New iPod Ad in Production?

[MacRumors]

According to an unconfirmed source, Apple is working on a new iPod commercial presently, directed by Spike Jonze.

The new commercial reportedly features characters jumping from one musical to another.

It's unknown if the commercial features a new/revised iPod or simply the current iPod models.

[0 and A ai]

Spike Jonze is the man.

[ingenious]

According to an unconfirmed source, Apple is working on a new iPod commercial presently, directed by Spike Jonze.

The new commercial reportedly features characters jumping from one musical to another.

It's unknown if the commercial features a new/revised iPod or simply the current iPod models.

I wonder if it will still feature the sillhouettes?

[MarksEvilTwin]

Removed

[appleface]

60 gigs in my pocket.

[Fuchal]

How about advertising the other products sometime. :P

[pyrotoaster]

How about advertising the other products sometime. :P
I know what you mean, but I'm sure a redesigned G5 iMac would definitely warrant some serious new ads.

Meanwhile, this ad certainly sounds interesting. Depending on what this "jumping" is, it could be demonstrating a new feature. The timing would be right for a 4th Gen iPod launch... ;)

[theSingleCell]

I was thinking Nathaniel Hornblower as director,

ch-ch-ch-check it out

heh,

Ok I am unemployed and bored


sorry :o

[puckhead193]

Good because the one with the guy in the city really suxs. That would not make me buy and ipod. ANd while were on commercials, the BMW one suxs to. Apple needs a new advertising company.....

[thediesel]

The next generation of ipods are not going to arrive until October when Tiger is released. That is because of the ipod at home (whatever it's called) feature where you can put your user folder on the pod and log into any mac that it's plugged into. Releasing the products together will cause demand for both to go up; it would not make too much sense to release higher capacity ipods without new uses for the space and it would not be logical to release such a space eating feature without ipods that would have the room.

Of course I could be wrong if the ipods have the video functions that would make use of this space as well. But I still think they will be released in the fall.

Lets hope for high battery life, tv out, and OLED or any other color displays!

[pyrotoaster]

Good because the one with the guy in the city really suxs. That would not make me buy and ipod. ANd while were on commercials, the BMW one suxs to. Apple needs a new advertising company.....
First, I don't think the BMW ad is Apple's. It looks like something done by BMW (although I'm not entirely sure about that).
The one with the guy in the city is fine, but I think it shows that the shilouette campaign is winding down.

Apple leave Chait/Day? That won't happen and it shouldn't happen. Chiat has done amazing campaigns for Apple (like the "Switcher" one). We also know that Steve keeps himself heavily involved in the ideas coming from Chiat (which is actually unusual for a major company).

[TednDi]

it would integrate well with the BMW. And out of town dwellers can find where they are and navigate to the nearest apple store! :D

[nagromme]

iPod-at-home is a software feature and could be enabled by a later iPod download when Tiger ships, without making the hardware wait until then.

[Mac|caM]

ANd while were on commercials, the BMW one suxs to. Apple needs a new advertising company.....

People don't realize that Apple doesn't necessarily make the ads when they partner with other companies. People were complaining about the Pepsi ad, too. BMW made this ad, Pepsi made the other one. Chiat/Day has done amazing things (1984 ad--->widely regarded as best ad of all time; 'Switcher'--->was very popular; 'iPod Silhouettes'--->just won a big ad award), and Apple would be crazy to drop them.

[Wonder Boy]

I know what you mean, but I'm sure a redesigned G5 iMac would definitely warrant some serious new ads.

Meanwhile, this ad certainly sounds interesting. Depending on what this "jumping" is, it could be demonstrating a new feature. The timing would be right for a 4th Gen iPod launch... ;)

what ever the new computer/ad is, it had to be better than the g5's add last year. that thing sucked

[stingerman]

Their computer ads have always sucked since after 84. They need an East coast ad firm, a real one. Switchers failed miserably to accomplish its job and was so gronola it only re-enforced the wrong idea about the Mac. Hw about showing off solutions like iChat, Expose, Junk filter, Safari, iMovie, iPhoto, iDVD, Sherlock, bluetooth phone integration. Each in a serious of ADs as innovative and catchy as the iPod ads, instead of the nondescript cute garbage they keep shoveling out.

[Windowlicker]

what ever the new computer/ad is, it had to be better than the g5's add last year. that thing sucked

indeed. i couldn't believe it was actually an apple ad :P

instead, that "burn baby burn" G3 ad from the PII days (we're sorry for toasting PII...) is pretty funny :)

[ministerd]

I hope new ipods are coming

time to drop the 20g to $299
and 40g to $399

and drop the 15 gig all together

looks like minis are selling so hot.. won't see a price drop on those till after the new year..

