'Think Different' Campaign Creator Suggests Apple Needs to Step up its Advertising Game to Counter Samsung

[samcraig]

Originally Posted by Stella

Like I asked, why do you think he has some resentment, give a quote or (short) explanation of why you think he feels this way?

Perhaps the OP is experiencing transference. Perhaps HE resents the Adman's comments...

[nefan65]

Originally Posted by tuncer

Counter attack with what? Our screen is SMALLER! Woohoo! Take that.....

Let's face it, Apple is in big, big trouble. I think the March quarter is going to be an absolute disaster and one of the reasons I've sold all my shares in Apple. I've owned it for many years but Apple in 2013 will continue flounder. The iPhone 5S will be a dud and the S4, I believe, will absolutely destroy it.

Right.../s

[stuffradio]

Originally Posted by 3N16MA

Can you provide proof that they it did mock the users? I'm not trying to start a debate but really would like to see a specific ad that mocked the user and not a PC. If you can find one I will give you all the credit for being correct.

I didn't own any Macs at the time. I own both now, but that's more to do with iOS development than the commercials telling me OS X is cool. I'm just saying the commercials felt mocking to the users.

[benspratling]

Originally Posted by benspratling

I must have missed something. I was so taken by the unicorn zombie apocalypse that I completely missed where there were Samsung products. Are they advertising Tim Burton consulting services? I would totally hire him to consult on my movie... if I wanted a main character with hollow eyes.

Oh, got it. It has a stylus. Yeah, I'd like a stylus, too.
Without detailed consideration during a review, basically what I got from the ad was "Samsung tablet, because: Tim Burton."

[cardfan]

I think Apple veered away from what they did well starting with the Siri ads and never could seem to find their way back. (Siri ads were ok at first, but it went on way too long). Go back to basics. But perhaps integrate the Mac and iOS marketing. Some of their real strengths relies in the integration between the two.

Market the ecosystem. Airplay always seems to impress those that don't know anything about it. I'm hoping iOS 7 will have features like sharable screens, logmein type integration with PCs, etc. Show someone how you're linking into your PC from your phone..it usually impresses.

Apple defined what a smartphone was for the masses (as well as tablets). Keep defining..or redefine. Once you let someone else start defining, you're in trouble. The current ads don't do this. They're just annoying.

Brands stay cool by showing off cool features.

[Popeye206]

Wow... I thought that Samsung ad was a waste... what the heck do unprofessional, not creative, geeks going nutty over zombie unicorns got to do with anything? I guess they want to appeal to the 15-20 year old age group????

IMHO that was the worst ad I've seen in a while for technology. If it wasn't for the Samsung dude, I don't even think I'd know what that ad was for.

[pacalis]

Originally Posted by MOFS

What does that advert show? People who use Samsung tablets have terrible ideas for phones? What is that Safe technology they mention at the end? Samsung's adverts just carpetbomb the channels to use celebrities to make quirky ads that tell you nothing about their product, just that they exist. Apple's ads show useful features with proper names (Do Not Disturb ads, the noise cancelling) and only use stars to prove a point. Anyway, when you get Eddie Redmayne telling Ryan Seacrest on the Oscars red carpet that he auditioned for Les Misérables on his iPhone, you don't ned to advertise; you've just got it for free.

This is an excellent ad, whether you get it or not. What is shows is that Samsung products are seemingly integrated into both work and play. That they are part of the fabric of productive, young and old of interesting people. There is passion, exuberance and interest.

It also suggests everyone else has adopted one, which in a world of network effects and platforms is a critical feature of both adoption and value.

Now I get that some of you are still interested in the "look at my shiny object with a feature" ads, but that's not going to cut it when you are pitching an ecosystem.

[spazzcat]

Originally Posted by tuncer

Counter attack with what? Our screen is SMALLER! Woohoo! Take that.....

Let's face it, Apple is in big, big trouble. I think the March quarter is going to be an absolute disaster and one of the reasons I've sold all my shares in Apple. I've owned it for many years but Apple in 2013 will continue flounder. The iPhone 5S will be a dud and the S4, I believe, will absolutely destroy it.

