, and get more people to buy macs, then their ads and their marketing strategy in general have been lousy. The reality is Apple's overall market share is still a drop in the ocean of the Windows world. Most Windows users haven't a clue as to what Macs can do- if Apple can address that better it might have a fighting chance of really growing their market share beyond the paltry single digit figure it lays claim to now.

Ok ... I was happy to see Best Buy carry the Mac mini. Best Buy is a great retail outlet to sell Mac's, much better than Comp USA. People go to Best Buy to purchase so many different things, Comp USA is essentially a store catered to computer users.

If Apple can get reps and demos of Mac's in Best Buy stores, I think they'd be able to convince more people to buy Mac's and you'll see Apple grow their market share.

[le_bigMac]

While I believe that Apple could have better and more efficient adverstising, I believe that a major media blitz would be premature at this time. I would wait and let Apple's presence grow in the Market. Remember taht most people (at least in the U.S.) are not objective about computers. Most still think that Macs are underpowered, expensive and have no software. The iPod is making strides into this front of ignorance, but it will take more time... :(

Errr... yes, this why it is vital for apple to seize the moment while its brand is ultra-hot to put some of those Mac myths to rest. It is not about people being objective, or drowning people in information. It's more about practical examples, like editing a video in iMovie, importing it into iDVD, grabbing some iTunes songs and burning a dvd, and showing how much work that would take on a pc. There's a reason why people who have used both platforms say they are more productive on Macs, and Apple hasn't been convincing in its advertising to say why that is the case.

[woodman]

How about a video iPod that you can play your own movies on?

Steve always bitches about content, but how many millions of people have home movies?


As I mentioned in another thread, Video Podcasting could help build market for video iPod. Content deals with studios could come later.

advertise different.

[FriarTuck]

Two words: infomercials.

Back in the day, an infomercial sold me my first Mac (a Performa).

For what they spend on primetime 30 second spots, they could buy mass quantities of cable informercials.

[mac-er]

I never knew so many MacRumors members were experts on advertising--it's not like Apple pays upwards of millions of dollars to generate their product ads....

And, what wonders those millions have done. Where is the market share to back up what they have spent?

When an Apple Store opens in a community, where are the "invitations" that are mass mailed out inviting people to come in and check out the iPods and Macs? When a SuperTarget opened in my community, they put $5 giftcard door hangers all over to get people to come into the store.

Where are the billboards proclaiming that "it just works"?

Where are newspaper ads in major newspapers across the county?

Where are the banner ads on CNN.com advertising Macs? (Dell advertises on there ALL the time).

I haven't seen a Mac ad in Time magazine for ages (they used to advertise every week).

[peejay]

I don't want Macs to have a larger market share. I like having no malware directed at me, I hate the idea of having to worry about viruses, trojans spyware ad nauseum. Leave it for the windows posse.
However, I do want a tablet Mac.

I call BS!

While I do believe that the Mac small market share that Macs presently suffer is not too much of a negative, it still is a negative. One only has to look at what we stand to gain if we had, say, a 20% share, and all software makers would be economically punished for ignoring our market. I also want to use my Mac at work, which will be more and more possible if the market share grows and the IT profession is forced to deal with us. And there are pricing advantages that come with economy of scale. As for virii, I'll take my chances that Apple can keep them at bay. After all, we all know that the 3% share isn't our only virus prevention.

As for the writer of the quote, go get an Amiga. Then you can be in a club of about twelve, and feel soooooo superior!

PS: Tablet PCs couldn't even find much of a niche in the PC world. Why should they do any better if Apple made them? Of course, someone might make an Amiga tablet for the three Amiga users who want one.

[nagromme]

We are already a target, and nothing will protect us forever, so I say grow the Mac market all they can! (Well, short of 50%... I like Apple fighting :) )

OS X has been around for years. Crackers (of a certain type) have sought challenges and prestige for years--not just maximum worldwide effect. Macs have been worth extra points in cracking contests for years. Some Linux fans do hate Apple, not just Microsoft. Windows users OFTEN hate Apple. And some high-profile targets like universities, media companies, and the US Army use Mac OS X.

And there are a LOT of unethical programmers in the world... some with a desire to do more than be a "script kiddie."

So I am CERTAIN that at least SOME people have been trying to make OS X viruses for quite some time. They've never managed it yet, but they WILL.

Then we'll have one virus instead of zero... I'll still feel safer :)

Also, I get the feeling that Mac OS X is not the bottomless pit of flaws waiting to be discovered that Windows is. The flaws are there and new ones will always be found--in any OS--but OS X really IS a better design than Windows.

So I wouldn't be totally surprised if viruses never get the chance to really take off on Mac, even if some exist. Apple may be able to truly keep on top of patching the holes in a timely fashion in response to real viruses. Better than MS has been able to achieve.

Also, our PowerPC processors are safer from viruses than x86. Linux on x86 is more vulnerable than Linux on PPC for instance. Strange but true.

http://www.cio-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=12100002EAEW

So I say, advertise away!

[fishcalmer]

Its time to go on the offensive IMO. Especially after reading on the BBC Science news today a certain B. Gates having a dig at tiger....i mean :eek: ....either he's very confident about his upcoming software or he's laying a brick. Whatever it sounds like a BIG compliment to Apple and it's fantastic software team :)

Visualise this
***** ad break *******
Cue sleepy pastoral locale with a long-horned (ahem) bovine atop a hummock munching on the cud. Cut to worm's-eye shot underneath the cows head and (--v important--) being pestered by hundreds of nagging whining flies around its eyes and ears ;). Cut to front of said beast. Suddenly an orchestra kicks in(or deep house/whatever :rolleyes: ) and a tiger (previously unseen) vaults the cow and flies at the camera position jaws open wide.

Cut to screen....fast shots of the operating system snapping about speedily in various apps (business/pro/expose/dashboard/iphoto zoom) for about 10 secs. Then send in a couple of thumping straplines about speed, power & compatibility. Loud musical crescendo ....then almost silence.Camera pulls slowly out and reveals a studio display.... with a weeny mac mini sitting underneath next to plugged in ipod photo (whiteout background).Bang Boom Crash in come the prices, then to cap it :eek: tiger growls low and deep :eek: followed by one colour apple and web address.

