what???????
Mac ads tells some of the truth. Its not trashing Vist/Money it is the truth.
Mac ads tells some of the truth. Its not trashing Vist/Money it is the truth.
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Apple U.K. Ads Backfiring?
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this might be a good idea. most people (teens) in the UK don't know what a mac computer is. They often go to the ipod shop though.
I've been on Mac Forums.com for a while, but only just registered here after seeing this topic. There are a lot of people lacking a sense of humour on here!
Mitchell & Webb are hilarious - I haven't seen a single post liking the UK ads, which is bizarre. The US ones are funny, and I couldn't think of a better casting for the UK version.
Where have you been for the last 3 years? Have you never heard of Peep Show, The Mitchell & Webb Look, or watched Have I Got News For You, 8 out of 10 cats or QI?
In no way would I describe the ads as crass and embarrassing or pathetic. And I think it's a little belittling to think that the UK public isn't used to critical advertising, inferring we're shocked by anything slightly risque or uppity.
Mitchell & Webb are hilarious - I haven't seen a single post liking the UK ads, which is bizarre. The US ones are funny, and I couldn't think of a better casting for the UK version.
Where have you been for the last 3 years? Have you never heard of Peep Show, The Mitchell & Webb Look, or watched Have I Got News For You, 8 out of 10 cats or QI?
In no way would I describe the ads as crass and embarrassing or pathetic. And I think it's a little belittling to think that the UK public isn't used to critical advertising, inferring we're shocked by anything slightly risque or uppity.
Whatever.
Everytime I visit the university library I can't help noticing just how many macbooks are around. A couple of years ago macs were a rare sight.
Amen! I was one of 4 on my campus last year to own a mac, and now on campus there must be at least 20 people that own one, and about 20 more that want one bad, and are sick of using windows.
Mitchell and Webb can be funny, but the ads are not. They're just boring. They don't really convey the 'Mac experience' to me.
Your all Bonkers!!!
1.You couldnt use the US ads over here, firstly(not me) as a lot of people know lots of british people don't really like Americans so it would'nt of worked.
2.I think the original US ads are probably the best overall but some of these ads are HILIARIOUS.
3.I think there aiming at a young audience, I'm doing GCSEs and my whole ICT class was ;aughing at these ads, ive already convinced 3 people to get a Mac that are younger than 16.
4.Thats Number Wang
5.The new Ad's are brilliant.
6.The best ad overall is Cancel or Allow.(Full Stop)
7.The next best are 'Naughty Step' 'Magic' 'Trust Mac'(Both versions) and 'Tentical'
Anyway you can't get a fair opinion until you've asked Australian whos seen all the ads at the same time for the first time.
(The guy being quoted above me is right)
1.You couldnt use the US ads over here, firstly(not me) as a lot of people know lots of british people don't really like Americans so it would'nt of worked.
2.I think the original US ads are probably the best overall but some of these ads are HILIARIOUS.
3.I think there aiming at a young audience, I'm doing GCSEs and my whole ICT class was ;aughing at these ads, ive already convinced 3 people to get a Mac that are younger than 16.
4.Thats Number Wang
5.The new Ad's are brilliant.
6.The best ad overall is Cancel or Allow.(Full Stop)
7.The next best are 'Naughty Step' 'Magic' 'Trust Mac'(Both versions) and 'Tentical'
Anyway you can't get a fair opinion until you've asked Australian whos seen all the ads at the same time for the first time.
(The guy being quoted above me is right)
I've been reading about the chav phenom quite a bit, and I'd like to ask the Brits on this board, what do they think of the wisdom of targetting adverts at the chav market, since it seems like a really large part of the demographic of young people in Britain.
The advantage is that young people are not prejudiced against Apple and wedded to Windows, so it seems wise to cultivate the new generation with a view to life-long product loyalty down the road.
Mostly I've seen a lot of effort aimed at the chav market form the various sportswear and sneaker manufacturers and retailers, but I haven't seen any computer ads aimed at this important demographic.
Chavs seem to like a lot of bling and fancy jewelry and they seem image concious, so a nice Apple lappy would seem to be a natural fit - appearance is the strong suit of Apple designed goods. There is already a nice "in" with iPods which also are popular with chavs. Apple has pursued the same idea of appealing to image concious consumer demographic here in the U.S., like the metro market, young hip professionals, students and designers.
I don't know if the present switcher ads Apple is running in Britain speak to the chav market, but probably not. Why not make some ads aimed at this important and influencial segment of the market - from what I read, more and more kids in Britain are aspiring to the chav lifestyle, so it would be wise for Apple to make their move now.