And yet that smaller screen sold more last quarter in the US. The Note 8 will be ridiculed the first time someone holds up to their head to make a phone call and you know someone will do it... Apple is not in big trouble they billions in the bank and the next OS will big update, I just hope they don't screw it up trying to be Android...

[MacHiavelli]

Really, people watch adverts? [cries with laughter]

When we have PVRs, remote controls, or laptops/tablets/phones to use during breaks, people really watch ads?

I'm thinking, 'Doh — don't waste time watching ads. Not ever.'

[Eduardo1971]

Originally Posted by iGrip

Who is this guy to tell Apple what to do? I got news for him: Apple sells BILLIONS of dollars more stuff than they did when they used his little jingle. He's probably jealous.

Egads, knee-jerk reactionary at its worst.

Never mind people having their opinions.

[spazzcat]

Originally Posted by pacalis

This is an excellent ad, whether you get it or not. What is shows is that Samsung products are seemingly integrated into both work and play. That they are part of the fabric of productive, young and old of interesting people. There is passion, exuberance and interest.

It also suggests everyone else has adopted one, which in a world of network effects and platforms is a critical feature of both adoption and value.

Now I get that some of you are still interested in the "look at my shiny object with a feature" ads, but that's not going to cut it longer term.

Look those people are using iPads. Most people are going to have no idea they were not...

[GermanyChris]

Originally Posted by 3N16MA

Did the "I'm a Mac" campaign represent the user base or the machines themselves? Did "PC" represent Windows, Microsoft, Bill Gates, or the users? Did "Mac" represent OS X, Apple, Steve Jobs, or the users?

Apple never came out and specifically said "this is who Mac and PC represent." Samsung on the other hand has ads which specifically portray iPhone users lining up in front of an Apple store as clueless hipster idiots.

Apple did it in a way that never seemed like they were mocking PC users. Samsung on the other hand got an ad agency that came up with an ad that a high school student could create.

They aren't?

Why would any rational person line up to buy a product on introduction especially days in advance.

[elistan]

Originally Posted by gotluck

Apple portrayed the PC user guy as an unhip, uncool drone. I felt mocked as a pc user myself. You don't like the taste of your own medicine IMO.

Apple portrayed the PC as an uphip, uncool device. And slow, forgetfull, crash-prone, etc. Would it have helped if the actors wore monitors over their heads?

As a PC user myself, I never felt mocked. <shrug>

[nuckinfutz]

Normally i'd give credit where it's due but the "Think Different" campaign wasn't really all that good.


1. Apple has rarely played the plucky renegade upstart.
2. Apple at that time wasn't all that bold.

Samsung's ads are horrible. Lebron James uses a Galaxy. so f$%^ng what. Don't care about Tim Burton either other than his latest movie.

Let Samsung continue to spend money try to buy cool and create faux geek chic.

To this date the "I'm a Mac" ads are the best that Apple has created. And they were cheap cheap cheap to make.

[cardfan]

Originally Posted by MacHiavelli

Really, people watch adverts? [cries with laughter]

When we have PVRs, remote controls, or laptops/tablets/phones to use during breaks, people really watch ads?

I'm thinking, 'Doh — don't waste time watching ads. Not ever.'

Absolutely. I've watched maybe less than 10 ads this year. I blame the superbowl for that though..lol. But that mainstream market still watches em and that's who Apple and others have to cater to.

[gotluck]

Originally Posted by elistan

Apple portrayed the PC as an uphip, uncool device. And slow, forgetfull, crash-prone, etc. Would it have helped if the actors wore monitors over their heads?

As a PC user myself, I never felt mocked. <shrug>

Well, I don't feel mocked as an iPhone user by these Samsung ads, so what does that mean?

[Squilly]

Meh, I agree. Samsung's ads are stronger than Apple's.

[3N16MA]

The people in the Samsung ad look like hipsters. Shouldn't they be using iPhone's and posting on Mac Rumors?