-mini

[nsb3000]

Spike Jonze is the man.

Has he worked on previous iPod commercials? The name is not familiar to me..

[nsb3000]

Their computer ads have always sucked since after 84. They need an East coast ad firm, a real one. Switchers failed miserably to accomplish its job and was so gronola it only re-enforced the wrong idea about the Mac. Hw about showing off solutions like iChat, Expose, Junk filter, Safari, iMovie, iPhoto, iDVD, Sherlock, bluetooth phone integration. Each in a serious of ADs as innovative and catchy as the iPod ads, instead of the nondescript cute garbage they keep shoveling out.

It is a good point. OS X, rather thnt Mac hardware, is the true advantage of using a Mac, and it has never really been featured in their Ads. Perhaps they should do something along the lines of "imagine an operating system that is as easy to use and as elegant as your iPod and iTunes..."

[Savage Henry]

Perhaps they should do something along the lines of "imagine an operating system that is as easy to use and as elegant as your iPod and iTunes..."


Because a while back Jobs said that he wasn't going to use the iPod as a way to get people to switch to the format.

[Can't find the link, but its around somewhere]

Keep them separate... allow consumers to make the connection... the intelligent ones will come.

;)

[AT71]

The iPodYourBMW commercial is by Fallon, the agency responsible for the BMW - The Hire series.

The Pepsi-iTunes commercial is by BBDO.

Both commercials were considered average by creative standards.

The iPod silhouette ads are by TBWA\Chiat\Day. The commercials are touted to win the Grand Prix at Cannes Lions Film category this weekend. We shall see.

[nsb3000]

what ever the new computer/ad is, it had to be better than the g5's add last year. that thing sucked

We can all agree that the G5 ad sucked a big one. But Apple does not just need better ads, they need more of them, showing on a much larger quantity of spots. With the exception of the ipod ads, I feel that no Apple ad has ever had deep enough penetration that I have ever seen it more than, like once, on TV, just by chance. Apple has a lot of Cash...a small investment in advertising the Mac line would surely pay big dividends..

[hokka]

Has he worked on previous iPod commercials? The name is not familiar to me..

You don't know who Spike Jonze is? He's very famous, especially for his music videos for acts such as:

California - WAX
Sure Shot - BEASTIE BOYS
Drop - THE PHARCYDE
Cannonball - THE BREEDERS
Sabotage - BEASTIE BOYS
Da Funk - DAFT PUNK
What’s Up Fatlip? - FATLIP
Undone (The Sweater Song) - WEEZER
Praise You - FATBOY SLIM
Feel The Pain - DINOSAUR JR.
If I Only Had A Brain - MC 900FT JESUS
Sky’s The Limit - THE NOTORIOUS B.I.G.
Weapon Of Choice - FATBOY SLIM
Buddy Holly - WEEZER
Elektrobank - THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS
It’s Oh So Quiet - BJORK

and he's the man behind "Adaptation" & "Being John Malkovich".

You should watch this DVD: http://www.directorslabel.com/spike_jonze.html

Apple should get the other 2 direcctor gods - Michel Gondry & Chris Cunningham to do an ad each as well... that'd really rock!

[Postal]

Apple should get the other 2 direcctor gods - Michel Gondry & Chris Cunningham to do an ad each as well... that'd really rock!

I don't know if you'd want Chris Cunningham making an Apple ad. He'd either scare everyone or try to find a way to include lesbian robots (or both!).

[SiliconAddict]

60 gigs in my pocket.


I'd definitely call that a pocket rocket. [Badly done Austin Power impersonation] Yah baby yah!!

[Trowaman]

According to an unconfirmed source, Apple is working on a new iPod commercial presently, directed by Spike Jonze.

The new commercial reportedly features characters jumping from one musical to another.

It's unknown if the commercial features a new/revised iPod or simply the current iPod models.

MUSICALS!!!! WHOOP-EE!!!!

Wish List for the Ad:
Moulin Rouge (PLEASE!!!!! This was a great film in my opinion)
Singing In the Rain (Everyone knows this tune)
8 Mile (just for variety's sake)
Saturday Night Fever (John Travolta with an iPod, what's cooler?)
Wizard of Oz (Dorthy now has a Ruby Red iPod mini)
and For kicks let's go for
The Muppet Movie: Rainbow Connection (A CLASSIC!!!)
The Producers: Springtime For Hitler (Funny, but Risky)

and yeah, i got the list of AFIs top 100 songs from the movies infront of me.

