Apple U.K. Ads Backfiring?

[JD92]

I think Apple should just have got the US actors to do ads which would be more suited for the UK market. Anything which makes Mac users seem smug isn't good.

Personally I don't believe all Mac users are smug, although when I attended a MUG I did get the feeling that the smugness factor was somewhat higher than that of my local LUG. Apple would do well for themselves if they could shed this image.

 

[jacg]

I have seen the US versions and the UK versions, and I have to wonder what people consider "smug" these days. In all the versions, Mac is pointing out his virtues in a straightforward, almost deadpan, way. There's no "I'm better than you" attitude from the character. Mac even complements PC in several spots.

I think the Mac character played a smug character in their previous TV programme. I gather people are linking the two.

 

[jacg]

What, using the iPod shiloutes (I have NO IDEA how to spell that word) with people sitting in a chair using an iMac?

I was going to suggest (helpfully, but possibly rudely) that you make use of Tiger's useful spelling assistance (if you are using OS X 10.4 and Safari or Firefox). Unfortunately if you right-click your version of silhouettes OS X suggests chill-outs. Which is what I will try to do.

 

[DMann]

UK ads

Personally I don't believe all Mac users are smug, although when I attended a MUG I did get the feeling that the smugness factor was somewhat higher than that of my local LUG. Apple would do well for themselves if they could shed this image.

Perhaps some in the UK are basing the smugness call on Justin's
American-English diction. His behavior is actually not smug at all,
unless the act of downplaying one's virtues in a seemingly sincere
manner can be interpreted as so.

 

[swishyfresh]

I do think the UK public needs to get used to this type of advertising, so who better to do this than Apple.
They don't really compare brands (yet) in the UK, it is a generic PC.
True , everyone knows they are talking about PC's running Windows, but they don't call it by the name (unlike the US versions, where they now mention 'vista')yet.
I don't know if the UK versions are worse than the US ones, it may just be that we've seen it all before as the adds are mainly repeats of what we've allready seen on the US versions.
the backfiring effect is probably not true, but Apple does need to make a few changes to the UK add series, as since Vista is out, some issues are not as valid anymore. Running a version of "major surgery" for example would hit it right on the spot right now, not 3 months from now, when the majority of people will allready have bought Vista, or a new machine....

I don't think it has much to do with people in the UK getting use to it. Like I said, I totally embraced the US versions of the Ads. It was very simply the UK ads' style.

 

[Steve Catterall]

I think you have to also think about who these ads are aimed at. They're not aimed at mac users, they are aimed at pc users.

I'm a pc user and I've been thinking about switching to a mac for a while. I know a couple of other pc users who are also thinking about it. All of us have mentioned how we find the ads smug and patronizing ... which is exactly the attitude pc users get from mac zealots, and it's very off-putting.

If apple want pc users to switch to macs they should play up the macs advantages, rather than telling the pc user he's stupid.

 

[TheNightPhoenix]

Perhaps some in the UK are basing the smugness call on Justin's
American-English diction. His behavior is actually not smug at all,
unless the act of downplaying one's virtues in a seemingly sincere
manner can be interpreted as so.

But the UK ads don't have Justin in them

 

[BenRoethig]

I think you have to also think about who these ads are aimed at. They're not aimed at mac users, they are aimed at pc users.

I'm a pc user and I've been thinking about switching to a mac for a while. I know a couple of other pc users who are also thinking about it. All of us have mentioned how we find the ads smug and patronizing ... which is exactly the attitude pc users get from mac zealots, and it's very off-putting.

If apple want pc users to switch to macs they should play up the macs advantages, rather than telling the pc user he's stupid.

I agree. In my opinion all these ads do is make the Mac look like a computer for arrogant rich teenagers.

 

[Teddy's]

I agree. In my opinion all these ads do is make the Mac look like a computer for arrogant rich teenagers.

second to that...

Here in Canada, things are not going well either. But I guess that was the perception all along... I switched in 2003. When I used to go to the "old neighbourhood" Apple reseller, the reps would look away from me.

"It's impossible! You cannot have a Mac... you're... (different from us)."

Like I said before, I guess because I look more like pee cee guy rather than mac guy.

Now, there are Apple stores and I feel more confortable there. It is just my preference.

 

[adom]

Well, there has been a "media backlash" - in terms of a handful of journos criticising the supposed smugness of the Mac character due to his association with the unpleasant Peep Show character. I can see where they're coming from too - I don't think the casting has been very well thought through.

Yeah, it might eventually backfire if something even goes wrong with Leopard lol!

 

[iGav]

Apple U.K. Ads Backfiring?

Really... is it any surprise?

 

[Mr Skills]

Prior to any criticisms of the casting, the whole concept is just wrong. When one says "I'm good at office stuff" and the other says "I'm good at home stuff", then the infered assumption would be that the one thats good at home stuff isn't as good at office stuff. Given that the biggest myth about Macs is that they are difficult to integrate into your work life, Apple made a really elementary mistake there...

In fact, it's worse than that. There are great big strap adverts on MySpace where the wording is "I'm better at work stuff" and "I'm better at fun stuff". The very first words in the advertisement say that the PC is better at something!