**********
You could pull out to the imac as well in a diff ad/diff audience or a pmac...etc :D

[notjustjay]

Show PC users frustrated having problems with crashing and viruses.
Repeatedly calling IT desk support personnal, over and over.

Then fade to IT guy still on the phone to users, replying to their issues on overtly verbose techie lingo.

Camera pans around behind to see IT guy using his Mac to finishing burning an iMovie DVD, complete updating his iTunes music library, emailing mulitiple Word and Excel documents, Print a photoshop picture, close out a video chat, and save a powerpoint presentation. Show him finishing these tasks in rapid fire succession: saving, burning, updating, emailing, chating, closing programs while on the phone to users.

Then he hangs up the phone, puts on his iPod headphones, turns out lights leaves office, Than the camera stays focused ON THE MAC.


I like it. There's an ad for a car that's playing right now where a lady works for the Customer Service department of a big-box store (obviously a spoof on Wal-Mart). You see her point of view as she faces angry customers all day. "It's too big." "It's too small." A guy brings in a vacuum cleaner -- "It doesn't suck." A lady with her phone - "It just sucks."

Fade to the woman as she gets into her car and visibly relaxes. Aaah, all the problems of work just fade away.

I could see a version of your commercial idea. The tech guy handles frustrating Windows support calls all day. A montage of different caller voices. "I have a virus." "It's too slow." "I can't get on the internet" "It won't let me off the internet" "... they just keep POPPING UP all over the place..." etc etc.

Fade to the tech guy as he enters his apartment after work and sits down with his Mac. Fires up iChat and starts talking to friends, listening to music... doing whatever.

[makey]

I am really looking forward to seeing more Mac computer ads on the television.

[musiclover137]

i may just be a long-time blind mac follower but, i think if they wanted to advertise better then they would. apple never ceases to amaze me in how clever their products are. i don't think they would let something like tv ads hold them back from being a more popular home computer. i think they must be choosing not to be that big. it has a more intimate feel that way. it's like, if you want one of these computers, look it up, and get interested in it. don't just buy it cause you saw a commercial with a pot-head talking about cheap computers. i trust apple completely and feel like they must know what they are doing; or in this case, not doing

[nagromme]

i trust apple completely and feel like they must know what they are doing; or in this case, not doing

Apple makes mistakes--sometimes serious ones. Everyone does. Lack of advertising has been one of them, at times.

But I agree in one sense: the RECENT lack of Mac ads is a strategic choice. Push the iPod and bide their time until Tiger and the halo effect make the time ripe. Until the press is hyping Apple and there's a wave to ride. Until MS is looking bad. THEN come back with a big Mac ad campaign!

[ijimk]

i am all for more technolgoy in ipods.

I hear in Star Wars episodes 7,8,9 Apple will be the new empire, and all ipods come standard with a lightsaber output so u can slash your way to victory listening to your own tunes! :p

[zap2]

thats crazy the ipod shuffle(one mp3 player) that only comes in 2 types has more then half of the market. This is great!!!! will apple make more flash based ipod to bring the market share up to 90 like the ipods? I would love to see itunes on cell phones and video ipods( that coudld take there own video). Lucky for me im in the market for a new phone and a new ipod so well see waht these updates have for me to buy

[Phobophobia]

And, what wonders those millions have done. Where is the market share to back up what they have spent?

When an Apple Store opens in a community, where are the "invitations" that are mass mailed out inviting people to come in and check out the iPods and Macs? When a SuperTarget opened in my community, they put $5 giftcard door hangers all over to get people to come into the store.

Where are the billboards proclaiming that "it just works"?

Where are newspaper ads in major newspapers across the county?

Where are the banner ads on CNN.com advertising Macs? (Dell advertises on there ALL the time).

I haven't seen a Mac ad in Time magazine for ages (they used to advertise every week).

Up to this point, Apple has been carefully readying everything for the mass market. Tiger, high-value iMacs, iPod Shuffle/Mac Mini, Apple stores; all of that has been to prepare. It's coming. Just wait and see. The stock price increase late last year is going to look like nothing.
Apple's strategy has truly been ingenious--lacking vision to see what is happening right in front of you does not warrant complaining. I guess that's why you aren't one of the people being paid millions of dollars. :P

[w_parietti22]

yeah i havent seen many ads for macs at all

last one i saw was the g5 blowing the guy out of the house, prior to that the sunflower mac sticking its cd tray out at the guy in the window

Don't forget the one with the 12" PB and the 17" PB with Yao Ming and Mini Me.... :D

hmmm... maybe a simalar comercial with the iMac G5 and the Mac Mini.

[Lynxpro]

I call BS!
As for the writer of the quote, go get an Amiga. Then you can be in a club of about twelve, and feel soooooo superior!



Pffffff, Amiga. The Atari ST ruled... it was the bomb, like "Phantoms"... :)

[SPUY767]

That people could give a rat's ass about an FM tuner in their Flash player after all. This is mind boggling. Apple holds a majorit yshare in all facets of the digital music industry for no other reason than developing superior products.

[w_parietti22]

Its time to go on the offensive IMO. Especially after reading on the BBC Science news today a certain B. Gates having a dig at tiger....i mean :eek: ....either he's very confident about his upcoming software or he's laying a brick. Whatever it sounds like a BIG compliment to Apple and it's fantastic software team :)

Visualise this
***** ad break *******
Cue sleepy pastoral locale with a long-horned (ahem) bovine atop a hummock munching on the cud. Cut to worm's-eye shot underneath the cows head and (--v important--) being pestered by hundreds of nagging whining flies around its eyes and ears ;). Cut to front of said beast. Suddenly an orchestra kicks in(or deep house/whatever :rolleyes: ) and a tiger (previously unseen) vaults the cow and flies at the camera position jaws open wide.

