'Get a Mac' Ads without Justin Long ('Mac')

[lord patton]

I liked the ads, and didn't find them particularly condescending. That said, a change is good. People, if they even watch commercials anymore (I love Tivo), don't watch the ones they think they've already seen.

If you can build on the brand, but keep it novel, the ad campaign will have new life. This is a good move.

I think they should cast some 80 year old grandma who, after talking about how easy it is to do everything she wants, smacks PC upside the head and says, "Life's too short to bother with crashing computers—stop being a stubborn ass and switch."

Then she can turn to the camera and deadpan, "PCs are bu11*****."

 

[IlluminatedSage]

He can't. PC (John Hodgman) already uses Mac.

naw i bet he will be a full on switcher

 

[macintologist]

Why can't Steve Jobs be in a couple of Apple Ad's and stand by his products, sort of like The Video Professor

 

[usasalazar]

Justin can't leave the house!

He can't be in any more commercials because he has to stay at home and wait for the -- yet again delayed -- shipment of his MBP C2D

 

[peharri]

Good news everyone!

The reason Justin Long is gone is because of a change of emphasis at Apple. In January, Steve Jobs will go on stage... and announce they're dropping the Mac and will be selling PCs running Windows from now on.

Wait. No! That's not good news. That's not good at all!

 

[omcorp]

bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep bleep!

Time to bring back Ellen Feiss...

 

[dpaanlka]

I'll wager a bet and say Get a Mac is over. They already have like 20 commercials... that was quite a fun campaign but time to move on. Perhaps maybe, like, talk about the individual products.

The last commercial that really did that was the Power Mac G5 "blown away" commercial... which was awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iDbHeuRACU

 

[ChrisA]

Lots of good reasons to switch actors

I think a great set of adds would be if they used a different person in each ad, so you would not know (for sure) who was the mac and who was the PC until they got going in to the story. Let the viewer figure it out.

What about using two female actors? Would that work?

 

[macenforcer]

Good show Justin. Those ads are lame lame lame. All apple's ads are stupid. Why can't they do some high tech cool looking ads. I will never understand apple marketing. Bunch of idiots.

 

[twoodcc]

Why can't Steve Jobs be in a couple of Apple Ad's and stand by his products, sort of like The Video Professor

i've always felt sorry for that guy...no one ever buys his stuff (i'm guessing, since he gives it away for free now)

 

[bousozoku]

Good show Justin. Those ads are lame lame lame. All apple's ads are stupid. Why can't they do some high tech cool looking ads. I will never understand apple marketing. Bunch of idiots.

They're trying to sell to the general public, not to you. If they created ads that targeted technology, it's likely that they'd have fewer buyers, because the advertisements wouldn't tell them anything they wanted to know.

People understand creating web pages, handling photos, and making home movies. They don't want to know about typing on a command line to build an application to eventually let them create web pages, handle photos, or make home movies.

 

[pbook15]

Advertising is a way to reassure people they made the right purchase

It may just be me but I always find the ads condescending to the PC market it's hoping to crossover.

Maybe the only market who really enjoy these ads are those who already own a mac and those who dont own one might not feel tempted to crossover after being portrayed as a joker!

Its a bit "we want your business but we think your a fool in the first place"


Im not sure if thats a good angle. It might be though.

 

[macenforcer]

They're trying to sell to the general public, not to you. If they created ads that targeted technology, it's likely that they'd have fewer buyers, because the advertisements wouldn't tell them anything they wanted to know.

People understand creating web pages, handling photos, and making home movies. They don't want to know about typing on a command line to build an application to eventually let them create web pages, handle photos, or make home movies.

Whatev. Everyone knows that apple ads suck. Look at the switcher campaign. Went down in history as the worst tv spots EVER!

 

[bousozoku]

Whatev. Everyone knows that apple ads suck. Look at the switcher campaign. Went down in history as the worst tv spots EVER!

"Everyone" knows that Apple's sales are up and the latest advertisements have been helping make Apple visible.

 

[rtdunham]

Let's try this....All of the girls from last year Playboy centerfolds as Macs, and a bunch of toothless overweight hillbilly girls with a bunch of uncontrollable brats running around as PCs

yeah! nobody could accuse us of being shallow for that! Barbies rule, moms drool, and all that!

 

[iMeowbot]

I think a great set of adds would be if they used a different person in each ad, so you would not know (for sure) who was the mac and who was the PC until they got going in to the story. Let the viewer figure it out.

This guy would be perfect for the role!

 

[p0intblank]

Nooo! I love his character and how he plays it... I thought he did it very well. But oh well, change can be good. I do like PC's character more, though. He's just so funny.

But who can fill Justin's shoes?

 

[Porco]

So Long, farewell, auf wiedersehn, goodbye...

[sorry]

 

[backsidetailsli]

i didnt like him too much anyways

 

[ksz]

I also liked the poise and articulation that Justin brought to the role. But the scruffy, neo-hippie look turned me off. Is that supposed to be the stereotypical Mac user? Hence, I just didn't think that the look was either representative of Mac users or something that Mac users should be aspiring to look like. I simply could not identify.

John Hodgman, on the other hand, looks neutral, is clean shaven and smartly dressed. And he's a lot more charming.

 

[bousozoku]

I also liked the poise and articulation that Justin brought to the role. But the scruffy, neo-hippie look turned me off. Is that supposed to be the stereotypical Mac user? Hence, I just didn't think that the look was either representative of Mac users or something that Mac users should be aspiring to look like. I simply could not identify.

John Hodgman, on the other hand, looks neutral, is clean shaven and smartly dressed. And he's a lot more charming.

They're trying to get new users, not show current users. A lot of potential money is not owned by the clean-shaven. If I were Apple, I would want to distance myself as far as I could from the Mac-o-lytes because they just don't represent reality, either.

 

[richard4339]

Wow, I had no idea the Mac Guy was in Dodgeball. It all makes sense now...

 

[dpaanlka]

Whatev. Everyone knows that apple ads suck. Look at the switcher campaign. Went down in history as the worst tv spots EVER!

Ahem... and the "Think different." campaign? Did that also suck?

What about "The power to be your best." campaign? Did that go down terribly in history too?

 

[Quboid]

I actually liked "the Mac" guy, seen him in a few movies before and i'm pretty sure his leaving due to questions of his acting career. He cant be known as "the mac" forever, plus i'm sure he missed some auditions and/or award shows over it.

Priceless qoute " Uh, everything kinda just runs on a mac" (digital cmera from japan).

Curious, what ever happened to the "Dude, you're getting a dell" guy?

 

[ksz]

A lot of potential money is not owned by the clean-shaven.

What are you basing this on?

If I were Apple, I would want to distance myself as far as I could from the Mac-o-lytes because they just don't represent reality, either.

What does a Mac-o-lyte look like? And how do you know?

It's much more reasonable to assert that the demographics are basically the same between Mac users and PC users (and quite a few people use both). Given the number of units sold, I don't think the demographics are particularly skewed towards any particular character trait.