Originally Posted by gotluck

Well, I don't feel mocked as an iPhone user by these Samsung ads, so what does that mean?

It means you just made that point for no other reason than to help boost your argument.

[scaredpoet]

Originally Posted by 3N16MA

Did the "I'm a Mac" campaign represent the user base or the machines themselves? Did "PC" represent Windows, Microsoft, Bill Gates, or the users? Did "Mac" represent OS X, Apple, Steve Jobs, or the users?

Apple never came out and specifically said "this is who Mac and PC represent."

Actually, they pretty much did. Example: "I'm a Megan."



Mac and PC represented the devices, not the people.

Originally Posted by gotluck

Apple portrayed the PC user guy as an unhip, uncool drone. I felt mocked as a pc user myself.

Why did you feel mocked? Did you personally crash and bluescreen? Did you personally lack built in productivity apps, or had a small screen, or was part of a range of products? No, it was the machine that had these attributes. You are not a machine. If you felt mocked and took offense, you read the ads wrong and took the message too personally.

Samsung on the other hand, makes no bones about who they're attacking: if your hunk of metal and glass has an Apple logo, you are unhip, and uncool, a lemming that stands in line for old tech; an old fuddy-duddy who doesn't understand hip and cool technology. You are being mocked by Samsung, outright, and they are actively telling their customers that they should do it, too. The messages are very different.

That said, I don't take Samsung's ad messages personally. Openly mocking someone is compensation for an insecurity. I don't care what device someone has in their hands, and I know that I don't need a specific brand of smartphone to be hip or cool.

[Peace]

Apple should do some "I'm linux and I'm unix" spots.

[dojoman]

Samsung ads are lame. They keep showing people scrolling with stylus. How hard it is to scroll with finger or draw something?. Is this innovation?

[Stella]

Originally Posted by samcraig

Perhaps the OP is experiencing transference. Perhaps HE resents the Adman's comments...

I don't doubt it for a second... there's nothing in the referenced blog post would indicate some sort of ill feelings towards Apple due to the fact he used to work there.

[gotluck]

Originally Posted by 3N16MA

It means you just made that point for no other reason than to help boost your argument.

just like everyone else here

[karpich1]

Originally Posted by 3N16MA

Did the "I'm a Mac" campaign represent the user base or the machines themselves? Did "PC" represent Windows, Microsoft, Bill Gates, or the users? Did "Mac" represent OS X, Apple, Steve Jobs, or the users?

Apple never came out and specifically said "this is who Mac and PC represent." Samsung on the other hand has ads which specifically portray iPhone users lining up in front of an Apple store as clueless hipster idiots.

Actually, in the long form of the old Galaxy S3 ad (which they eventually shortened).... the main bit of the ad was that the "hipsters" were listing all the cool things that Apple is finally releasing after revision X, and then saying some stuff that Apple probably won't have yet so they'll have to wait for revision Y. And then going on about the adapters.

Enter the Samsung Galaxy S3 which already had all of that stuff months ago and wasn't releasing as many revisions to get there. On top of stuff that the iPhone 5 still didn't have.

THEN enter the old parents wanting the iPhone.

However they eventually shortened that commercial to just 1 or 2 lines followed by the old couple wanting to join the "hipsters" Which did kind of turn the commercial into a "Samsung == cool / iPhone == old and hipsters"



So to be fair, the original commercial WAS kind of Mac vs PC. Only with the Mac people saying their shortcomings while Samsung said "Yeh, we've been doing that". Instead of the PC describing his shortcomings and the Apple guy saying "Yeh, that stinks"

[nefan65]

Originally Posted by 3N16MA

The people in the Samsung ad look like hipsters. Shouldn't they be using iPhone's and posting on Mac Rumors?



It means you just made that point for no other reason than to help boost your argument.

Ha! How true. When I hear hipsters, I immediately think of someone who looks exactly like the guy with the fro in the ad. Glasses, untucked, unbuttoned flannel shirt, with t-shirt, skinny jeans or baggy jeans and old converse all-star sneakers.

I don't care that Samsung has the ads. The problem I have is that they suck.