Cut to screen....fast shots of the operating system snapping about speedily in various apps (business/pro/expose/dashboard/iphoto zoom) for about 10 secs. Then send in a couple of thumping straplines about speed, power & compatibility. Loud musical crescendo ....then almost silence.Camera pulls slowly out and reveals a studio display.... with a weeny mac mini sitting underneath next to plugged in ipod photo (whiteout background).Bang Boom Crash in come the prices, then to cap it :eek: tiger growls low and deep :eek: followed by one colour apple and web address.

**********
You could pull out to the imac as well in a diff ad/diff audience or a pmac...etc :D

Not bad. How long did that take you to think up??? lol. But theres a couple rules for Apple:

1.) Don't say anything about viruses... cuase that will give someone an idea to make a virus for Mac and we don't want that. (that will also make people made if they do get a virus on their Mac after they bought one)

2.) Don't dis on MS to much (you can a little) but don't make them mad.

3.) Make it good and funny (like my favorite one with Yao Ming and Mini me! :D ) (oh and the one with the iMac and yeah)

4.) Have something to do with the iPod (like the "from the creators of iPod, the all new iMac G5)

5.) And have fun!

PS- I was talking to this guy that knows a guy from MS that works in the Mactopia department and he was saying that Tiger is like 4 years ahead of Longhorn :eek: (or w/e)!!! so theres no need to worry!

[nightdweller25]

Nooooo...

I don't want Macs to have a larger market share. I like having no malware directed at me, I hate the idea of having to worry about viruses, trojans spyware ad nauseum. Leave it for the windows posse.
However, I do want a tablet Mac. :)

Nada que ver (that's Spanish for completely off topic)
Thats not why Macs don't have viruses, it goes way deeper than that. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/gate/archive/2005/02/04/notes020405.DTL

[840quadra]

With all of the interior design shows and products going out these days. I think a good ad would be an Ikea spoof with the Mini and iMac.

Do a sweep of the room with the camera, showing wires and all sorts of crap everywere in the room including a broken PC. Continue the sweep across the room and zoom out to someone walking by the camera, and show them drop a paper on the table.

Zoom the camera on to the paper and show an iMac on a nice looking desk in a similar room to the one shown. Have some text say "it's time to go to Apple"

ok.. bad spoof, but I would agree with using Apple products for design, and ease of use.

[Macmaniac]

Schlub on the street: "Wait a minute, Apple actually makes computers? I thought they only made those iPod dealies!"

'Nuff said

[crackrock]

It would be very nice to see Apple promote the Mac more...

Does anyone else think that a campaign specifically advertising the fact that Macs are virus and spyware free would do wonders?

This is the #1 problem, by far, I see that consumers have with computers these days. Unless you are an intermediate user (even then it can be tough) keeping your Windows machine clean and safe is a daunting task.

Something like,
"Number of documented viruses for Windows: 13,193,321"
"Number of documented viruses for Mac OSX: 0"
"No headaches, no frustrations, no weekly visits to the local tech guru."

Just a quick example, I know those numbers aren't correct, but you see what I mean. Take advantage of this huge problem that has been inflicted upon the mass of PC users.

And Noiseboy: C'mon, you don't honestly believe the only reason Macs aren't infected is because of their marketshare? That's bullcrap that the avid Mac bashers would like you to believe. Even considering all exponential factors and what not, don't you think there would be at least *some* viruses for OSX considering its marketshare is around 4-5% of millions?
The fact is, it is much more secure than Windows. I want to see the platform grow, because I believe it would be better for the common user, and I am a loyal Apple customer.

I actually got 3rd degree burns from reading this

[Daveway]

I have a feeling Apple is resurrecting a "Switch" type campaign again. I was contacted by Apple by phone only a day after i submitted a Switch story to their website. In-fact they are still accepting them in the Hot news section.

[Stella]

Nooooo...

I don't want Macs to have a larger market share. I like having no malware directed at me, I hate the idea of having to worry about viruses, trojans spyware ad nauseum. Leave it for the windows posse.
However, I do want a tablet Mac. :)

How elitist.

Did you know Epson are dropping support for Macs??? No, well, here:
http://www.cnet.com.au/desktops/printers/0,39029465,40000483,00.htm

And thats just one company. For any market to work, it needs market share ( i.e., customers ), and quite frankly, a market share of 3% isn't a lot. And no, please don't start quoting BMW and crap like that.

Apple would find it very tough to survive on selling Macs alone, if it wasn't for iPods, Apple market share would have continued to fall.

Apple need to also advertise OSX, I have *never* seen adverts for OSX specifically - it may have been mentioned on the side, other than that none.

Apple could do wonders by advertising the functionality of Macs, especially about reliability. Apple however, should not focus too much on no viruses because it won't stay that way for long... Good example: FireFox.

also, Apple can't rely on iPods to sell Macs.. a lot of people who have iPods still don't realise apple sells computers. Not everyone has an internet connection to look at apple website - a simple fact that a lot of people seem to overlook.

Advertisements would do Apple a great deal of Good. Oh, Advertise outside of the US... then maybe, perhaps the rest of the world market share will increase. Additionally, give special offers to the rest of the world too - such as 30 free itunes songs for each sale of Airport Express etc etc etc.

[Swinny]

My idea for an Apple ad:

...30 seconds long, split into 2 distinct portions - dark and light...

...start with a shot of some dingy post-production house, camera pans around an indistinguishable screen...serious voicover "There is a computer company on who's professional hardware and software most of the movie and television industries rely on to create the imagery that amazes us"...cut to shot of DVD-r exiting (slot-loading!) drive...serious voiceover "The same computer company whose software helps the studios deliver their productions to you on DVD"...cut to shots of music studio...serious voicover "A company whose products have been the choice of the music professional for a decade, and who's music store and player hold the vast majority of worldwide marketshare"...cut to shots of busy news-desk office...serious voiceover "Not to mention the fact that that same companies products are used to create 90% of the printed material you see around you today..."