[ClimbingTheLog]

Ok, just speculating on what this kind of ad concept could represent if indeed it is advertising new iPods, not just being a new campaign...could this represent the next gen ipod having built in 802.11.g for streaming to airport express? Have your ipod on your belt, walk into a party with an airport express, start streaming your playlist without wires or a computer?

I think you're almost right; it sounds like the WiFiPod can tune in to the Airport Express. Which probably means it can also broadcast and tune in to ad-hoc networks (your buddy's iPod) as well.

If you walked down the street and everybody had an AirportExpress you'd hear something like jumping from Musical to Musical.

I wonder if it'll be like the Janet Jackson Diet Coke commercials where they edit in the dude with the dreads dancing with Maria from West Side Story or whatever. Nah, too corny.

[Nermal]

8 Mile (just for variety's sake)

By the same logic, the South Park movie should be included too :eek:

[Wonder Boy]

We can all agree that the G5 ad sucked a big one. But Apple does not just need better ads, they need [i] more[/i.

here, here.

[Damien]

I think the jumping will single a airtunes type feature with wireless broadcasting the playlist to a stereo or something. This should mean a G4 Ipod!

[iLilana]

i wish for a gazillion jillion dollars!

...Or a rich mac loving generous husband who could buy me each new top end apple product of my choosing every time they release new product for me and my kids. As well as keep my looking pretty til i'm 145 years old (while still claiming 29). He also must be a man who likes Dance Dance revolution and punk rock.

[Stella]

iPod-at-home is a software feature and could be enabled by a later iPod download when Tiger ships, without making the hardware wait until then.

There is no reason why current G1, G2 and G3 ipods can't utilitize iPod at Home feature... if Apple only allow G4 iPods to do then.. bloody scammers!!

Wireless iPod at Home, would be most excellent!

[iLilana]

MUSICALS!!!! WHOOP-EE!!!!

Wish List for the Ad:
Moulin Rouge (PLEASE!!!!! This was a great film in my opinion)
Singing In the Rain (Everyone knows this tune)
8 Mile (just for variety's sake)
Saturday Night Fever (John Travolta with an iPod, what's cooler?)
Wizard of Oz (Dorthy now has a Ruby Red iPod mini)
and For kicks let's go for
The Muppet Movie: Rainbow Connection (A CLASSIC!!!)
The Producers: Springtime For Hitler (Funny, but Risky)

and yeah, i got the list of AFIs top 100 songs from the movies infront of me.

i watched that afi special the other day

moulin Rouge was pure crap. #1 worst movie ever. ruining music of all types. the worst part was when everyone broke out in "smells like teen spirit". seeing iPods in that environment would convince me to drop apple for pc's and linux.

[thediesel]

There is no reason why current G1, G2 and G3 ipods can't utilitize iPod at Home feature... if Apple only allow G4 iPods to do then.. bloody scammers!!

Wireless iPod at Home, would be most excellent!

Of course iPod at home will work on all iPods, but I bet they will use it as a big selling point for the next generation because of all the enormous capacity. Only some have a music library to fill fifty or sixty gigs, not too many people really pass twenty. So it would make sense for the new pods to come out around the same time as the iPod at home software to justify people's purchases of the fourth generation ipods. I doubt apple would release such a big feature as an update when they have a new OS that they can implement it into coming out in a few months. They'll use it as a selling point.

But the only thing I really care about is that the battery life gets significantly larger.

[Trowaman]

i watched that afi special the other day

moulin Rouge was pure crap. #1 worst movie ever. ruining music of all types. the worst part was when everyone broke out in "smells like teen spirit". seeing iPods in that environment would convince me to drop apple for pc's and linux.

I have the soundtrack and the Smells Like team Spirit isn't on it. Nor do I remember it in the movie. Oh well, I still think it was a great film, but you are more than welcome to your opinion.

I guess we all agreed Rainbow Connection would be fun to see. I mean, really? Who hates Kermit the Frog?

[makkystyle]

...and he's the man behind "Adaptation" & "Being John Malkovich".

You should watch this DVD: http://www.directorslabel.com/spike_jonze.html

Apple should get the other 2 direcctor gods - Michel Gondry & Chris Cunningham to do an ad each as well... that'd really rock!

AND... Don't forget his role as "PFC Conrad Vig" in THREE KINGS, creator of "Jackass" and former husband of Sofia Coppola. Also, heir to the Speigel catalogue fortune.