So, Brits - what's your take on the chav market as far as Apple is concerned?
The advantage is that young people are not prejudiced against Apple and wedded to Windows, so it seems wise to cultivate the new generation with a view to life-long product loyalty down the road.
Mostly I've seen a lot of effort aimed at the chav market form the various sportswear and sneaker manufacturers and retailers, but I haven't seen any computer ads aimed at this important demographic.
Chavs seem to like a lot of bling and fancy jewelry and they seem image concious, so a nice Apple lappy would seem to be a natural fit - appearance is the strong suit of Apple designed goods. There is already a nice "in" with iPods which also are popular with chavs. Apple has pursued the same idea of appealing to image concious consumer demographic here in the U.S., like the metro market, young hip professionals, students and designers.
I don't know if the present switcher ads Apple is running in Britain speak to the chav market, but probably not. Why not make some ads aimed at this important and influencial segment of the market - from what I read, more and more kids in Britain are aspiring to the chav lifestyle, so it would be wise for Apple to make their move now.
So, Brits - what's your take on the chav market as far as Apple is concerned?
I don't really think the 'Chav' market is a specific market and I can't see many ads that would appeal to them. Generally a 'chav' would try and have things they could show off, clothes, trainers, iPods ect ect. I'm not sure that a chav would want a mac anyway.
I disagree, sorry. The ads are funny to me and remember that they're trying to differentiate Macs from PCs, otherwise you'd end up with a 'Buy a Mac - it's like a PC but a bit different' message.
Macs are fun, easy to use and stylish.
PCs are boring, difficult to use and nerdy.
The perfect message to try to convey in the first place, and the ads succeed in doing this through simplicity and humour.
Strange
I'm confused.
Well, I just checked out the Apple UK website and saw the first ad... something about 'out of the box'. The Mac was wanting to get on with doing things, whilst the PC was having to uninstall trial software and download drivers etc. That's bizarre, because that's pretty much what happened when I bought my Mac. I had to first uninstall the trial version of Office and Appleworks before I could get going, and then had to download the latest version of iTunes to make it work with my iPod, and then several security updates and operating system patches. Then I wanted to view videos full screen, only to find that that required the further purchase of Quicktime Pro - unless you wanted to download VLC instead, but that involves more web searching and downloads.
I don't understand how the Mac has any advantage over the PC here? Sure, the virus and spyware adverts are pretty much true, but this 'out of the box' one is just misleading, based on my own experience with OS X Tiger and a new Apple laptop.
I'm confused.
Well, I just checked out the Apple UK website and saw the first ad... something about 'out of the box'. The Mac was wanting to get on with doing things, whilst the PC was having to uninstall trial software and download drivers etc. That's bizarre, because that's pretty much what happened when I bought my Mac. I had to first uninstall the trial version of Office and Appleworks before I could get going, and then had to download the latest version of iTunes to make it work with my iPod, and then several security updates and operating system patches. Then I wanted to view videos full screen, only to find that that required the further purchase of Quicktime Pro - unless you wanted to download VLC instead, but that involves more web searching and downloads.
I don't understand how the Mac has any advantage over the PC here? Sure, the virus and spyware adverts are pretty much true, but this 'out of the box' one is just misleading, based on my own experience with OS X Tiger and a new Apple laptop.
Confused again
Just watched my second UK ad about connecting a new printer to a Mac. The Mac is telling PC that new printers work fine on a Mac. In fact, Mac is able to communicate with the printer (in Japanese), but the PC is not. How odd.
I was looking into purchasing an HP Colour Laserjet 1600 (their latest low budget model), and found that it did not have driver support for Apple operating systems. HP is a major printer manufacturer, so I'm not just talking about some obscure printer brand here. And upon further investigation, I found that many of their printers have no OS X drivers whatsoever.
Those ads are totally misleading. Or is Apple offering those drivers as a download on their own website? Oh hang on, according to Apple's last ad I mentioned in my previous post, you never need to download drivers... is that it?
I'm just frustrated, because I've had a few friends recently ask me what's different about my Mac compared with a PC - and if they saw these ads they'd get it totally wrong. Thanks goodness they show the US versions in NZ which are less misleading (well, the ones we've seen so far).
Just watched my second UK ad about connecting a new printer to a Mac. The Mac is telling PC that new printers work fine on a Mac. In fact, Mac is able to communicate with the printer (in Japanese), but the PC is not. How odd.
I was looking into purchasing an HP Colour Laserjet 1600 (their latest low budget model), and found that it did not have driver support for Apple operating systems. HP is a major printer manufacturer, so I'm not just talking about some obscure printer brand here. And upon further investigation, I found that many of their printers have no OS X drivers whatsoever.
