New Apple Ad... Aint it Cool?

[arn]

Matt Pruett and Electic Oz let us know that Harry Knowles of Aint-It-Cool-News has been hinting at being in an upcoming Apple commercial... From his Spiderman Review:

Last night, I was talking to Quint, who was stunned that I still hadn’t seen SPIDER-MAN. Anybody that knows me has been stunned. It is simply way out of character that the weekend had passed and I hadn’t seen SPIDER-MAN.

I told him that my recent trip to New York to shoot a commercial for Apple was partly responsible. I did have an offer from a reader while I was up there to see the film in New York, but I wanted to see SPIDER-MAN with my father and my best movie-going buddy.

[3rdpath]

texas boy starts a movie fan website and ends up famous and doing apple ads...edit//ok, already....//

[G4scott]

Right... I wonder what the ad's going to be for? Possibly new iBooks?

[Spart]

Originally posted by G4scott
Right... I wonder what the ad's going to be for? Possibly new iBooks?

That would be my bet.

[robotrenegade]

I think its going to be for a new product. Or they would have made an ad for the new Ti-book.

[TiMacLover]

iThink the digital hub.

[D0ct0rteeth]

um... they need to advertize the new rack server....

im sure a commercial is in the works for these...

here's to hoping that its not an ogilvy&mather blue letterbox IBM ripoff

C-

[Matt Pruett]

Hi everyone. Matt Pruett here. I was the original scooper. I thought maybe the best way to get to the bottom of this was to email Harry and ask him. I asked if he was filming a television commercial, or a spot for a promo video that they show at the new product introductions. I just got his reply, and he told me:

"It is a series of television commercials. Or so I understand, shot by the
Academy Award winning documentarian Errol Morris!"

A series of commercials? Makes me think that maybe were going to see the replacement to the "Think Different" campaign. What do you all think?

-MP
mattpruett@mac.com

[audiopollution]

Erm ... might the next step be writing him another email, and asking him what he's helping Apple promote?

It's not likely to be an Apple-branded popcorn maker.

After reading Ain't It Cool News occasionally over the past few years, it's painfully obvious that Harry likes to puff himself up, so I'm sure he'll let something slip to you.

(The fact that he mentioned that the commercials are being shot by an Acadamy Award winning film-maker is an example of his puffery. He likes to look important, and he also likes to be a scooper.)

[audiopollution]

re: Doctorteeth's stab that they'll be commercials for the new racks ... I doubt it.

Why would Apple be advertising professional equipment to the typical tv-watching consumer-machine buying individual?

I figure it'll be a replacement for 'Think Different'.

Harry Knowles - iMovie 2
Fran Liebowitz - iPhoto
.
.
.
and so on.

something like that, maybe?

[kansaigaijin]

why do oracle advertise on TV, why do M$ advertise .NET on TV?

[Macmaniac]

I have yet to see an ad for OS X I think its time to advertise for the worlds most advanced operating system.

[Mr. Anderson]

Originally posted by Macmaniac
I have yet to see an ad for OS X I think its time to advertise for the worlds most advanced operating system.

But its a series of commercials, what's to say if it is a new marketing campaign that we'll see a bit of everything? I'd like to think they'd be trying to show how every part of the Apple's 'system' works, for all types of users.

[zuffen]

You won't ever see the the think different slogan retired, they may bench it for a bit but it will always be there, it is a core philosophy. Try to remove one of the ten commandments, can't be done.

I do see Apple reaching out to make the public aware of the full product line and vision of Apple. I think they have completely missed the boat with current stuff. Current Apple ads really are pointing out the fun stuff and not the work stuff. Need to see some ads showing an exec. working out a spreadsheet on his Titanium and then when he is done poping up his favorite game.


Work hard first play later. Corporate motto


You can't have all desert all the time, gotta have meat and potatoes every once in awhile.

Got to get away from the idea that a Mac is toy for rich kids and the artsy fartsy.

Much like the Target ads conveying the interaction of Target and customers real life needs.

I can also see a focus of grabing consumer attention to the E line of tools. If little Joe and Susie's are asking why they don't have a MAC at school, maybe the parent's will start asking too.