...screen dissolves to light, shots of average suburban home, "average family" sat around an iMac G5, interspersed with relevant screenshots...bubbly voiceover "...the same company who have helped Jane here edit the footage of her son's birthday and share it with family and friends all the around the world on the internet, and who's music software helped Dave's highschool band cut their first demo. All whilst dad prepared his work newsletter and burned a DVD of his fishing trip with uncle Dave"

...screen fades, Apple logo appears with some slogan - along the lines of Think Different (ie, trying to say, there are alternatives beyond windows) but no quite so elitest and clever clever.

Maybe could be split into 2 distinct ads - take the 4 areas and split 'em - so one ad could be professional/consumer music and DVD creation...the other professional/consumer video editting and DTP. Covers all bases of showing Apple as a force in the computing industry, with plenty of opportunity to showcase all levels of hardware as well as tiger, iLife and iWorks - with the main focus being on "professional results for everyone".

[xsnightclub]

How elitist.

Did you know Epson are dropping support for Macs??? No, well, here:
http://www.cnet.com.au/desktops/printers/0,39029465,40000483,00.htm



Wow, do you comprehend when you read, or do you wait until after you post.

Read your own link.

[Paperweight]

maybe we'll start to see Pepsi/Coke style ads for Mac OS X/Windoze XP that would be funny.

I have never seen a Mac TV ad. But the truth is Mac will never reach the market share of the Windoze Machine. Will never happen unless something drastic happens to this world.

My co-workers think Macs are some kind of rouge system. Outcast. When I tell them Mac can run MS Word, Excel, etc... they are shocked. They never knew. Most people won't switch for the single fact that "I'm use to Windows" And I do not know of any corporation that uses Mac. *Maybe* an ad dept. in a corporation but even so Networking freaks hate Macs.

I'd like to see some Mac ads on TV just because. But the reality of it is Apple will never gain as much market share as Windows. It just can't be done. :(

Never say never. People change. Slowly. Think: just like in the past, 20-50 years can change everything. I'd like to think of some examples from the 20th century, but I gotta go...

I think that eventually Apple will invent a new kind of computer that will give companies who use it a total advantage in productivity--therefore forcing them to use it-- and they sure as hell won't license it to Microsoft again. That will turn the tide for our beloved company.

[Stella]

Wow, do you comprehend when you read, or do you wait until after you post.

Read your own link.

Yes.. you absolutely didn't read the article very well, did you, this quote, in particular:

"And with most printers slowly dropping support for the Mac platform altogether..."

Its been confirmed that epson will stop writing printer drivers for Apple. I could find other examples, but they are easy to find.

If apple had a more respectable marketshare, this would not be occuring.

Sun may actually develop Java for the Mac ( they don't, Apple do)
Sun may develop Star Office for the mac ( OpenOffice isn't as good). I personally like SO. The java port is clunky slow.

Phone manufacturers, i.e., Nokia, SE etc may write Apple software for the phone in order to do backups, sync and other utilities etc etc. iSync is good, but not enough.

I would love a Symbian SDK for OSX, but unfortunately there isn't one. If Apple had a greater market share, Symbian may have ported it.

( Yes, there is Virtual PC, but slow. )

[notjustjay]

My idea for an Apple ad:

...30 seconds long, split into 2 distinct portions - dark and light...

...start with a shot of some dingy post-production house, camera pans around an indistinguishable screen...serious voicover "There is a computer company on who's professional hardware and software most of the movie and television industries rely on to create the imagery that amazes us"...cut to shot of DVD-r exiting (slot-loading!) drive...serious voiceover


Think Keifer Sutherland would narrate it? :)

[xsnightclub]

Yes.. you absolutely didn't read the article very well, did you, this quote, in particular:

"And with most printers slowly dropping support for the Mac platform altogether..."

( Yes, there is Virtual PC, but slow. )

Read and quote accurately the source you site. Which by the way was not written by Epson, it was written by a cnet staff writer (who reviews printers for a living, hahahahaha). And in fact your source points out the fact that Epson does support the Mac platform.

I always enjoy reading posts from 'the sky is falling' people, they read an article on the internet, misinterpret it, take it as gospel, and spew the misread nonsense into forums to spread the nonsense.

[fredwick]

Yes.. you absolutely didn't read the article very well, did you, this quote, in particular:

"And with most printers slowly dropping support for the Mac platform altogether..."

Its been confirmed that epson will stop writing printer drivers for Apple. I could find other examples, but they are easy to find.

who cares. epson makes the crappiest drivers ever.

[musiclover137]

Read and quote accurately the source you site. Which by the way was not written by Epson, it was written by a cnet staff writer (who reviews printers for a living, hahahahaha). And in fact your source points out the fact that Epson does support the Mac platform.

I always enjoy reading posts from 'the sky is falling' people, they read an article on the internet, misinterpret it, take it as gospel, and spew the misread nonsense into forums to spread the nonsense.

misunderstood or not, the article does say that other companies are beginning not to support macs. so, i guess that was his point in the first place.

i'm really torn about this. i know it's elitist to think that marketshare shouldn't grow, but what's really wrong with that. we should feel elite for choosing a better os all these years.

can someone give me some reason of how expanding the marketshare would benefit mac users?

similarly, we've seen it hurt us with the recent iPod updates, with their lack of firewire. and the subtle change from "mac + pc" to "pc + mac"

just thinking out loud

[OziMac]

Bring back Jeff Goldblum, please.

I know that many people disliked his involvement in all the Apple ads of the G3 iMac days, but I still think he's a dude and has a fantastic voice for computer advertising (and has become the 'voice' of Apple). :)

[m4r71n1]

This is smart for apple... i really hope they do a good job and make it modern like ipod commercials.. I hate those crap commercials of a guy using a pc. Remember that commercial where the imac followed the guy to wherever he moved.. something like that would be awesome and be attractive.
Apple is the #1 company to advertise.. lets face it.. people like shiny pretty things! (#1 reason why apple rules) (i was gonna buy some ibm laptop but then i was like NO... i so wanna be one of those coffeeshop guys who use WiFi.. and look cool with their glowing apple pc)
Here's hoping for good commercials!