ALSO... I think I would give a kidney to see a Chris Cunningham Apple ad.

[makkystyle]

I have the soundtrack and the Smells Like team Spirit isn't on it. Nor do I remember it in the movie. Oh well, I still think it was a great film, but you are more than welcome to your opinion.

"Smells Like Teen Spirit" was in the movie during the first big musical number in the Moulin Rouge nightclub. I agree that it was a really good movie, but there was a little too much of those After Effects-type camera moves.

[minirail]

This may sound stupid, but what do we call the iPod minis in terms of genealogy? I know what to call the first 3 revisions of the iPod, but what do you call the iPod mini? 3.5 generation iPod? It is the 4th kind of the iPod, but it seems too different to be classified with the shiny white iPods.
Well, at least I'm glad Apple FINALLY intergrated iPod minis with the Mini Cooper, (Click on link below, becuase I couldn't find it on Apple's site) that Volkswagen "Pods Unite" thing was SO dumb. By the way, who did that ad? Where the song is like "Reach for the Sun." Yeah okay.
CLICKY! (http://www.globemegawheels.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20040624/WHBRIEFS24-1/cars/)

[AT71]

Apple and TBWA\Chiat\Day failed to clinch the Cannes Lions Grand Prix for Film as predicted by AdAge (http://www.adage.com/news.cms?newsId=40839). The "Dance" TVC was awarded with a Bronze.

[mixylplik3]

Hw about showing off solutions like... bluetooth phone integration.

They need to support new phones if they want to promote *that*.
/me stares at my useless Motorola v600.

[sockeatingdryer]

I watched the keynote and checked out the preview, but what's this iPod-at-Home feature? I guess reading these threads for 2 hours doesn't cut it... ;) J/K

[virus1]

We can all agree that the G5 ad sucked a big one. But Apple does not just need better ads, they need more of them, showing on a much larger quantity of spots. With the exception of the ipod ads, I feel that no Apple ad has ever had deep enough penetration that I have ever seen it more than, like once, on TV, just by chance. Apple has a lot of Cash...a small investment in advertising the Mac line would surely pay big dividends..no offense, but you are not apples marketing team. they have professionals who know what they are doing much more than you do.

[hotwire132002]

The new ad's out!

See this thread (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=917426#post917426)

;) Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[MacFan25]

The new ad's out!

See this thread (http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=917426#post917426)
Not bad, but I thought at first that you really meant there was a new ad...until I saw your emoticon. ;)

I'm surprised that Apple hasn't advertised more for the 100 million songs...but I suppose that there just isn't enough time to do so between the 95 million and 100 million mark.

[BornAgainMac]

How come you never see a Mac ad that shows that a Mac will do? I would like to see a iLife or Office 2004 in a 60 second commerical. Or show a "Life at the office' with one person using a Mac and another person using Windows.
That commerical would be very funny. Or show someone hooking up a brand new camera and having to deal with drivers with Windows vs someone with a Mac. And this would be during Christmas or someone's birthday.

I agree that the G5 ad sucked. It reminded me of something Commodore would do with the Commodore Amiga. It seemed like an 80's ad.

[MacQuest]

Good because the one with the guy in the city really suxs. That would not make me buy and ipod. ANd while were on commercials, the BMW one suxs to. Apple needs a new advertising company.....

:rolleyes:

Yeah.
Apple's advertising company sux.
They NEVER get recognized for effective and ground breaking advertising.
If only Apple could have marketed the iPod better it might not have been such a failure.

:rolleyes:

[Dom]

How about advertising the other products sometime. :P

Why bother when you can't seem to buy any of them?

In fact why bother advertising the iPod? I remember how long it took for mine to arrive. So long, in fact, that a week after I received my shiny new 30 gig iPod, they upgraded the top-of-the-range iPod to 40 gigs.

B*****ds

[bwawn]

Why bother when you can't seem to buy any of them?

In fact why bother advertising the iPod? I remember how long it took for mine to arrive. So long, in fact, that a week after I received my shiny new 30 gig iPod, they upgraded the top-of-the-range iPod to 40 gigs.

B*****ds

If it truly was a week, that's a situation where you should be able to call them up and tell them what happened... at least, if you ordered the iPod from Apple. I'm pretty sure they would either get you $100 back or upgrade you to a 40 gig. It's too late now, but that goes for any future product.

By the way, to everyone else in this thread: having characters jumping from one musical to the next most likely means nothing. No wireless music streaming, none of that. It's just Spike Jonze being creative.

