Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Apple's biggest problem

Word of mouth only counts for so much...I'm forever evangelising about Macs to anyone who will listen and forever putting people straight the misconceptions...how many of those people have bought a Mac? Zero.

People "get" why spending that little bit more (comparitively) makes sense on their iPod purchase...but it doesn't translate to Mac sales. A guy I sit near at work has an iPod - but is forever slagging off Macs...so iPod advertising alone isn't the answer. The so-called "halo effect" is mostly hokum in my opinion...sure, iPod's have raised Apple's mindshare to heights not seen in a very long time (perhaps ever)...but everyone knows BMW exist - doesn't mean people can afford them or want to buy them if they think they are going to get a better deal elsewhere.

As suggested above, Apple need to really push the Macs and the iApps to show people what is possible...the HP example is perfect really...flashy, understandable Ads that simply say "stick with HP and we'll help you do great things"...Great things that everyone reading this board knows the average consumer could do far better and easier with a Mac and the iApps...so why aren't Apple telling people this?

In one 30 second advert you could plant the seed in Mr and Mrs. A. Consumer's mind that says "If I get a Mac, I can do all that stuff - I'll have to look at them next time I'm in PC World"...NOBODY offers a simpler, more complete overall package than Apple in terms of the digital hub/lifestyle we all keep hearing about...quite why they aren't shouting it from the rooftops at anyone who will listen is beyond me.
 
I'm gonna agree here. If you want head::head comparisons, that website/magazine territory. Those precious seconds on TV are alot more expensive, so having it all-Apple related would be a lot more effective for the money.

I am STILL surprised that Garageband has gotten 0 air time. If I had a G4 or better Apple machine, i'd be playing with it right now. I mean, the usual suspects (iPhoto/Pshop/iTunes) are well known right now, but some people still have no idea about Garageband. Or heck, the "Note" feature of Office 2k4 (which I think is really nice as well).

Apple has always had success doing something new, so why don't they apply this to their marketing campaign as well?
 
Did anybody see that Tiger preview quicktime that was circulating a while back? The one with the Audio Bullys' 'We Don't Care' as the soundtrack? It was basically a screen recording of the guy running through all the cool features in tiger- Spotlight, automator, dashboard, etc... it was sped up a bit so he was flying through all sorts of actions- expose and app switcher, etc. The effect of this was extremely impressive. I think this is the kind of commercial they should do for X. Totally blow people away.
 
I think an iLife commerical ala HP would be perfect. It's not saying "hey Windows sucks, Macs are more stable, OS X rocks" or anything. All it is saying is Listen, we all love music, we all love movies, and we all take photos. Here's how we can help you bring your world together.

People are blown away by an iDVD I can make in under an hour...I did one for my parents anniversary that brought tears to eyes and I'm no great director. No one believed me how easy it was.

an iLife add and a Tiger print ad (2 or 3 pages) hitting the improvments in Tiger would be awesome.

When you know you are better than the compitition, you don't have to tell people you are...they'll find out. But you have to make them know you exist.
 
I strongly suspect (or hope) that they've got something in the works for later in the year when Tiger comes as the installed OS on all new machines.

They're banking a lot on Tiger and we'll be using it for at least another 18 months or more after release...

One of the problems is meeting demand. The hype amongst the cognoscenti here & elsewhere means that every new Mac product has a waiting list and supply problems immediately upon release. Heavy advertising at those times could be counter-productive because it would only lead to inevitable frustration.

But when Tiger is out and they get the supply sorted on Minis & iMacs, then there's no excuse for not really going for a push on this... and if not immediately, then some well-placed regular spots leading up to a big push before Xmas 2005 when a huge number of home computer purchases are made.
 
kingjr3 said:
Perhaps they don't want their computers to become mainstream, perhaps they are happy with the slow and steady growth over the past few years, perhaps you misunderstand Apple's objectives...perhaps.
Click to expand...

Well I might just disagree slightly on this one. I am sure apple would love to have greater appeal assuming they can make the same per unit profit. All corporations want to make a return for their shareholders. Or they go under.

I think the reality is that apple missed the boat on major market share. That ship left port long ago. Even if apple's products are superior most people are beaters anyway and will go with social proof over technical merit. They just want the cheapest widget to fulfill whatever need for the cheapest perceived price. You can wax philisophical all you want about the "TCO" of one system over another but I don't think it amounts to many new "converts". Of course this talk makes me sound like an Apple Elitist, but in my defense, I was an elitist long before I was into Apple computers. :)

Anywayz, old BillG pulled the rug out under Apple big time back in the day with Win1.0 but the good news is that even though it made Microsoft, and more importantly their shareholders, billions upon billions, the universe has a wonderful way of equalizing this out. Microsoft has a great deal of karmic retribution coming its way. One such karmic conveyence will be Linux. It will really stick it to MS in the up-and-coming markets in China, India, etc. Those are still growth markets. Most of us are already in markets that are saturated and fully-exploited. But that is just my opinion, who knows what'll happen.