Educators don't make all the decisions. But imagine if Apple can reclaim the educational market, than you can see a direct relation to consumer sales.

If it is good enough to teach my kid than I might as well have one at home, that way maybe my kid can get a scholarship and goto college.

If any one at Apple needs a real world ad exec, here I am stuck in the Midwest, real world and unsophisticated.

"Lost in inner space"

[Eric]

Errol Morris has not won an Academy Award, but he should. Notwithstanding his tremendous achivements in feature-length documentary programs, his commercial repertoire is extensive. He has done commericals for Miller HighLife beer, Volkswagen, and PBS, among others. His 'stay curious' commercial campaign for PBS mixes whimsical artfulness with a powerful straight forward message – that PBS is a place for your imagination to explore.

I'm excited to see his commerical for Apple. It should be among Apple's best.

[voicegy]

THANK YOU Eric, for that interesting bit of info! I have been captivated by the PBS "stay curious" campaign and now, thanks to you and this post, I now know who is behind those, and the prospect of Errol Morris being involved in a new series of Apple commercials.....wow.

Very, very cool.

[sjs]

If the rumor is true that there is a new series of commercials, I think you would have to assume it would be for a) a NEW product and b) a consumer product.

It could be more ads featuring the iMac since the great window ad can't go forever. It could feature BOTH the iMac and the new OSX 1.2 stuff.

It could also be for and entirely new "device" or iApp interacting with the iMac.

The iMac has met such great public acceptance that I think any new ad campaign would include it, plus whatever hot item is out there.

[gopher]

Originally posted by zuffen
[b]You won't ever see the the think different slogan retired, they may bench it for a bit but it will always be there, it is a core philosophy. Try to remove one of the ten commandments, can't be done.

I disagree. Apple never brought back:

"The power to be your best."

"Does more, costs less."

And yes, these are truths Apple has forgotten. It is time Apple did the following:

1. Remove the Mhz label from their machines, system profiler and the chips put in the machines and replace it with a GFlop or similar label that is more indicative of how fast the machines are. A Mhz label at CompUSA begs to be compared to. Remove the Mhz label, and then use the GFlop rating vs. PCs.

2. Advertise the capabilities of their machines, including how much better they are at cross platform applications than Intel powered machines.

3. Advertise the prices of the low end iMac on TV and newspapers.

4. Advertise their name with their logo. Their logo may be recognizable to us, but some kids who never saw a Mac will
never know it is Apple. And call it Apple Macintosh when you label the logo. Too often I hear PC users call Mac a company when it is just the machine made by Apple.

5. Show Macs running Windows XP, Mac OS X, Mac OS 9, Windows 98, OpenStep, and Windows ME side by side using VirtualPC.

6. Offer VirtualPC in the build to order first screen.

7. Offer build to order at CompUSA and train CompUSA technicians in the art of installing RAM and batteries in Macs.

8. Get more of those 19,000 titles in CompUSA and their retail stores. The most I count at either is 400 titles, and that's if you are lucky. At least sell Mac software in its own section at Staples, Office Depot, Circuit City, and Walmart if not selling Macs.

[me hate windows]

Originally posted by G4scott
Right... I wonder what the ad's going to be for? Possibly new iBooks?

I think you're right. But wasnt he doing multiple ads? Maybe an ad for the new rackmount server. Maybe a new device

[mcrain]

Originally posted by zuffen
You won't ever see the the think different slogan retired, they may bench it for a bit but it will always be there, it is a core philosophy. Try to remove one of the ten commandments, can't be done.

Sorry, but your wrong. It would be easy to remove one of the ten commandments. Heck, there were 15 at one point, right? So, if 5 can be removed, it ought to be easy to remove one. (personally, if Bill Gates were in the crosshairs, I'd have to vote for the thou shalt not kill)

[zuffen]

quote:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by zuffen
You won't ever see the the think different slogan retired, they may bench it for a bit but it will always be there, it is a core philosophy. Try to remove one of the ten commandments, can't be done.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
qoute:

Originally posted bymcrain

Sorry, but your wrong. It would be easy to remove one of the ten commandments. Heck, there were 15 at one point, right? So, if 5 can be removed, it ought to be easy to remove one. (personally, if Bill Gates were in the crosshairs, I'd have to vote for the thou shalt not kill)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I think you really miss the point Mr. Brooks isn't ever going to make a sequel so Moses will never drop another tablet. The Ten are here to stay. If Bill wasn't around who would MAC heads have to pick on?

