Microsoft's Holiday Ad Spreads Message of Peace Outside Apple's 5th Avenue Store

[Solomani]

How many people would be in Microsoft stores if not for Xbox?

Not many even if all they came to see are the Xbox. Like Apple, Microsoft Stores do not deeply discount their best-selling product at their own retail stores. So the smart buyers will go to Best Buy or even wait for periodic Amazon holiday sales to buy Xbox units. Maybe even eBay.

Getting a good deal on an Xbox would not be a reason to go to the MS Store, since you can buy the same thing (for much cheaper!) at 50 other 3rd-party retail sites.

 

[Nunyabinez]

There's a 2 minute version

I stand corrected. I'm glad it was a time edit and not a political correctness one.

 

[zsbradt]

View attachment 603264 View attachment 603265 View attachment 603266 View attachment 603267

There's no "truce" to call. Microsoft and Apple don't directly compete. If you google "Apple vs," the top results are Google, Android, Samsung.

Edit/ Nevermind something went wrong.

 

[dave2010]

I picture all the MS employees entering the Apple store and doing all their Christmas shopping and the Apple employees giving them a 10% discount and lots of high fives.

 

[kagharaht]

Laughable. It's a silly to even think MS has any real respect or good wishes for Apple. MS is just capitalizing on Apple status as the world most recognized and admired brand so that they pretend that MS respects Apple. Dumbest ad I've seen to date. lol

 

[peterh988]

Christmas Ads here in the UK are a BIG deal. Stores like John Lewis and Sainsbury's have produced truly amazing ads the last few years with messages that (in some people's eyes) transcend commercialism and capitalism. This year there isn't really one that has stood out to me... I'm amazed to say that this Microsoft advert might be the one that's impressed me the most. Nice work ad men.

I think this is the best ad I've seen, although not necessarily a christmas ad, it was run around that time. Oddly enough, (without wishing to stereotype/profile people) the full ad was run in an episode of NCIS :LA. I can't see too many NCIS fans being in the Cartier demographic.

 

[spoljnr01]

In the spirit of the holiday season, Microsoft today released a new ad that focuses on calling for peace between the company and its public rival, Apple. The 60-second advertisement sees Microsoft employees making their way from the company's new Fifth Avenue store in New York City over to Apple's flagship store to share a festive carol with the Apple employees and others.

The ad's event took place on November 16, with Microsoft employees from around the country joining together in New York City -- along with a local NYC children's youth choir -- to sing "Let There Be Peace On Earth" to a group of Apple workers. Microsoft had to get permission from Apple to film outside the storefront, according to AdAge, due to New York City's strict security rules. Beginning December 3, the ad will run on television, along with the debut of a longer two minute version online.

Most of Microsoft's messaging over the past few years has been in spots that directly compared the company's products with its rivals', with a focus on Apple, and listing reasons why customers would prefer the Microsoft option. Last year the company compared the Surface Pro 3 with the MacBook Air to the tune of a Christmas jingle for its main holiday commercial, so this year's peace-centered message is definitely a departure.

Article Link: Microsoft's Holiday Ad Spreads Message of Peace Outside Apple's 5th Avenue Store

 

[spoljnr01]

If you can't beat them join them.

 

[ConnYoungy]

I don't really "get" it, but its a great move on their part

 

[doelcm82]

This is like Macy's Santa sending customers to Gimbels.

 

[sentiblue]

This is a great gesture that I condone.

I have always not been a fan of ads that say uncool things about rivals.... this includes Apple, MS, Google... etc...
I'm glad that MS has done things differently this year in the spirit of the holidays.

Way to go Microsoft!!!

 

[sentiblue]

No one is talking about Microsoft products, unless you work for a Fortune 500 company with 1.0 technology.

There's no "truce" to call. Microsoft and Apple don't directly compete.

I don't agree! Although I do understand that Apple has acquired quite a large ground on the market share.

- Most companies these days still use Office/Outlook during their day to day operations
- When someone gets a new job at a company that does not use Outlook/Office, they struggle with the replacement tool
- Office made its way to OSX and iOS, and will continue to be a fame in productivity applications
- Windows desktops/laptops are still occupying a huge market share regardless of Apple's success
- Windows Servers are still powering lots of data centers around the world despite Linux popularity
- Xbox is an unrivaled entertainment product (this comes from a guy that doesn't even play game like me)
- Tablet and laptop are the two new and inexperienced products for MS... I don't even care if they fail the market. They have money to take such a hit... Many other companies like Kodak, BlackBerry, HP took hits like that... some died, some survived. What's important is their management.

MS's core has always been windows and office and in my opinion they should continue this path. I think Mr. Gates is a genius and with his return besides the CEO, I have great hope that MS will be back to the leader position in the technology world. He made right decisions and kept MS on top of the world for so many years before and he can do it again. I think Mr. Ballmer's residency has caused tremendous damage to MS and it's a good thing that he has gone sports these days.

And no... MS doesn't have to compete with Apple to be leader because Apple is focused on consumer products and MS is focused on enterprise.

 

[TXCherokee]

Hang on. Did they just leave a store full of customers??

Oh...wait.

Having been too like all the Apple Stores in Silicon Valley/Bay Area, I can guarantee you that right across from the Apple Store is a Microsoft Store and they are both filled almost anytime you go there.

Staying too much in MacRumors hurts your health. Go out a bit more.

First off, it was a joke. And a good one. No need to be ugly about it.

Secondly, having been to three of the malls in the Dallas/Fort Worth area were Apple and MS both reside, I can guarantee, having seen with my own two eyes, that the Apple stores were vastly busier than the MS stores. In fact, if it wasn't for the people playing on the Xbox One's hooked up to the giant screens the MS store could have been described as deserted.