I would like to see apple's share increase, but more importantly like you mentioned I would like to see them continue to make a profit first and keep their shareholders happy. If their stock price continues on the current trajectory that shoulodn't be hard to hit. :)

kingjr3 said:
Also, as the misconception goes the other way too. Too many Apple fanatics bash Windows because they don't understand what it can/can't do or they are mislead by the media...
Click to expand...

Yeah it is that whole religious/political argument stuff that never changes minds it just makes both sides pissed off at each other. But I have noticed that most apple folks have used both mac and windows stuff and tend (on average) to be more cogniscent of both systems. Their arguments are usually more grounded than the folks that have only used Windows and don't know how using Windows is software and computing purgatory.
 
I too am in advertising and agree with Maya-Brand loyalty and word of mouth are your best friends when selling a product. So is brand identity. Look at Target-all you have to see is that logo and you know what it is. Same with the Apple logo-even those who aren't tech-savvy know that logo from the iPod. I do, however, agree that Apple does need to begin advertising the rest of their hardware in some way. But they need to start slow and the product they start with MUST be something innovative like the iPod. THAT is how they will get more market share.
 
I think Apple has the brand identity down. They just need to push more than the iPod. Back in the late 90's you couldn't go two blocks in Manhattan without seeing an iMac G3 or a Clamshell iBook ad now all you see are iPods everywhere. They used to have those incredible TV and print iMac ads as well that were absolutely beautiful but they've put their whole ad budget into the iPod for the last few years.

I feel like the success of the iPod has given apple a foot in the door with millions of windows users (which is good) and now they need to take some of the cash they made off the 4.7 million iPods they sold in the last quarter of last year and make some really incredible iMac, Mac Mini, and iBook ads. I bet 95% of windows users haven't seen or even heard of a Mac Mini and they certainly don't know they can get one for under $500. Apple's price points are more attractive now than they've been in a decade.
 
Record breaking quarter performances for revenue and profit seems to suggest they don't need to do much more than work the halo-effect. Sure, it won't last forever, but I don't think they are in a position to change habits.

Once the hardware range has settled (mini matures, emac retires, PM hits 4ghz) we might see some ad-land action.
 
The thing is there is no way for Apple to explain the difference between Mac and PC or OS X and Windows in 30 seconds TV commercial spot. iPod halo effect is working well for Apple, draw people who use PC to the store check out iPod, they are exposed to all mac computers and Mac OS X operating systems.
 
I completely agree with you-sorry if that's not how it came across. Yes-I would say that most people know the Apple logo-they just mainly associate it with the iPod. And you are correct-I think now is the time for them to start pushing other products and I think you are correct when you mention the Mini, it could be a great way for them to push their hardware. It just needs to be done very carefully.

rkphoto said:
I think Apple has the brand identity down. They just need to push more than the iPod. Back in the late 90's you couldn't go two blocks in Manhattan without seeing an iMac G3 or a Clamshell iBook ad now all you see are iPods everywhere. They used to have those incredible TV and print iMac ads as well that were absolutely beautiful but they've put their whole ad budget into the iPod for the last few years.

I feel like the success of the iPod has given apple a foot in the door with millions of windows users (which is good) and now they need to take some of the cash they made off the 4.7 million iPods they sold in the last quarter of last year and make some really incredible iMac, Mac Mini, and iBook ads. I bet 95% of windows users haven't seen or even heard of a Mac Mini and they certainly don't know they can get one for under $500. Apple's price points are more attractive now than they've been in a decade.
Click to expand...
 
The first time I saw the 'Photo' HP ad, I thought what a perfect iPhoto ad it would have been.

I think the biggest problem in Mac awareness is letting people know that they can go online, use their digital cameras/camcorders, collect email and that they're compatible with wifi (my aunt to check whether the iBook had Centrino!) and with Windows produced files for the most part.

Apple have done the brand awareness for music players. Now they need to do it for computers - not as specific model, just OS X in general.

Hmmm, how to fit everything into a 60 second commercial!
 
leekohler said:
the product they start with MUST be something innovative like the iPod. THAT is how they will get more market share.
Click to expand...

I think we've enough iPod advertising, it's everywhere...

On another thread here, I recently read that somebody's friend didn't know that their iPod was made by Apple or could be connected to a Mac... other people report that friends have said things like that they didn't even know Apple existed – "are they still making those?", was the quote...

It's going to take more than word-of-mouth to address that perception and recognition of brand. To most people a computer is a substantial purchase and people are reluctant to take what they perceive as a risk. Sure, informed consumers may look into it but so many people don't get past the mhz myth...

There's a tremendous amount of consumer inertia and ignorance about switching to Apple. We never saw the 'Switch' campaign here in the UK, but by all accounts, it wasn't tremendously successful... for what reasons I can't even begin to speculate.