Zuffen

quote:
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by zuffen
[b]You won't ever see the the think different slogan retired, they may bench it for a bit but it will always be there, it is a core philosophy. Try to remove one of the ten commandments, can't be done.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
gopher

qoute:
I disagree. Apple never brought back:

"The power to be your best."

"Does more, costs less."
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

And your trying to compare two very lame ad ideas to an icon of advertising of the Think Different campaign. Stand back I think the 11th commandment has been delivered. Though shall not compare bad advertising to brilliant advertising.

Zuffen

[gopher]

Is Think Different really that great? The people shown are practically all dead artists, and none who are alive, with two exceptions:

Steve Wozniak had a Think Different poster at Macworld conference. And the musicians in the iTunes rip-mix-burn commercial.

Think Different is a great idea, IF PC users get the message it is coming from Apple. Most won't. We know it just because we follow Apple's advertising like an eagle follows prey. But for most of the world, they don't know Apple is even behind the advertisements. Apple has to say boldly it is them at the end of each commercial. Kids in schools that haven't had new Macs for years don't know Apple's new logo, or think it has lost its luster from its old rainbow color. Who ever heard of a bronze colored Apple? Brochures from some Apple stores come in the mail with Bronze Apples. Apple's icon is nice for us first computer generation users, but those who aren't won't know what it is unless the school system is a big Apple user. Enough hiding behind a logo, put the #*$#(@ing Apple Computer name above the logo, along with Macintosh below it. We need to inform the public that:

A. Apple exists.
B. Its Macintosh computers can do great things.
C. Macintosh is not the company, Apple is the name of the company.

And get across to people that Macs are just as capable if not more so than PCs at doing everything you'd want a computer to do, and do it simpler and easier. Only the curious will go to Apple computer's website. If the school system isn't into Apples, we are only preaching to the choir. Apple's Think Different campaign is a nice idea, but Apple should stand by it with MORE than just a logo. Even Apple using a white Apple on a black background for their store entrance doesn't convey the message it is Apple. Some of us ARE literate. Please don't insult our intelligence Apple.

[eric_n_dfw]

The people who buy computers know the Apple logo. According to Job's, its one of the top 5 recognized brands in the world. Who really cares if a elementory school kid knows the Apple logo from a rock on the playground - his lunch money isn't buying Mac's.

[gopher]

How do you think Apple gets bad rap?

1. PC users who moved off the Mac platform when in looked like it was going to die in 1997.

2. Kids in schools that don't have modern Macs, and never will because the administrator decided not to update Macs after 1997.

Apple needs to get those people back. Apple needs to get kids to know their logo. Especially after having changed their logo from the nice rainbow colored logo it once was.

Who cares? People who know Apple's marketshare hasn't improved since before Steve Jobs came back. Kids who play games and push the demand for better graphics cards on computers. Believe it or not, one of the big influences on manufacturers today are whether or not kids will be happy with games and MP3s on their machines. If Apple can't conquere the kids market, Apple will miss out on their future. The iron is hot, they should strike now with information advertisements. By the way, I am 30, and have seen the computer revolution since the beginning. Apple needs to retake the reigns before they lose it again to kids not being trained in the Mac platform at schools.

The most modern computer in my local school system is a Performa 550. And they are switching to Dell come hell or high water, it seems nobody is able to stop them. It is Montgomery County Maryland:
home of NIH and NIST.

[robbyd]

gopher, i totally agree, i am 16 years old and the reason i got into macs was because i used them at school.. now hlaf of our school uses pcs and the other half is mac, we have labs of g4's just used for teaching kids how to use microsoft office, and also each teacher has a SE graphite imac, all the teachers need is an lc2 because they just use the application grade machine and firstclass. it really makes me mad...