 

[mr.steevo]

I thought Apple and Microsoft declared a truce when Bill Gates bailed out Apple shortly after Jobs returned?

Nah.

 

[btrach144]

Christmas Ads here in the UK are a BIG deal. Stores like John Lewis and Sainsbury's have produced truly amazing ads the last few years with messages that (in some people's eyes) transcend commercialism and capitalism. This year there isn't really one that has stood out to me... I'm amazed to say that this Microsoft advert might be the one that's impressed me the most. Nice work ad men.

I know you're just making a joke but the ad says the employees were brought in from other Microsoft stores around the country after auditioning. Meaning no customer's were left behind as the regular 5th street staff were still working

 

[scottlevin]

I don't agree! Although I do understand that Apple has acquired quite a large ground on the market share.

- Most companies these days still use Office/Outlook during their day to day operations
- When someone gets a new job at a company that does not use Outlook/Office, they struggle with the replacement tool
- Office made its way to OSX and iOS, and will continue to be a fame in productivity applications
- Windows desktops/laptops are still occupying a huge market share regardless of Apple's success
- Windows Servers are still powering lots of data centers around the world despite Linux popularity
- Xbox is an unrivaled entertainment product (this comes from a guy that doesn't even play game like me)
- Tablet and laptop are the two new and inexperienced products for MS... I don't even care if they fail the market. They have money to take such a hit... Many other companies like Kodak, BlackBerry, HP took hits like that... some died, some survived. What's important is their management.

MS's core has always been windows and office and in my opinion they should continue this path. I think Mr. Gates is a genius and with his return besides the CEO, I have great hope that MS will be back to the leader position in the technology world. He made right decisions and kept MS on top of the world for so many years before and he can do it again. I think Mr. Ballmer's residency has caused tremendous damage to MS and it's a good thing that he has gone sports these days.

And no... MS doesn't have to compete with Apple to be leader because Apple is focused on consumer products and MS is focused on enterprise.

I agree that Microsoft won in enterprise and will continue to win with big business (although, walk around Facebook headquarters and look at what computers they are using). But that misses the point of the ad... Microsoft store employees (consumer facing) walking over to an Apple Store to get in their face with a message of truce. Microsoft doesn't pay for expensive real estate in shopping districts to sell to enterprise. And the fact of the matter is that an average Joe is more likely to have an iPad or android tablet on their couch than a Dell on their desk or a Surface in their hand. So the whole ad strikes me as silly. There's no truce because the war is already long over.

 

[Lukkee24]

How times have changed. They are really coming to Apple's door at a moment of weakness. Does anybody think of Microsoft as Apple's direct competitor anymore? Isn't that Google? How many times have we heard of Apple vs. Microsoft in the last five years? Isn't that battle largely settled?

consumer laptop: winner, Apple
consumer smartphone: winners, Apple + Samsung
consumer tablet: winner, Apple

No one is talking about Microsoft products, unless you work for a Fortune 500 company with 1.0 technology.

There's no "truce" to call. Microsoft and Apple don't directly compete. If you google "Apple vs," the top results are Google, Android, Samsung.

I just typed 'Apple vs ' and it came up with Windows at the top, followed by Windows 10 and then Android.

 

[macduke]

Hopefully we will see them work together more going forward. Maybe they finally inked that big search deal? Haha. Wasn't that rumors for a launch in late 2016? Somebody needs to take Google down a couple pegs.

Microsoft also has a pretty good cloud game going on with their Azure platform. I've read that it's a lot easier for developers to implement and use than iCloud and many iOS devs have been using it instead. I also enjoy using Office on my iPad but Office 2016 on the Mac has been terrible for me. I have all kinds of connectivity issues in Outlook which is incredibly annoying I'm also an Xbox/Live user, although the One has been less than stellar. At least the recent update has made things better. The 360 started out with big problems with clunky software and failing hardware. So it isn't all bad.

If Apple doesn't start taking the iPad Pro seriously by next year with software changes to make it actually Pro, I might have to try out the Surface. They also need to get professional app developers on board, which means they need a sustainable app store pricing model. Fixing that is difficult. Maybe a curated "Pro" section on the store with a minimum price threshold?

 

[tranceking26]

Meh, it's just another advert to me, wouldn't have given it any notice at all if it wasn't for this site.

 

[GeneralChang]

Good marketing, and just a good message overall. Props, Microsoft.

 

[Dephtones]

It was a nice ad. Wish I didn't go into the cancer of the comments section. Tis the season....

 

[macs4nw]

These ads are way better than comparing each other(s)/products and cat fighting.

A bit too cheesy for my taste, but agreed, it's a step in the right direction.

Fwiw, there's nothing wrong with comparing products in ads, per sé; it's the condescending comments about the competition's products or worse, their customer base, like occasionally practiced by a well known Korean manufacturer, that can be offensive and off-putting.

 

[Noble Actual]

First off, it was a joke. And a good one. No need to be ugly about it.

Secondly, having been to three of the malls in the Dallas/Fort Worth area were Apple and MS both reside, I can guarantee, having seen with my own two eyes, that the Apple stores were vastly busier than the MS stores. In fact, if it wasn't for the people playing on the Xbox One's hooked up to the giant screens the MS store could have been described as deserted.

If it was a joke, you wouldn't need to defend it. Its ok though.

Also congratz, you've been to three malls in dallas.

 

[rjlawrencejr]

I liked it but found in interesting that they feel the need to edit around some of the text of the song.

"As God is our father, brothers all are we. Let me live with my brother in perfect harmony"

I'm no Bible thumper but I noticed that omission as well.

 

[rjlawrencejr]

There's a 2 minute version

Thanks for the find. The extended version is even better. I teared up watching it. There's something about the harmony of a cappella I find irresistible.