Those ads are totally misleading. Or is Apple offering those drivers as a download on their own website? Oh hang on, according to Apple's last ad I mentioned in my previous post, you never need to download drivers... is that it?
I'm just frustrated, because I've had a few friends recently ask me what's different about my Mac compared with a PC - and if they saw these ads they'd get it totally wrong. Thanks goodness they show the US versions in NZ which are less misleading (well, the ones we've seen so far).
Ok. I had no trial software on my iMac, could use it out of the box, and just went on software update after a few days when I felt like it, since it's optional. Then it downloaded all updates at once no problem, so that my OS was setup for 2006. Otherwise, we'd all be running OS 10.0 Cheetah and complaining that Apple never updates anything.
Our internet and ethernet network worked straight away and our Xerox Phaser 7300, Apple Laserwriter and Epson Perfection 4870 worked straight away.
Meanwhile, at home, I installed Vista.
First of all it wouldn't install without freezing, which I discovered was due to me needing a BIOS update. So I had to reinstall XP, update the BIOS, reinstall Vista, make it shut up about Windows Defender, download AVG Antivirus, download nVidia drivers, download Canon printer drivers, download Canon scanner drivers, turn off phishing filter crap and click 'allow' about 50 times throughout the course of all this.
The only things it could get to work straight out of the box were my LAN card drivers and soundcard.
I'm not against PCs, and I use mine for games and loads of other stuff when not at work.
But what Apple are saying in their ads is accurate. Yes, it's easier for them since they design the hardware and the software, but there seem to be a lot of Apple bashers on this Apple forum!
I like em!
They're fun without being mean...
...and they certainly tell no lies!!
They are a lot nicer than Steve Balmers tongue that's for sure...
They're fun without being mean...
...and they certainly tell no lies!!
They are a lot nicer than Steve Balmers tongue that's for sure...
I think the UK campaign would have received less criticism if Apple had not picked semi-famous people to star in them - especially two who have very set (type-cast, almost) roles and personalities thanks to their other work.
Would have been better off just getting two unknown people - fat old PC man, young sexeh Mac man.
Would have been better off just getting two unknown people - fat old PC man, young sexeh Mac man.
To be honest, the only criticism I've seen is in this thread! LOL.
Personally I think the casting is perfect, but everyone's entitled to their opinion.
Personally I think the casting is perfect, but everyone's entitled to their opinion.
I don't really think this whole chav demographic is something any company should be targeting. It is evidence that the social engineering and dumbing down of the population is working and is not something to highlight. You might be right in seeing it as an untapped market but to be honest it would do them more harm than good. From my experience it is mostly confused teenagers angry at the world and not knowing where to turn, so the money to purchase this Apple Mac would more than likely come from the parent(s) paycheck.
I don't think many people in the UK like the chav culture unless they are actually part of it and then to be honest I am not sure what it is or what you have to do to be part of it. Have a child at a stupidly young age? live in a council house? Hang around the local one stop swearing and making people generally feel uncomfortable when buying a loaf of bread? Or just wearing a Adidas tracksuit and a Burberry baseball cap?
I am looking to switch to a Mac because I work with graphics and historically desktop publishing and graphic design has always been done on a Macintosh. I feel that it will further my career learning the OS etc.
If Apple wanted to target this whole "Chav" culture then I would stamp on my iPod and stick with the latest Microsoft bulls!te. I don't think anyone should "aspire" to be a chav, I don't know what you are reading but as far as I am concerned it is nothing to be glorified and is commonly looked down upon. Chav is often used as a derogatory term as opposed to a term of endearment.
As far as the adverts go. I like them but since us English route for the underdog and don't like people boasting, it is totally out of context. I think that majority of the English people are likely to dislike Apple because of it as they seem to be bragging and posing about how great they are. I think they are funny but don't think Apple did the research correctly.
England maybe the 51st state and Sky one might buy any old American rubbish to broadcast but we are still very different people. What works across the pond won't always work here.
What have you been reading to get this utterly bizarre conclusion? Or are you being ironic - I honestly can't tell.
If they wanted to target the Chavs - they could just bling up the iPod with a Burberry cover and sell it for 300 quid.
These ads are meant to target young home users who have the iPod and the iPod speaker systems and probably have a connector to plug it into their Audi TT/Golf GTi.
If you called them a Chav they'd choke on their £10 bottle of Shriaz.
These ads are meant to target young home users who have the iPod and the iPod speaker systems and probably have a connector to plug it into their Audi TT/Golf GTi.