[yamabushi]

no offense, but you are not apples marketing team. they have professionals who know what they are doing much more than you do.

Apple's marketing team sucks. If they were any good they would have been able to increase Mac sales. They failed. I think that they are probably too fixated on their current way of advertising, public relations, pricing, and design. I agree with the above posters that Apple should look to outside marketing firms for a fresh approach.

[Dom]

Apple's marketing team sucks. If they were any good they would have been able to increase Mac sales. They failed. I think that they are probably too fixated on their current way of advertising, public relations, pricing, and design. I agree with the above posters that Apple should look to outside marketing firms for a fresh approach.

As an advertising copywriter I think you're being a little harsh on Chiat Day.

Macintosh is a great product if you're used to using Apple machines or have been brave enough to switch.

Light PC users (which probably constitute a very large majority of PC users) are happy to continue using what they know and are familiar with, and what costs them the least.

Most PC users don't give a damn what machine they have or what's inside it as long as it sends and receives email, maybe downloads a few tunes, lets them play solitaire, and allows them to write a neat letter to the bank when they've gone overdrawn.

That's one hell of a lot of inertia for a few 30/60 second TV commercials to tackle.

What Apple have done brilliantly, is to try and shift the balance by making Apple a lifestyle/style choice. Macs are good-looking lifestyle products that people would rather have in their living rooms rather than the cheap and nasty beige, black or scruffy white boxes PCs usually come in. The advertising and PR plays the same game and it works. I've heard more PC users wow at Macs over the last 4 or 5 years than I've ever heard before.

In fact, before the iMac, I was one of the only people I knew (outside design and advertising) who had any idea what a Mac was.

[yamabushi]

A large increase in sales is proof of effective advertising. Other effects can be helpful if they lead to future sales. However there appear to be at least as many people who are put off by the lifestyle based ads as are drawn to it. Therefore they don't seem to be helping sales in the long run either.

I am not overly fond of Dell but their advertising works. They seem to focus on the ease of purchasing and owning their computers - regardless of whether or not this is actually true. Since they use primarily the same marketing channels as Apple and most customers don't know or don't care about the technological differences Dell appears to have the winning advertising strategy.

They also often use a very low price model as a draw for further contact that externally appears just as good as more expensive models from their competitors. Most customers who visit their site, look in a catalog, or ask a phone representative will quickly find out that this is a bare minimum model that may not meet their needs and will purchase a more expensive model. This is good for Dell since they make very little profit on this budget model, but that isn't its purpose anyways. It only has to draw in potential customers to take a closer look at their products. I have never even seen any advertising at all for Apple's entry level eMac. The iMac's average price has inflated as sales have declined. Apple admitted that the primary reason for the failure of the Cube was pricing. Obviously there is a problem with the pricing strategy at Apple as well.

[Dom]

A large increase in sales is proof of effective advertising. Other effects can be helpful if they lead to future sales. However there appear to be at least as many people who are put off by the lifestyle based ads as are drawn to it. Therefore they don't seem to be helping sales in the long run either.

You can't be all things to all men. The same applies to product, brand, design and advertising.

So what you have to do is decide what you want to be, and who you want to be that to. ie; what are your brand values and what is your target market.

Yes, Dell and Dell's advertising might shift boatloads of PCs to boatloads of people. But do Dell's customers love their machines? I doubt it. Do they have any brand loyalty? I doubt it. Would they be excited about showing a friend their new Dell computer? No, probably not.

I know Apple is as intrested in profit as Dell is. But the difference is that Dell doesn't even attempt to disguise the fact (you know, with things like innovation, design, quality, corporate and product image...) Dell is a unit shifter and every time you see one of their computers or one of their ads, you're left in no doubt about it.

Is that what you want Apple to be? Because if it isn't, then their advertising can't be that either. Or would you rather Apple continue to earn their profits by genuinely thinking about their products and giving us something that equals more than the sum of its parts? If you do, then you have to understand that their advertising will reflect that.

And by the way, Apple has seen a bloody huge increase in sales. But no, sales are not the only guide to effective advertising. Apple is back in the minds of the general public in a way they haven't been since the Apple II. This is all down to product design, some bloody good PR and of course, advertising.

Apple may have never left our consciousness, but we are a very, very small minority. But thanks to their design, PR and advertising over the last few years, Apple is a mainstream brand again. And as long as they keep a presence in the mind of the consumer, their sales will continue to grow. And the more their sales grow, the more they will be perceived as a mainstream brand. And the more their sales will grow...

Get it yet?

