Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Introduces Three New Mac Ads During Olympics Opening Ceremonies
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
So, so bad
The ads are awful. Steve must be turning in his grave! This is decidedly NOT Apple and could be replaced with ANY computer company's name.
A real shame and I hate being witness to Apple's downward slide. Again.
The ads are awful. Steve must be turning in his grave! This is decidedly NOT Apple and could be replaced with ANY computer company's name.
A real shame and I hate being witness to Apple's downward slide. Again.
I dunno, just seems everything Apple does gets copies since Apple has the Midas touch.
You gotta admit -- its not like anybody got the scoop here. The ads aired and suddenly a bunch of people went to post. I'm all for somebody who gets the scoop getting the credit, but racing to be first to post when Apple has new commercials so you could get credit would be silly (not saying you did that). Simply because of the in-flight/race-condition nature of such a thing MacRumors is always going to miss crediting somebody who is going to get upset (i.e.: somebody who posted while MR was still writing their article and just happened to hit "Submit" first). The rule should be based on a couple of things:
1) How many minutes did you beat MR to the story on?
2) How many others posted duplicates of the story at about the same time?
3) How many comments are already attached to the thread the OP created?
Most important thing for a forum is to merge discussion threads. But if somebody really gets the scoop on a story and tips MR then they should get a credit in the MR article.
The problem with these ads is that they seem to say "you need help to use a Mac". I can see Microsoft jumping all over these ads if Apple persists with this ad campaign. Apple's support is top-notch but its really hard to showcase support in an advertisement without sending the wrong messages:
- Why does this computer require so much support?
- Is Apple really going to give me a free replacement if I break it?
- Does Apple really think I am so dumb that I cannot figure that out?
- Are Apple users really that inept?
There are so many bad ways that ads featuring support can be taken. It would be better to simply run an ad featuring the new MacBooks and Mountain Lion and then have something at the end that says:
"And if you need help with anything our Apple Store geniuses and one-to-one services are always there to help"
And then show a smiling customer who just learned something new on their Mac shaking hands with a smiling genius. These ads in their current incarnation need to be pulled because they will only backfire on Apple.
- Why does this computer require so much support?
- Is Apple really going to give me a free replacement if I break it?
- Does Apple really think I am so dumb that I cannot figure that out?
- Are Apple users really that inept?
There are so many bad ways that ads featuring support can be taken. It would be better to simply run an ad featuring the new MacBooks and Mountain Lion and then have something at the end that says:
"And if you need help with anything our Apple Store geniuses and one-to-one services are always there to help"
And then show a smiling customer who just learned something new on their Mac shaking hands with a smiling genius. These ads in their current incarnation need to be pulled because they will only backfire on Apple.
For the intended audience, I think the commercials are good. Maybe not great but good.
Focusing on
1) You can get help if you need it
2) Your computer comes with a variety of programs when you buy it
3) Those programs that come with the computer are part of the help you can receive when you buy the computer
4) Not all computers are the same
Considering that most Windows-based PCs that you buy these days are jammed full of crap, so much so that even Microsoft is offering to clean up your computer for a measly $99, it is good to focus on the hands on difference.
These commercials are for novice users that really do need that hands-on help and also it is a good thing to emphasize that not only can you get help with the OS but you can get help with the individual programs. You are a novice and want to do something cool with your computer? Sure, we'll help you. It is moving beyond the hardware, beyond the OS and to the individual programs and that is something Windows can never compete with.
Focusing on
1) You can get help if you need it
2) Your computer comes with a variety of programs when you buy it
3) Those programs that come with the computer are part of the help you can receive when you buy the computer
4) Not all computers are the same
Considering that most Windows-based PCs that you buy these days are jammed full of crap, so much so that even Microsoft is offering to clean up your computer for a measly $99, it is good to focus on the hands on difference.
These commercials are for novice users that really do need that hands-on help and also it is a good thing to emphasize that not only can you get help with the OS but you can get help with the individual programs. You are a novice and want to do something cool with your computer? Sure, we'll help you. It is moving beyond the hardware, beyond the OS and to the individual programs and that is something Windows can never compete with.
leenak, get's it while a bunch of elitists on here do not.
They are perfect for the intended audience. I actually like them because they are focused on what makes macs great and that is the software and the great support Apple provides.