Cheers,
Ini

[840quadra]

Bring back Jeff Goldblum, please.

I know that many people disliked his involvement in all the Apple ads of the G3 iMac days, but I still think he's a dude and has a fantastic voice for computer advertising (and has become the 'voice' of Apple). :)

I agree 100%

I even liked him in Jurassic park! :eek:

[Stella]

who cares. epson makes the crappiest drivers ever.
You miss the point ( xsnightclub )- i'm not saying the sky is falling in, i'm giving an example, just one - Epson is a very popular printer manufacturer.... if they are giving up...

Yes there are the CUP drivers but they aren't going to be as good as the offical ones. Compare Window epson drivers to cups - the Mac ones are not as good.

Once again, Apple needs more market share otherwise more companies will give up on the mac platform like plenty have in the past. I'm sorry you miss the point.

[xsnightclub]

You miss the point ( xsnightclub )- i'm not saying the sky is falling in, i'm giving an example, just one - Epson is a very popular printer manufacturer.... if they are giving up...



You are citing a cnet staff writer from cnet.au

Just read the article outloud, maybe that will help you.

It says that that printer DOES support the Mac, nowhere does it say Epson is not supporting the Mac, 'giving up' in your words.

Again, slowly read it outloud.

[jettredmont]

See, this I've never understood. Trying to build a stable and reliable Windows-based network is like entering the seventh circle of hell. I think M$ spends a lot of time and money convincing people that their way is the only way as part of those certification courses.


It's called financial and career buy-in. Once you've taken an MSCE or the like class, it's hard to admit that things don't need to be that difficult.

I know several network admins who didn't believe me when I told them how easy it would be to put a Mac on their config ... until I came in and did it. Still, they don't trust the things, and swear that one day it will break and it'll be impossible to fix because it doesn't expose the whatchahowsit doomaflitchy when you boot it up. Sigh ... you can lead a horse to water ...

[musiclover137]

You are citing a cnet staff writer from cnet.au

Just read the article outloud, maybe that will help you.

It says that that printer DOES support the Mac, nowhere does it say Epson is not supporting the Mac, 'giving up' in your words.

Again, slowly read it outloud.
once again, it doesn't matter who is giving up. stella is just pointing out that some companies are.
fin

[OziMac]

I agree 100%

I even liked him in Jurassic park! :eek:

Me too. ;)

I actually really like almost all of his Apple ads. He has this really fun, cheeky enthusiasm (eg iMovie 'again and again and again!', 'awe-inspiring' new Powerbooks) that perfectly matches the friendliness of Apple's user interface and industrial design - they just seem to go together so well.

And he's been peddling them for over a decade, if you include the Mac placement in Jurassic Park and his Powerbook in Independence Day. Did they use Apple II's in 'Earth Girls are Easy'? :D

I simply can't believe that, six pages into a thread about new Apple ads, there's been no mention of the big man himself. Your Yao Mings, Mini Mes, Tony Hawks, Richard Dreyfuses, Kevin Costners, Ridley Scotts, Ellen Feisses, and iPod silhouettes etc all come and go, but Jeff has been around for the long haul :)

[xsnightclub]

once again, it doesn't matter who is giving up. stella is just pointing out that some companies are.
fin

It is unsupported blanket statements these that lead people to believe that the Mac platform is dead an unsupported.

So when I factually point out that Stellas statement was wrong, you casually dismiss the fact that she was erroneous in her statement then make an unsupported statement of your own.

Sad, really sad.

Fin

[Stella]

You seem to be over reacting - never in my posts did I say ( or anyone) Mac is dead and unsupported. What I'm saying is "If apple don't increase their market share, companies will drop support". The evidence for companies dropping Apple support or refusing to support due to low market share is everywhere. You don't have to look far!! That article backs up my statement. ( I can't find the article regarding Epson dropping Apple support - it was around the end of last / start of this year - irc ).

musiclover137 is very right and is exactly what I'm trying to say. He / she understands exactly my point.

( btw, I'm not a girl - i name myself after Stella Artios ( look at my sig ;-). Stella is a fine beer that deserves homage! )

The closest I can find for epson not supporting macs is here:
http://www.macintouch.com/printing08.html#apr13

Search for Epson... Epson do not make any drdivers low end printers.... why? Its certinatly not due to capability - low Mac market share, perhaps!?


It is unsupported blanket statements these that lead people to believe that the Mac platform is dead an unsupported.

So when I factually point out that Stellas statement was wrong, you casually dismiss the fact that she was erroneous in her statement then make an unsupported statement of your own.

Sad, really sad.

Fin

[O and A]

its about time.

the mac mini needs more exposure and so does tiger. and these ads need to be agressive they need to go after microsoft in these ads. they need to reintroduce people ot the macintosh and most of all it must impact everyone not just just mac users

[Goliath]

The hacking jollies go to the one that can cause 50% of the US to grind to a hault, not the one who irritated 50 odd Macs. Until Macs are holding a HUGE market share, say 20%+, it will be uncool to hack a Mac.

Bring on a larger market share and lets see them try.
:D

I disagree to a point- the first documented virus was written by US student Fred Cohen as a computer security experiment 22 years ago- kudos to him for being the first! The same WILL be true of the person that manages to write a successful virus for Mac osX

Certain viruses like SoBig and Mellissa etc gain the notoriety BUT wouldn't you prefer to be the first person to write a successful virus for mac osX or just add your name to the 65,000+ list of viruses for Windows??

[mac512pbg4]

"Two words: infomercials.

Back in the day, an infomercial sold me my first Mac (a Performa).