[shadowself]

You can't be all things to all men. The same applies to product, brand, design and advertising.
I will agree on this one point. Apple cannot be all things to all people. However, Apple is not even attempting to reach the majority of the population with the Mac. That is virtually a crime.

So what you have to do is decide what you want to be, and who you want to be that to. ie; what are your brand values and what is your target market.
I want Apple to be back to the 19+% sales market share it enjoyed back in 1989/1990. I want the quality we had back then (or better). I want the MacOS to have the technology lead it had back then.

Yes, Dell and Dell's advertising might shift boatloads of PCs to boatloads of people. But do Dell's customers love their machines? I doubt it. Do they have any brand loyalty? I doubt it. Would they be excited about showing a friend their new Dell computer? No, probably not.
Dell is a poor example. Their whole purpose is to ship units regardless of anything else. They only want to increase unit sales. As the CTO of an aerospace firm (and IT reports to me) I have a standing rule: If you buy any Dell equipment with company funds it is grounds for immediate termination, for cause. Period. Buy Apple; buy HP; buy IBM; buy anything but Dell. Buy a Dell and you're fired.

Because of Dell's advertising this is most definitely NOT the position of the other aerospace CTOs I know, nor is it the impression 90% of people have of Dell. Dell is often ranked as people having a very high regard for its customer service and quality of product. Virtually every person (and this is more than a couple dozen) I know who personally has had a Dell box has disliked both their customer service and overall quality. So how can the general population have such a high opinion of them while the so many Dell users have such a low opinion of them? Effective marketing and advertising.

Apple has a much better product in Macintosh. Why is Apple doing so poorly in unit shipments and market share? Ineffective marketing and advertising.

I know Apple is as intrested in profit as Dell is. But the difference is that Dell doesn't even attempt to disguise the fact (you know, with things like innovation, design, quality, corporate and product image...) Dell is a unit shifter and every time you see one of their computers or one of their ads, you're left in no doubt about it.
Actually, most of the ads i have seen for Dell recently push their quality and service much more than their cheap boxes. I have even fairly recently seen an ad a few times stressing all the R&D and innovation Dell puts into their products. These ads have been running on CNN and Fox News. Lately it seems like I see at least one Dell ad every time I turn either of these two channels on. Maybe they are running their cheap box ads on other channels, but even when I watch the other channels I have not seen any Dell ads which don't mention quality or service or some other aspect other than just cheap boxes.

How many Apple Mac ads have I ever seen on either of those two channels (CNN and Fox News)? Never. Not a single one.

Is that what you want Apple to be? Because if it isn't, then their advertising can't be that either. Or would you rather Apple continue to earn their profits by genuinely thinking about their products and giving us something that equals more than the sum of its parts? If you do, then you have to understand that their advertising will reflect that.
I have already stated what I want Apple to be. Their advertising won't support getting there. Their advertising with regard to Macs is just inadequate. Period.

Their advertising does NOT stress that they are "giving us something that equals more than the sum of its parts". While I would expect Apple's advertising to do more than just that, doing only this would be much better than they are doing now.

And by the way, Apple has seen a bloody huge increase in sales. But no, sales are not the only guide to effective advertising. Apple is back in the minds of the general public in a way they haven't been since the Apple II. This is all down to product design, some bloody good PR and of course, advertising.
Give numbers for this "bloody huge increase in sales". I have looked at the unit shipment numbers and they have either been relatively flat or falling for the past couple years. The market share has fallen too.

Yes, sales is the "bottom line" of effective marketing and advertising. There are other nuances too (ranging from the nebulous "mind share" to the more obvious customer contacts), but the bottom line is either to increase unit shipments or increase profits on the same number of shipments or both.

Apple is "back in the minds of the general public in a way they haven't been since the Apple II" only with regard to the iPod and iTunes and iTunes Music Store. Also 99% of this increase in "mind share" is due to news articles and the fact that virtually all of the competitors compare themselves to these three things. That's free advertising. Everytime a competitor comes out with an "iPod killer" people recognize that the iPod is the standard everyone compares themselve to.

Where is that comparison with regard to the Macintosh? When was the last time you saw, or even heard of a computer maker claiming their machine was as good as, or better than, a Macintosh? The last time I heard of that was over 11 years ago. Even though the Mac and MacOS might be the gold standard in many areas of computing no one -- and I do mean no one -- outside of the Mac faithful treat it as such.