There are a lot of of "ultra-books" out there pretending to be "basically" macbook air's and yet they lack the software and I have no doubt that eventually there will be laptops pretending to be like the Macbook Pro Retina.
@BC2009: No, you are out of touch. There are some people out there who are not experts on doing creating videos even with iMovie. Apple does, however provide classes at their store that can help you with the basics of video editing.
These movies are really advertisements for the Apple stores.
They are perfect for the intended audience. I actually like them because they are focused on what makes macs great and that is the software and the great support Apple provides.
There are a lot of of "ultra-books" out there pretending to be "basically" macbook air's and yet they lack the software and I have no doubt that eventually there will be laptops pretending to be like the Macbook Pro Retina.
@BC2009: No, you are out of touch. There are some people out there who are not experts on doing creating videos even with iMovie. Apple does, however provide classes at their store that can help you with the basics of video editing.
These movies are really advertisements for the Apple stores.
They are more like advertisements that say "you don't need your own brain when you buy stuff from Apple".
----------
Well, "Windows" certainly does not have to compete with that. Actually, it's debatable if it's even Microsoft's job to compete with that. I think it would be the job of the respective OEMs like Dell or HP.
I must say, I never tried calling Dell's business support team to help me edit a home movie. But they guys were really good when I needed to install their server management software on an officially unsupported Linux distribution. You know, something that qualifies as a rather advanced technical problem for which you probably would not find a "genius" at Apple at all.
Sorry, folks. While I agree with you guys that this airplane ad is rather cute, I also cannot really take any of this serious.
What happened to "here's to the crazy ones" and "imagine the possibilities"?
Or that you don't need to spend hours struggling trying to figure out how to do something
I'm guessing none of you against the commercials have parents or in-laws like mine. They both seem to generate lists of things that they need help with when my husband and I go to visit. We help both of them and it isn't anything complicated, just simple things. Some people have no technical bones in their body and yes a computer can feel like a mystical device whenever they try to do anything new and often they just need a little nudge in the right direction to figure things out.
*Whoosh*
Did you hear that sound? That is the sound of the concept of these videos going over your heads. Apple is not preaching to the choice with these ads and they are not advertising directly any of their products. Apple is selling the "Apple" experience at their Apple stores which is why there is an Apple "Genius" featured prominently in the videos.
Apple is trying to advertise the advantages of the macs bought at Apple stores and highlight the courses and tutorials they offer at Apple stores.
@Winni, that goes double for you. You are out of touch with the common man.
Did you hear that sound? That is the sound of the concept of these videos going over your heads. Apple is not preaching to the choice with these ads and they are not advertising directly any of their products. Apple is selling the "Apple" experience at their Apple stores which is why there is an Apple "Genius" featured prominently in the videos.
Apple is trying to advertise the advantages of the macs bought at Apple stores and highlight the courses and tutorials they offer at Apple stores.
@Winni, that goes double for you. You are out of touch with the common man.
They're trying to persuade potential switchers that macs are used by idiots whose first thought when their wife goes into labour is about their computer, and that you need to go on a course to do even the most basic things with one?
Because that's the image those adverts portray, and I'm not sure its a positive one for Apple.
A much more effective ad, stripped of any current embarrassment, inexpensive to produce, will be displaying a static apple logo for the duration of the spot to the tune of say...Jimi Hendrix...or...
I don't need to have met SJ to know these commercials weren't up to his high standards.
That said, Ken Segall did work with SJ as creative director at TBWA\Chiat\Day and he's quoted as saying these ads "are causing a widespread gagging response, and deservedly so. I honestly can’t remember a single Apple campaign that’s been received so poorly."
Former Apple Ad Man Slams 'Genius' TV Spots as "Landing With A Thud"
That said, Ken Segall did work with SJ as creative director at TBWA\Chiat\Day and he's quoted as saying these ads "are causing a widespread gagging response, and deservedly so. I honestly can’t remember a single Apple campaign that’s been received so poorly."
Former Apple Ad Man Slams 'Genius' TV Spots as "Landing With A Thud"
These are definitely strange ads, for Apple. I see the point they are trying to get across (e.g. Apple is more than just the product, it includes the services (Genius), and software (iLife), etc.), but these were quite uncharacteristic in their style. And, I might add, it's not the Geniuses in the store who show you how to use the software... it's the Creatives!