If you called them a Chav they'd choke on their £10 bottle of Shriaz.
There are some good points in here about Apple users being perceived as smug, which I've found to be true amongst a number of my friends, and also some good points about whether this "news" is actually coming from real surveys or simply coming from the inventive minds of journalists keen for a new slant on Apple.
Having said that, I don't like the ads and I think the main problem in the ads for me is that I identify with the PC character as well Mac character because of having seen Peep Show. I wasn't a huge fan of Peep Show, but the beauty for me lay in being able to identify both with the awkward idiot and the overconfident loser - they're both parts of my personality. I ended up sympathising much more with the Mitchell character in the ads because of it. They're both losers in their own way, only Webb's character in Peep Show was a self-important cock. I think Apple may have shot themselves in the foot a bit with this, because with Apple users being perceived by some people as smug, having a character who's primarily known for being self-important represent them might well just reinforce that position. And having the "inner loser" in all of us represent the PC, I find there's a natural reaction against the cruelty of laughing at him because, let's face it, it's horrible having to use a PC
Having said that, I don't like the ads and I think the main problem in the ads for me is that I identify with the PC character as well Mac character because of having seen Peep Show. I wasn't a huge fan of Peep Show, but the beauty for me lay in being able to identify both with the awkward idiot and the overconfident loser - they're both parts of my personality. I ended up sympathising much more with the Mitchell character in the ads because of it. They're both losers in their own way, only Webb's character in Peep Show was a self-important cock. I think Apple may have shot themselves in the foot a bit with this, because with Apple users being perceived by some people as smug, having a character who's primarily known for being self-important represent them might well just reinforce that position. And having the "inner loser" in all of us represent the PC, I find there's a natural reaction against the cruelty of laughing at him because, let's face it, it's horrible having to use a PC
There's an insane amount of stereotyping going on in the thread - it's almost funny, but really, a little bit scary. If you don't find the time to get to know and understand people, it just breeds ignorance. Please find the time to actually look at what people are saying - refrain from snap judgments.
Re: The Casting
I think the casting is great. Apple is associating themselves with just the type of trendy, left-of-center pop culture that their target audience is into (for example, I would think the people who watch "Peep Show" are the same sorts who'd listen to some of the flavor of the month bands that are always featured in the iPod spots - and I'm not saying that in a bad way. I think it's a good choice for Apple).
Re: The Smug Factor
Look, I hate to break it to you, but most Mac users *are* smug. Then again, so are most PC users. And most Nike fans. Or Adidas fans. Or Coke drinkers. Or Pepsi drinkers. People get smug when they're emotional and think they're making the right choice. Anyone who's way into a product will always think it's senseless to support or consume the competitor. Yankees fans will always think Red Sox fans are insane for supporting the team that (almost) always comes in second. Red Sox fans will think Yankees fans are insane for supporting a team that buys its way to the playoffs. PS3 users think it's all about the hardware. Wii users think it's all about the playability and user experience. It's a fact that any advertisement making a comparison between two products will come across as smug. I find the UK ads no more smug than the US ones, and if you recall, when the US ones first premiered here, people said they were condescending.
Re: The Whole "Chav" Thing
I can't believe the thread has even deteriorated into that...
I think the casting is great. Apple is associating themselves with just the type of trendy, left-of-center pop culture that their target audience is into (for example, I would think the people who watch "Peep Show" are the same sorts who'd listen to some of the flavor of the month bands that are always featured in the iPod spots - and I'm not saying that in a bad way. I think it's a good choice for Apple).
Re: The Smug Factor
Look, I hate to break it to you, but most Mac users *are* smug. Then again, so are most PC users. And most Nike fans. Or Adidas fans. Or Coke drinkers. Or Pepsi drinkers. People get smug when they're emotional and think they're making the right choice. Anyone who's way into a product will always think it's senseless to support or consume the competitor. Yankees fans will always think Red Sox fans are insane for supporting the team that (almost) always comes in second. Red Sox fans will think Yankees fans are insane for supporting a team that buys its way to the playoffs. PS3 users think it's all about the hardware. Wii users think it's all about the playability and user experience. It's a fact that any advertisement making a comparison between two products will come across as smug. I find the UK ads no more smug than the US ones, and if you recall, when the US ones first premiered here, people said they were condescending.
Re: The Whole "Chav" Thing
I can't believe the thread has even deteriorated into that...
Folks, lets face reality here. You may not like a particular demographic, but they are customers just the same. It's no use turning up one's nose here, such snobbery went out with the outdated class system in a modern economy. The Chav scene may not be my scene or your scene, but it is a real scene. If it were some small tiny market, you could argue that it can be properly ignored. But it's not. It's a big demographic.