Read this fantastic post. There's your pitch – any decent creative in any decent agency could build a great campaign around that outline...
 
papersushi said:
The thing is there is no way for Apple to explain the difference between Mac and PC or OS X and Windows in 30 seconds TV commercial spot.
Click to expand...

You don't understand TV advertising.

You don't need to explain or compare anything... you show what the product can do for you, how it can change your life, you build a mood and create a desire or at least a curiosity...
 
I must not be communicating effectively today. I meant something LIKE the iPod, such as perhaps the Mini. :)

Wow- I did love that post! :)

Blue Velvet said:
I think we've enough iPod advertising, it's everywhere...

On another thread here, I recently read that somebody's friend didn't know that their iPod was made by Apple or could be connected to a Mac... other people report that friends have said things like that they didn't even know Apple existed – "are they still making those?", was the quote...

It's going to take more than word-of-mouth to address that perception and recognition of brand. To most people a computer is a substantial purchase and people are reluctant to take what they perceive as a risk. Sure, informed consumers may look into it but so many people don't get past the mhz myth...

There's a tremendous amount of consumer inertia and ignorance about switching to Apple. We never saw the 'Switch' campaign here in the UK, but by all accounts, it wasn't tremendously successful... for what reasons I can't even begin to speculate.

Read this fantastic post. There's your pitch – any decent creative in any decent agency could build a great campaign around that outline...
Click to expand...
 
word of mouth & stores might work if you got something to begin with... before 2004 i haven't met a mac user for about 7 or 8 years... and the apple retailers aren't really that good over here...apple simpyl lacks the brand recognition like in the US ...where are the ipod ads over here ?
schools are completly x86 all the way so the education market is nonexistant outside of students...
 
Mav451 said:
And this is where Apple's advertising department should come in. Enough with the iPods already. I want one, and its not b/c of that stupid commercial. Its time to advertise its software/hardware more than something that people ALREADY WANT.
Click to expand...

I agree. Here's their ad.....

Open with iPod silhouette dancer and some loud music that comes to a screeching halt. Live person says, OK, everyone has and loves their iPod. have you checked out the other cool things Apple makes?

Take it from there.
 
How about an ad campaign with celebrity switchers (can't think of any offhand) being caught in a bad situation with Windows. They cut away from the scene, the celeb walks out and says, "That was me (however long it was) ago. Then I discovered the Mac. With no viruses, no adware, and no spyware, Macs are the most stable and stylish computers on the market (While the person is saying this, Apple's computing line flashes across the screen). For more information, go to (website here). Apple. Expect more."
 
rdowns said:
I agree. Here's their ad.....

Open with iPod silhouette dancer and some loud music that comes to a screeching halt. Live person says, OK, everyone has and loves their iPod. have you checked out the other cool things Apple makes?

Take it from there.
Click to expand...

I like your thinking on this! The live person could then talk about how easy it is to connect all your peripherals to Apple hardware and briefly mention the benefits of iLife. Maybe you should send this idea to Apple. :)
 
leekohler said:
I like your thinking on this! The live person could then talk about how easy it is to connect all your peripherals and briefly mention the benefits of iLife. Maybe you should send this idea to Apple. :)
Click to expand...

No, no, no... No talking, no peripherals, no demos, no celebrities, and especially no bloody Windows... lol :D

Think along the lines of the HP spots. Make technology look funky, sassy, easy and most importantly, sexy & desirable...
 
Blue Velvet said:
No, no, no... No talking, no peripherals, no demos, no celebrities, and especially no bloody Windows... lol :D

Think along the lines of the HP spots. Make technology look funky, sassy, easy and most importantly, sexy & desirable...
Click to expand...

Hmm...I see what you mean. However, don't you think the design of the machines themselves already accomplish that end? And yes of course, sexy is always the rule. :)
 
Swinny said:
Word of mouth only counts for so much...I'm forever evangelising about Macs to anyone who will listen and forever putting people straight the misconceptions...how many of those people have bought a Mac? Zero.
Click to expand...

I've gotten 3 people to switch so far using that method. :)
 
leekohler said:
don't you think the design of the machines themselves already accomplish that end?
Click to expand...

Stick it in front of a camera and it looks like a box albeit a pretty one...

The austere cool BMW approach wouldn't work, it's too elitest and aspirational...

Look how Honda have approached their car advertisements. Make it warm, fun, human, personal... interesting.
 
Blue Velvet said:
Stick it in front of a camera and it looks like a box albeit a pretty one...

The austere cool BMW approach wouldn't work, it's too elitest and aspirational...

Look how Honda have approached their car advertisements. Make it warm, fun, human, personal... interesting.
Click to expand...

OK-would you agree that there must be some way to get the functionality aspect across and still make it look sexy? I agree with you about the elitist approach. Not good. People don't like to feel like idiots or somewhat less of a person because they don't own this or that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back