For what they spend on primetime 30 second spots, they could buy mass quantities of cable informercials.
__________________
Respectfully yours,

FriarTuck"


1. good idea Friar, as long as they are better written than the "video professor" stuff

2. one of the reasons Apple hasn't done much computer advertising is a lack of supply (until recently); you can't spend millions on advertising and then have the customer wait 6 months for delivery (remember the iMac G5 debacle); Apple has to solve that supply issue permanently so that #3 can happen

3. Apple will never gain real marketshare without selling to major corporations; the mass purchases of Wintel boxes by big companies (I used to work for a large company that had thousands of unused new computers in empty rooms at remote locations as an emergency backup!); the mathematics of marketshare are skewed against a consumer-only computer company

Apple has to convince some major corporations that their hardware-software combination is more cost-effective than Wintel on a lifetime basis (original cost + maintenance); the real problem is the IBM-centric IT management

the inroads that Apple is making on college campuses again (especially in the science area) and the film/music business are a good sign of things to come; if Apple can convince some major accounting and/or consulting firms to switch to Powerbooks (volume plus visability to their clients), they might begin to gain ground; also, Apple would have to start writing business software like they have with Final Cut etc.; there are also lots of businesses than use Wintel to only running basic Microsoft Office programs, but don't need the "collaboration" bloatware of Office 2003, that could persueded to use Macs as a cost reducing strategy

4. Games!

[billyboy]

i may just be a long-time blind mac follower but, i think if they wanted to advertise better then they would. apple never ceases to amaze me in how clever their products are. i don't think they would let something like tv ads hold them back from being a more popular home computer. i think they must be choosing not to be that big. ...... i trust apple completely and feel like they must know what they are doing; or in this case, not doing

I think you are right to say Apple havent gone big on TV advertising for Macs because they choose to. But it is probably for more practical reasons than you are saying in your Apple worshipping euphoria :)

Advertising is very expensive, and I think it is great that they choose not to throw all their good money after bad at TV stations. Apple sem to have a very focussed marketing mix, and seem to be very good at spreading their name around for free with lots of press coverage about iPods and law suits and Tiger etc etc which r creates further media interest, opinion pieces blah blah blah. ie Apple nudges everyone else to do most of the "advertising" work for them.

And if you then realise how small Apple is, again it makes sense they dont go on TV like Dell, because they couldnt meet the demand of a successful campaign. Or rather they havent in the past when their whole mindset seemed to be consolidation of what Mac user base they had. But you can see they are cute with what part of the marketing mix to take advantage of and when, because they ramped up production four fold? very quickly of their iPod when they saw it was a winner, and they have gone for broke with advertising iPod with a big visiible TV campaign to generate demand which they know they can meet.

So the only way to justify a Mac advertising campaign is if they think they can meet demand generated by a successful promotion. I suspect the first time you will see Apple advertising Macs on TV is a few months after they have realised it would be worth ramping up production of Mac minis or maybe iMacs!

There is no point them going big on TV, selling themselves on the basis of being a supreme QC company, just to see their QC drop through the floor trying to meet a huge sudden rise in demand because they were underprepared. So far Steve Jobs has been moving forward very fast, but very safely within Apple's limitations.

[duklaprague]

No kidding. So few consumers even care anymore about the speed of their computer. Spend 30 minutes with someone in front of iMovie, though, and all you'll hear is "man I wish my computer could do THAT!".

agree with that completely. i switched to a mac 16 months ago - had a look around apple.com, and just thought ilife and osx looked amazing - combine that with the security and stability, and it soon became a no brainer.

pc software like iLife is catching up, but iLife still seems as good as it gets, with the seemless integration between the apps, its sheer ease of use, and quality of, for example, themes in iDVD.

buy a mac, and iLife practically screams at you 'LOOK AT ALL THIS COOL STUFF YOU CAN DO!!'. its just been fantastic.

if more people realised how great and easy iLife is, it would do wonders.

some advertising is needed, as the myths are still out there. took my father-in-law to regent st last w/e and he's about to get himself an iMac - even with a SD having seen just how easy it is to do photo slideshows.

but the old questions are still there : 'but what about word and excel?'

Iain

[G.Kirby]

Apple doesn’t want to piss off Microsoft too much in their new ads. If MS pulls Office for Mac it will be a real kick in the teeth. Love MS Office or hate it, it is the big daddy in the business world even if it does have a mind of its own and gets in the way……and crashes…….a lot. :D

Personally I hate it. :p

[840quadra]

Me too. ;)

I actually really like almost all of his Apple ads. He has this really fun, cheeky enthusiasm (eg iMovie 'again and again and again!', 'awe-inspiring' new Powerbooks) that perfectly matches the friendliness of Apple's user interface and industrial design - they just seem to go together so well.

And he's been peddling them for over a decade, if you include the Mac placement in Jurassic Park and his Powerbook in Independence Day. Did they use Apple II's in 'Earth Girls are Easy'? :D

I simply can't believe that, six pages into a thread about new Apple ads, there's been no mention of the big man himself. Your Yao Mings, Mini Mes, Tony Hawks, Richard Dreyfuses, Kevin Costners, Ridley Scotts, Ellen Feisses, and iPod silhouettes etc all come and go, but Jeff has be
en around for the long haul :)

You hit that one on the head, and I believe he still swears by Apple. I think his voice and attitude are great for the apple name, and whenever i did hear his voice on my TV I thought of Apple..

I have saved the old ads on my computers to watch when the mood hits me, and most of the older ads feature him, or his voice!

[G.Kirby]

Me too. ;)

I actually really like almost all of his Apple ads. He has this really fun, cheeky enthusiasm (eg iMovie 'again and again and again!', 'awe-inspiring' new Powerbooks) that perfectly matches the friendliness of Apple's user interface and industrial design - they just seem to go together so well.

And he's been peddling them for over a decade, if you include the Mac placement in Jurassic Park and his Powerbook in Independence Day. Did they use Apple II's in 'Earth Girls are Easy'? :D

I simply can't believe that, six pages into a thread about new Apple ads, there's been no mention of the big man himself. Your Yao Mings, Mini Mes, Tony Hawks, Richard Dreyfuses, Kevin Costners, Ridley Scotts, Ellen Feisses, and iPod silhouettes etc all come and go, but Jeff has been around for the long haul :)

How about Stephen fry or Eddie Izzard for the UK market? I believe they are both big Mac fans.