Apple may have never left our consciousness, but we are a very, very small minority. But thanks to their design, PR and advertising over the last few years, Apple is a mainstream brand again. And as long as they keep a presence in the mind of the consumer, their sales will continue to grow. And the more their sales grow, the more they will be perceived as a mainstream brand. And the more their sales will grow...
I have to disagree with this one in the extreme. Apple is no more a "mainstream brand again" than it was three years ago when it comes to the Mac. For the first year or two after the original iMac came out Apple was a more accepted computer brand than it is now.

Most of the people I know do not use Macs. Many large companies (Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Sandia National Laboratories, etc., etc.) used to have huge installations of Macs. Now they are 99.9% Windows machines. Apple has done NOTHING to win back those desktops.

Most of the general public are using Windows machines. Apple's advertising and marketing does nothing to attract them.

Advertising in MacWorld or MacAddict or MacHome or some such magazine (which Apple does routinely) does nothing to expand the installed base. In these cases Apple is purely "preaching to the choir". Apple needs to put a LOT of ads (and I do mean a LOT of ads) in Forbes, Time, Newsweek, USNew and World Reports, the New York Times, the Washington Post, etc., etc.

Also I would like to see more Apple Macintosh ads on TV. Even if I saw one Apple Macintosh ad for every 3 HP ads or even one Apple Macintosh ad for every 10 Dell ads it would be something. It has been almost a year since I have seen any Apple Macintosh ad at all on TV. That is far too long.

Get it yet?
Do YOU get it, or are you just so sure that we are all wrong because you think you know how marketing/advertising works and just won't bother to see that no matter how well intentioned the efforts of Apple's marketing team is ... it is totally ineffective when it comes to the Mac?

With the recent spate of malware relating to Windows and Internet Explorer why are people suggesting changing to a different browser (which only solves half the problem) rather than suggesting getting a Mac and running Safari or Firefox or iCab or any other of a whole raft of browsers? The only people I hear suggesting a change to the Mac are the Mac faithful.

If Apple's advertising and marketing were effective, the computer media would be suggesting changing browsers or changing platforms and browsers for a complete solution. Apple's marketing has not done well enough to have the computer media even consider Macintosh as a viable alternative.

There are many, many other examples that I and others could list.

To the general populace Macintosh is not even thought of as a viable alternative. THAT is the fault of Apple's poor marketing and advertising and nothing else.

[Dom]

It is a large task to educate people as to why the Mac OS is 'better' than Windows. And I don't believe their advertising can do it for several reasons, which I'll come back to.

Recently, my PC using partner used my old iBook (with 9.2). She had a webpage open, and was writing an email. She wanted to attach an image from the webpage to the email but, as she was a PC user she didn't know how to do it on a Mac. She didn't believe me when I said to just drag the image from the webpage and drop it onto her email, and she was pleasantly stunned when it worked. I was stunned when she told me she couldn't do something that simple on her PC.

She likes Macs now. Every time she's used my iBook or iMac (with Panther) she's found something new to like about them. But she hasn't bought a Mac.

Why? Well she summed up perfectly why millions of PC users don't switch to Mac. Even though she's seen loads of benefits of Mac OS on the most simple level, her answer is that it doesn't matter to her because 'she knows how to use a PC'.

She actually sees her proficiency on a PC as a skill she's aquired over the last few years. And she doesn't want to 'throw that away'. How many Mac users would regard using the Mac OS as an actual skill? Not many I presume.

A similar thing happened with my mother. Around 5 years ago she wanted me to help her choose a PC. I told her to get a Mac. She didn't want a Mac because she was used to PCs "and I know the IT man at work who can help me out when it goes wrong". (Please note the 'when' and not an 'if'.)

I spent several months talking her into a Mac. And eventually she got a basic strawberry iMac. The reason? I put my foot down and told her that if she wanted help using a Mac, she could call me and I'd sort it. If she got a PC she'd be on her own because I knew sod all about repairing problems on a PC (I don't think she believed me but I assume it was a risk she was unwilling to take). Her original reluctance to get a Mac was for the same reason as my partner. She knew how to use a PC. It was familiar and safe, and a Mac was a step into the unknown. The story has a happy ending. She's now talking about upgrading, and she hasn't mentioned getting a PC once. She has a fondness for her Mac that she certainly doesn't have for her PC at work.

Now, back to the advertising. I do not think for a minute Apple's advertising can convince a PC user that Mac OS is simpler than the OS with which they are familiar and know how to use (regardless of Window's annoying quirks and foibles). They just do not see Windows as the illogical and annoying OS the way Mac users do. They see Mac OS as 'different' rather than 'better'.

So how does the advertising show that Mac OS is better? You can't. It's too complicated and subjective.