The other thing to address is the "council house and Mum's paycheck" - excuse me, but have you ever looked at how much disposable income these people actually have? You may think the track suits and footware and bling is all cheap stuff, but it isn't. They do have the money - and the point is why shouldn't they spend it on the appropriate product?
Just the other day I came across an article about the huge numbers of ordinary amateurs who do their own little music projects all over Britain - usually centered around hip hop - and how vast numbers of disadvantaged youths (essentially the class from which Chavs spring) are involved. Obviously they are using laptops and computers. Those could be Apple computers.
In general, this could be good for both Apple and a social good too - if the energies of these young Chavs were re-directed to something more creative and productive, it would also cut down on the sense of alienation and hooliganism.
Lastly, nobody deserves to be treated with contempt. Chavs are human beings too, and the sooner we bring them into the fold of society, the better for all.
Now, how to reach that demographic? Do they watch a lot of TV? Billboards? Radio? Magazines?
The other thing to address is the "council house and Mum's paycheck" - excuse me, but have you ever looked at how much disposable income these people actually have? You may think the track suits and footware and bling is all cheap stuff, but it isn't. They do have the money - and the point is why shouldn't they spend it on the appropriate product?
Just the other day I came across an article about the huge numbers of ordinary amateurs who do their own little music projects all over Britain - usually centered around hip hop - and how vast numbers of disadvantaged youths (essentially the class from which Chavs spring) are involved. Obviously they are using laptops and computers. Those could be Apple computers.
In general, this could be good for both Apple and a social good too - if the energies of these young Chavs were re-directed to something more creative and productive, it would also cut down on the sense of alienation and hooliganism.
Lastly, nobody deserves to be treated with contempt. Chavs are human beings too, and the sooner we bring them into the fold of society, the better for all.
Now, how to reach that demographic? Do they watch a lot of TV? Billboards? Radio? Magazines?
Sorry, but your ignorance is absolutely astounding.
While the so-called "bling" and whatnot is not always cheap, and while their disposable income may be more than people think (it's not, but for the sake of argument), how many of you honestly think it amounts to the kind of money needed to buy a MacBook? Or even a Mac Mini? Because honestly, it doesn't - some people have an extremely warped view of these supposed lives of luxury led by society's poorest people, so much so that apparently top-of-the-line consumer electronics are not only within their price range, but they are of interest to them at all. Of all the population, there are fewer computers in these people's homes than of any other part of society - getting them a computer at all might be a feasability, but persuading them to buy a Mac is a whole other kettle of fish, and frankly, not even the Reality Distortion Field is that strong.
Plus, the government-sponsored music schemes have to squeeze ten pints to a gallon out of every resource to even happen - that's why they rely on volunteer DJs and the schemes are forever buckling under their own stringency, folding like a two pair. Unless the volunteers bring MacBooks with them, there isn't going to be a computer provided, and if it is, you can bet it'll be a computer similar to the one I had to use for my music technology A-level - e.g. a Windows box that should have been scrapped when ME came out.
The fact of the matter is, chavs have an image as being rudeboys and criminals - which is why the word 'chav' has become a derogatory term. Unless you just slapped a burberry cap on Webb without saying anything about it, how would you pander to that image, to people who aspire to that? What would that advert look like?
"S'appenin' bruv, I'm a Mac."
"And I'm a PC."
"You what?"
"...I didn't say anything."
"Gis yer phone, or I'll smash yer face in. Then I'll sync it to me iCal and blog about it later, yer d*ck'ed."
Then a picture of the brand new burberry MacBook.
Your run of the mill chav is not Apple's target market - there's an incredible negative stigma around them and if Apple were caught pandering to them, it would be slammed as both inherently condescending and completely oblivious to Apple's real audience. And rightly so.
Apple's audience is the kind of people who'd like Peep Show, and therefore recognize Mitchell and Webb. And while I think the ads aren't up to scratch at the moment, I dread to think what would happen if they replaced Webb with Devvo.
I think the UK ads didn't get a great response for various reasons.
First of all they were unnecessary, secondly the actors come across as smarmy, rather than smart, and finally I think we all view them as a bit of fun and we had seen them all before on the US versions.
First of all they were unnecessary, secondly the actors come across as smarmy, rather than smart, and finally I think we all view them as a bit of fun and we had seen them all before on the US versions.
I went to the cinema and saw the ads there. They seem to really work on the big screen. A few people were chuckling about the "tentacle of the octupus" line.