Also, I have never seen the Mitchell & Webb TV series, but in the adverts the Mac undoubtedly comes across as smug and - worse - sarcastic. I worry they might be repeating the famous story of Strand Cigarettes in the 1950s. What was meant to be a strong, silent character was taken by the public to be a lonely loser, decimating sales of the brand.

Of course, we could be misinterpreting the wider plan of these adverts. Maybe the marketers know that there will be a certain amount of 'collateral damage' - people who will be annoyed by the adverts - but calculated that those affected would be less likely to buy in the first place? It's a nice thought. But sadly I think that Apple UK has misjudged what the US ads were all about, and Apple US has let them do it, thinking they know their own market.

 

[lord_flash]

One good comedy show on Channel 4 not even written by them does not a classic comedic double act make.

And a series on BBC Radio 4 and a TV series on BBC 2....

Actually I thought that the UK remakes of the US scripts were a bit odd but the two UK specific ones, especially the one talking about working hours ("... and we have the lesat holiday" from the PC) were very good. Admittedly it's linking Apple with a very political point - people should have more holidays and shorter workin hours in the Uk like they do in the rest of Europe - but that associates Apple with the free-spirit, work-from-home/cafe thing that they want.

Face it, Apple won't become mainstream - as in outsell PCs - ever, so they should concentrate on doing well in their niche, and this ad is well placed to do that. Devices like the Apple TV (hopefully a less rubbish one) and iPod are the way to make money from most consumers, not Macs.

 

[wizzerandchips]

They would have done better using the original US adverts. Or a better, using Ricky gervais and co. People would have taken notice. Bad uk ad agency I say. I also believe the only people that notice the adds are us, the people that already have one, and are already loyal.

 

[scootermac]

Only place I have seen the adds are @ the UK online Apple store. I'm in Scotland and I have yet to see ANY of the new adds on TV.

I have seen the adds on billboards in London, mostly the underground!

 

[adav]

the apple ads are on the skins e4 website at the beginning of each video.

 

[Lynxpro]

I'm English and a Mac fan but I don't find the UK regional-specific Get A Mac ads very funny at all but I do like the American ones. I think the choice of actors is just wrong.
There's nothing wrong with taking a dig a Vista.

Why not just use the American ads then? I do not recall them using any words or phrases that are exclusive to American ears that would be distracting for the UK audience...

Then again, I'd also be cool with them casting Jemima Rooper as "The Mac". Shake the ad up a bit. Plus I find her damn sexy, so she could be smug & sexy all at once. And no, I am an American.

 

[Lynxpro]

Screw it all... I say put up the Japanese ad for the UK. The one with PC hiding behind Mac in some samurai-like pillow uniform. It'll grab everybody's attention going "wot? by jove i do believe that's japanese on the telly!" and then the macbook will pop out and then everybody'd be like "ho ho ho! jolly good time!"
i crack myself up

I bet you'd like the Nintendo Wii commercials they play over here [the U.S.] with the two creepy Japanese businessmen showing up unannounced on some family's doorstep and saying "Wii would like to play".

 

[Lynxpro]

All I can say is that we should thank our lucky stars that the Little Britain crew weren't chosen instead.

Dude, if Tom Baker was the "voice of the Mac" that would kick ten levels of azz right there.

After all, Macs are a tad bit eccentric in a good way, like ol' Tom.

 

[Perdix]

Whether or not there are any real data on this, I found the Mac man most annoying. The PC guy is just a nicer person, and I found myself identifying with him.

If my perception is shared with others, then yes, the campaign is backfiring. I too didn't feel this with the US ads.

Should we blame the actors or the director?

 

[Pac a Mac]

I'm English and a Mac fan but I don't find the UK regional-specific Get A Mac ads very funny at all but I do like the American ones. I think the choice of actors is just wrong.

There's nothing wrong with taking a dig a Vista.

Hell...did I miss a brummy version, or even geordie one. Ahhh.. the UK is a region . I get you....we used to be an empire now we are a region

 

[DMann]

United Regions

Hell...did I miss a brummy version, or even geordie one. .. the UK is a region . I get you....we used to be an empire now we are a region

Oh well, you know, with the scandals going on within
the Royal families and all.............

 

[DMann]

My Mistake

But the UK ads don't have Justin in them

My Mistake, I didn't realize they (both) are portrayed
so badly...... little emotion, compassion, credibility,
and worst of all, awkward body language..... WOOF!

 

[Pac a Mac]

British doing things that work well in US is a bit like one of those pictures where perspective is slightly distorted...something wrong but not quite sure what.

The adds are fine with US characters. Mac screams US dream we expect US ads. US Coke and Pepsi ads work really well. Ads dont work the same way with Brits. The most sucessful ads make us really suspicious of the product so much so we have to buy it to check it out. Using two 'alt'/'cult' gits just makes it look as if Mac is 'cult'/"alt' Not a big selling point in the UK. Now if you included chimps drinking tea or a big earred geriatric soccer player stealing childrens potato chips...we would buy millions

 

[brnbenefield]

what???????

Frankly, I think that the ads are a bit over the top. Subtle humor is one thing, but I don't think it's so classy to trash Vista?/M$ so much.

Mac ads tells some of the truth. Its not trashing Vist/ Money it is the truth.