[maxterpiece]

I don't know if this has been said, but i think this announcement will do wonders for apple stock -- the big concern among analysts is that, although apple has secured a huge $ market with the ipod, their computer sales are floundering and the "halo effect" hasn't been powerful at all.

I think that the mac mini will also be updated so that it has a new video card that supports coreimage (like the new emacs), and it is possible that they will bump the standard RAM up to 512 mb, although I don't know how likely the latter part of that statement is.

While consumer electronics like the ipod are easy to market as cool because they are sort of lifestyle devices, it seems that computers are still seen as a sort of necessary evil by most people. I mean could you ever imagine a computer ad that was as cool as the ipod ads are? I think apple's real goal with the mac mini was to try to make a computer that could be advertised like the ipod. It's tiny, doesn't have to be on a desk... I think maybe these ads will focus mostly on the mac mini and tiger, trying to portray the mac mini as a lifestyle device and not just another computer.

I think these ads could be quite successful --- mac minis currently start at the same $ that the original ipod started at, and within the next few years they may drop down to the $300-$400 range which seems to have been the sweetspot for the ipod becoming truly mainstream.

[centauratlas]

...I'm just amused by the people who were shocked at a 500Mhz difference between the supposed Jobs promise and the end result last year. And it continues to this day even though the difference is 300Mhz. ...

There are several points:
1. Going from 2.5Ghz to 2.7Ghz in a YEAR sounds like Motorola. While I'll take any update I can (running processor intensive apps for a while and every little bit of speed helps), that is pretty pathetic, at least to those of us outside the RDF. Think about it this way, 3Ghz last summer would mean, probably 3.5+ this summer. People didn't expect him to say "we'll be at 3ghz in a year, then stop improving it." So, 300mhz now (nearly a year after the 3Ghz date in his statement) is a bit disingenuous.

2. People often take processor speed as indicative of *system* speed. I'd prefer a current G5 system over a faster G5 processor in a G4 system of course. But why do you think VA Tech announced they were going from 2.0Ghz to 2.3, because even 300Ghz makes a difference.

3. "Supposed"??!?!?! He said it, out-loud, in front of tens of thousands of people. Who is in the reality distortion field??!?!? ;-) People who dismiss something that was *said* or try to spin it some other way. I know people make errors, but the point was that he said it and he didn't just pull it out of his hat - he must have been depending upon what IBM was telling him. And IBM was way over-promising which sounds like Motorola.

You don't want to over-promise. Under promise and over deliver.
:-)
:)

[d.perel]

How about a video iPod that you can play your own movies on?

Steve always bitches about content, but how many millions of people have home movies?
OR just wait for some day, when apple will include TV Tuners with their computers....or buy an AlchemyTV PCI card and record tv like in Windows Media Center today instead of waiting until decmember or longer. vPod, I would buy you, if you came out anytime within the next century

[fox2005]

I disagree to a point- the first documented virus was written by US student Fred Cohen as a computer security experiment 22 years ago- kudos to him for being the first! The same WILL be true of the person that manages to write a successful virus for Mac osX

Certain viruses like SoBig and Mellissa etc gain the notoriety BUT wouldn't you prefer to be the first person to write a successful virus for mac osX or just add your name to the 65,000+ list of viruses for Windows??

if this was the case there will already be plenty of viruses for OS X... or at least one... obviously that is not the case because it doesn't take 4 yrs to make one...

[OziMac]

How about Stephen fry or Eddie Izzard for the UK market? I believe they are both big Mac fans.

Well, there are more than just two markets you know ;)

I love both of them and would reckon they'd do well for ALL markets too (well, English-speaking ones, anyway). So would Thom Yorke :p.

I liked Fry's recent v.o. for the Hitchhiker's trailer (haven't seen the movie yet) - very cheeky.

But there's something too right about Goldblum :)

[musiclover137]

Well, there are more than just two markets you know ;)

I love both of them and would reckon they'd do well for ALL markets too (well, English-speaking ones, anyway). So would Thom Yorke :p.

I liked Fry's recent v.o. for the Hitchhiker's trailer (haven't seen the movie yet) - very cheeky.

But there's something too right about Goldblum :)

along the same lines, i think ads that tell people that practically every album they listen to is made on a mac, and movies etc..

[G.Kirby]

along the same lines, i think ads that tell people that practically every album they listen to is made on a mac, and movies etc..


don't forget newspapers, magazines, packaging.....basically almost everything that goes to print touches a Mac at some point.

[BenRoethig]

Apple needs a graduated ad campaign. The first step would be to advertise the Mac Mini as a companion to the iPod. The second step would be to advertise the iBook and iMac. Third step would be about Tiger. All about home practicality and no elitist stuff that the windows crowd could use as ammunition.

[javiercr]

About time. The iPod commercials are more visually stimulating rather than informative, so it'd be nice to see Apple merge nice graphics with a lot of information for a Mac ad. I've seen a lot of print ads that were pretty informative, but not really so much on TV.

Fishes,
narco.

They are selling 'coolness' not information, inforamtion is boring for most 'cool' people and the attention span of the average human being is at an all time low these days.

J

[7on]

The hacking jollies go to the one that can cause 50% of the US to grind to a hault, not the one who irritated 50 odd Macs. Until Macs are holding a HUGE market share, say 20%+, it will be uncool to hack a Mac.

Bring on a larger market share and lets see them try.
:D


I'd like to point out that the classic Mac OS (8, 9) had around 26 viruses and also a significantly lower market share than what OSX has now. Don't try and tell me OS8, 9 were more popular than OSX.

[w_parietti22]

Apple needs to get an ad on television ... not just any network and not just any time slot. What they really need to do is pay for a slot in primetime during a major show ... something like NBC during the Apprentice or ER.

Until Apple makes a serious pitch on television, people won't switch. I'd really like to see the marketing department at Apple begin a serious advertising campaign on Television.