Compare it to a car. You advertise a car on its beauty (if it is beautiful), you can advertise it on its technological brilliance, you can advertise it on price. You can also tell people that the driving experience is better than their current car. But how believable could this be? Not very. The enjoyment of driving a car is a personal experience, not a second hand experience. That's why car manufacturers offer test drives.

The same applies to Mac. You need to get people to try it for them to love it. And Apple are achieving this, although granted it is a slow process. But I really do see it as a domino effect. The more people who start loving Macs, the more they tell people, the more people they tell, the more people will consider Apple.

I remember the Apple ads from the mid 80s. That was Chiat Day as well. And they did some brilliant advertising about why Mac was easier and better to use than PC (which was still command line OS).

Today the distinction is a lot more vague for the average consumer and harder for the advertising to tackle directly.

I'll end this rather lengthy post with another anecdote. I remember being in a store looking at the new FP iMac with OSX 10.0. Which looked wonderful. Then a woman stood beside me and looked at it. She turned to her husband and said "it looks much better than our PC, it's a shame that it didn't come out first".

And that just sums up the-person-on-the-street's view. They just did not have a clue that Apple existed before iMac. That is the battle that Apple advertising has. And it's a bloody difficult one.

[MacMan913]

I was thinking Nathaniel Hornblower as director,

ch-ch-ch-check it out

heh,

Ok I am unemployed and bored


sorry :o

Thanks to Bush

[davecuse]

I've read through some of the posts here, not all of them. I just wanted to add my two cents. I believe that Apple's advertising team understands one thing, there is a cult aura around Mac OSX and it's users, their advertising will not do much to convert the PC users of the world. So they advertise to current users, and in turn those users advertise through the most powerful medium, word of mouth. I've convinced 8 of my friends to switch in the past 3 months. In turn I have no doubt that those friends will do the same. The bottom line is, who do you trust most, your friends and co-workers or the talkie box in your living room?

[laurawallace799]

Has he worked on previous iPod commercials? The name is not familiar to me..

he does Bjork and Beastie Boys videos. Very famous. Google him. (http://www.google.com/search?q=spike+jones&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8) :D

[Dom]

I've read through some of the posts here, not all of them. I just wanted to add my two cents. I believe that Apple's advertising team understands one thing, there is a cult aura around Mac OSX and it's users, their advertising will not do much to convert the PC users of the world. So they advertise to current users, and in turn those users advertise through the most powerful medium, word of mouth. I've convinced 8 of my friends to switch in the past 3 months. In turn I have no doubt that those friends will do the same. The bottom line is, who do you trust most, your friends and co-workers or the talkie box in your living room?

Yep, I think this is exactly the kind of advertising Apple rellies on. Their advertising might only convince a relatively small number of PC users to switch to Mac, but in turn, those converts will convert others.

And the brand awareness that Apple currently have is higher than it's been in more than 2 decades, which possibly goes to prove that their advertising and PR is having more effect than some people on here would like to believe.

[stevehaslip]

they just need to get someone like TBWA on the case, that'd shift a few units! :D

[mrkite]

they just need to get someone like TBWA on the case, that'd shift a few units! :D

Chiat/Day is part of TBWA...

[alexhb]

First, I don't think the BMW ad is Apple's. It looks like something done by BMW (although I'm not entirely sure about that).

Yep, thay ad was made by BMW, you can tell because the narator in that ad is the same as in other ads by BMW. Also, the BMW ad uses "iPodYourBMW.com" in Helvetica, BMW's font, as apposed to Myriad, Apple's corperate font

[bonehead]

The new iPod ad is for the HP branded iPod. It is not being directed by Spike Jonze, it is being directed by Paul Hunter.

[Montserrat]

ALSO... I think I would give a kidney to see a Chris Cunningham Apple ad.

Damn, that would be ****ing cool. Have you got the Director's Label DVD of his work. Essential viewing.

Someone else mentioned that the ad's should focus on the benefits of Mac OS X, and, although I think this is a real selling point for Macs, and one that relatively few people know about, advertising is sadly about lifestyle. People don't respond well to technical information or even really the pros and cons of a particular product, but companies try to show them the "cool" lifestyle that they will be living once they purchase the product.

If you look at most product ads (ie. excluding retail outlets/services ads etc.) they focus very little on the specification of the product more on ways to make the product funky. The iPod ad is a classic of this genre and has been cited as one of the reasons the product has become so iconic. The geeks among us (including myself) may prefer the hardcore information, but that won't sell Apple any iPods or any Macs.