Probably not the Apprentice... I always see them using HPs on the show. It be nice if we could get The Donald to use a Mac on TV!

[BenRoethig]

Nooooo...

I don't want Macs to have a larger market share. I like having no malware directed at me, I hate the idea of having to worry about viruses, trojans spyware ad nauseum. Leave it for the windows posse.
However, I do want a tablet Mac. :)

Yes, Windows' security problems have everything to do with marketshare and nothing to do with its security features being like a rusty gate. The Mac would have the same problems despite having not having activeX controls or executable files that install without your consent and security like Fort Knox. Only a handful of viruses exist on the platform because there are few holes to exploit. Microsoft makes it all too easy.

[macmax77]

i would love to see the Bud guys making an Apple add, hehehehehehhehehehehheheheheehhehehehehehehehe :D :o

[VicMacs]

pretty simple commercial..

zoomed 20inch imac screen (focus on tiger)

Mouse pointer opening and moving some windows around, gettin exposé exposed, maybe throw dashboard in there, so far half the people dont understand what it is.. maybe a movie or something futuristic theyre thinking, then up comes itunes which is something EVERY PC USER uses or knows and recognizes... pointer chooses some songs and throws it in the ipod shuffle

Zoom out focus on iMac *beautiful* all wireless...

then a yell : "Bryyyyyyyyyyyannnnn!!! hurry up we gotta go!!!"

Bryan: "coming Mom!"

Zoom way out focus on kid taking the shuffle, on the huge imac screen, the beauty of an imac desktop, maybe throw a cool screensaver...

by then people are like :eek: "thats a mac?"

do the same commercial for a teen, a woman, a bussiness man, a grandpa, a dog for all i care... EDIT (mix and match apps for each, make sure to get OFFICE in the picture so that people finally understand that it exists on the mac, i use pages thanks :D

just put the Apple Experience out there...

People will come

Edit: play the Dave Matthews Band song : American Baby (beautiful baby!)

[macmax77]

. just put the Apple Experience out there...

People will come[/QUOTE]

TRUE!!!

Then get the BUD dudes to make us laugh and want to watch the adds again and again, hehhehe
:D

[7on]

Bring back Jeff Goldblum, please.

I know that many people disliked his involvement in all the Apple ads of the G3 iMac days, but I still think he's a dude and has a fantastic voice for computer advertising (and has become the 'voice' of Apple). :)


He did do the G5 "blow out" voice over.

[macnews]

Apple does have some new print ads out. They are not part of a series, but I have noticed an increased effort in their print advertising.

[BenRoethig]

just put the Apple Experience out there...

People will come

Not unless Apple starts putting computers out there that meet their needs instead of the needs of Steve Jobs. The Mini was a good start, but there is still a hole between the Mini and the PMG5 which the iMac doesn't (entirely) meet.

[jettredmont]

don't forget newspapers, magazines, packaging.....basically almost everything that goes to print touches a Mac at some point.

Extension of idea:

Apple logo, fade in directly below "Made on a Mac:", fade out.

Show clips from Lord of the Rings, The Incredibles, music videos, cover shots of magazines, stack of newspapers, etc. Interspersed with video stream of professional productions throw in short views of home movies, school report with "A+" circled in red, rotating model of genome, four people in iChat AV laughing, the iPod, etc.

At the same time, scroll up list of these products, like one of those old music album ads, where the one playing in the background is highlighted, including items like "Jane Fardo's third grade Science Report" and "Mary Jane's Summer Vacation DVD" alongside "Lord or the Rings Trilogy" and "The New York Times".

Fade out.

Apple logo, fade in "Your life. Made on a Mac." Fade out.


'Course, it would cost a fortune in royalties, but it should be fairly easy to show the breadth of the impact of the Mac on everyone's lives, even though they don't know it.


Now, do you see why they don't pay me to script ads? :)

[jettredmont]

Probably not the Apprentice... I always see them using HPs on the show. It be nice if we could get The Donald to use a Mac on TV!

Yeah, last season (I think) one of the "companies" decided to give an iPod away for some promotion, and said "HP iPod" and "iPod by HP" at least a dozen times, and showed on screen "HP iPod" with small print "by Apple" just once ... my wife looked rather perplexed and asked why they're not giving away an Apple iPod instead. I believe that company lost, and one thing my wife reiterated was that they should have given away an Apple iPod 'cause then people would have wanted it.

HP obviously donates cash to the show. It's the only explanation. I refuse to believe that any up-and-coming "exec" with two brain cells would think "iPod" and then immediately and almost unremittingly relate that to "HP".

[OziMac]

He did do the G5 "blow out" voice over.

Thanks, I am aware of this :)

The last thing I can find that he did was some iPod radio advertisements - I can't remember exactly, but I think it was for the 15GB / 20GB / 40GB line up in September (?) 2003 when they introduced the 'silhouettes'.

Ever since then though, Apple has not really released any other 'advertisements' other than those bloody silhouettes (not including the iMac G5 introduction video, but that wasn't really an ad). We didn't even get Omar to do a Tiger introduction video with a bunch of agreeable quasi-celebrities at the Apple Store at the Grove! ;)

[JzzTrump22]

This is great, I can't wait to see the adds.

[brianbobcat]

OK, so i'm sitting in my rom watching SNL when a song come up, kinda a strange one. I really paid no attention till I looke dup to see silhouettes on rollerskates! NO JOKE! it's 11:00 right now, so other markets should probably be getting it today. Nothing yet on apple's site, still only the shuffle ad, but it is late and on a saturday night. It still had the iPod + iTunes and a plain apple logo.

The song is Feel Good by Gorillaz

Main point-skating silhouettes.

-Brian

[brianbobcat]

I've captured the ad and have put it on my .Mac homepage.

Here it is:

http://homepage.mac.com/brianbobcat1/iMovieTheater12.html

-Brian

[Wonder Boy]

i saw it too. i was totally caught off guard. i saw the silhouettes out of the corner of my eye and immediately knew what was being advertised. good on apple for advertising the shuffle, now we just need some imac and mac mini ads.