Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple
New iPhone Ads: what Mac ads should be
The iPhone ads make me want to buy an iPhone, though I might be more in line with Apple's target market than most, and really isn't that the point of advertising? I wonder if this heralds a sea change in the way Apple advertises, or whether they are taking the more hands on approach with their consumer electronics (the Apple TV ad also shows the product in use) while keeping Mac advertising more high concept.
Then again I might just be reading too much into this. What say you, TUAW readers? Are the new iPhone ads more effective than the Get a Mac ads, or am I comparing Apples to Apples?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Dan Arel said 2:52PM on 6-04-2007
older rumors say that you dont see this due to a settlement between Apple and Microsoft from back in the 90's. Dont know how true that is. but, it would make sense. since Apple never shows off their OS in any commercials.
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Dave Chartier said 2:54PM on 6-04-2007
I think you're right on the ball - Apple should definitely retool their Get a Mac ads to bring them in-line with the style and feature-highlights of the iPhone ads.
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tk2k said 2:55PM on 6-04-2007
i too agree that these are VERY un-apple.
Even the specific ads targeting one product were not this specific
i think part of what makes apple's marketing so great is they are so general. They sell APPLE in their ads, not IPODS. its the whole package.
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Kevin said 2:56PM on 6-04-2007
Forget the Apple TV in that one ad, I want to live in that freaking house!
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James said 2:58PM on 6-04-2007
There's an easy explanation for this
iPhone: UI and experience unlike any other phone
OS X: Essentially pretty much offers the same experience and approach as Windows
OS X is largely better in intangible ways. Less crashing, more integration, etc. Showing people doing stuff on macs would simply evoke a "you can do that on Windows too" response from most people.
While I'm a Mac fan through and through, we need to realize that the differences between Macs and PCs are increasingly shrinking (when it comes to features). Advertising OS X like they do the iPhone would be a mistake.
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KeynoteKen said 3:01PM on 6-04-2007
I've always been of the impression that there's nothing you can show OSX doing in 30 seconds that Windows can't do "just as well". Since the vast majority of people have computers than can also "Run Office", "edit pictures", "play music", etc. then showing a Mac doing it just tells them it can do the same thing they're already doing... and they continue to do so.
The Mac vs. PC ads are designed to create interest and perhaps send the curious viewer to an Apple Store where they find out it's not the "WHAT" a Mac can do, it's the "HOW" and how just doesn't come across in 30 seconds.
For the iPhone, there are a lot of phones still that don't do music, pictures and/or the 'net SO showing those features could very well show them something they CAN'T currently do. For those who perceive themselves as having a phone "just as good"? Again, this commercial probably won't have as much of an effect.
With the OSX ads, you're targeting people with Windows computers that could probably do just as good. With the iPhone, you're targeting the vast number of people with phones that clearly aren't as good.
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chnacat said 3:07PM on 6-04-2007
i didn't want one until i saw the ads. the ads do what they are supposed to do. i don't really even have a need for all of those features. i have a cell phone and an ipod, i don't feel encumbered by having two separate devices...but seeing those ads...now i want an iphone.
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Alex P. said 3:09PM on 6-04-2007
The mac vs. pc ads generate buzz. Whether its about how annoying the ads are, or how funny they are. Just think of all the spoofs that have been made about it, and when you make a refrence to it, most people know what you're talking about.
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Zack kitzmiller said 3:19PM on 6-04-2007
I Agree too. Apple needs to stop showing the Windows world how stuck up we are, and show them why we made the choice we did.
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cs0875 said 3:19PM on 6-04-2007
The blog mentioned the AppleTV in use, I didn't like that commercial. It shows the movie on the computer and on an iPod as it progresses and it basically says you can now watch it in the next place, your TV(I forget all the wording).
Wait, haven't I always been watching movies on my TV? And I already knew what AppleTV is, does the person who doesn't know what AppleTV is understand?
#4 said they sell Apple no iPod, look at the iPod commercials. It only focuses on iPod. I wish I could find the link, but I read an article online about iPod and Apple brand recognition. When asked if people knew what iPod was, 90% knew it was some sort of electronic device(the other 10% probably have a reel-to-reel at home).
About 70% knew it was a portable music device. Of those 70% only 55% knew the iPod was made by Apple, the other 45% had no idea it was owned by apple
Of iPod owners, that number only increased to 67%, 33% of iPod owners had no clue Apple made their product.
When you say, "Apple iPod" it is the #1 recognized electronics/technology brand. When Apple is by itself it drops to #4 behind, Microsoft, Google, and Sony.
My point is, iPods are not turning people into Mac users, and not helping the Apple brand recognition as well as it could. They should have ads with Macs and iPods together.
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Austin Archibald said 3:21PM on 6-04-2007
FINALLY... A good marketing ad.
The PC Guy vs Mac Guy made me ashamed to be an Apple fan.
These iPhone ads are excellent... I can't wait to buy one the first minute it becomes available.
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Ishir Bhan said 3:21PM on 6-04-2007
I agree. I was going to wait for the next generation iPhone, but I'm sold after watching these ads. It's not that they show anything new, but they remind us of how cool the iPhone actually is. It's easy to forget the original wow factor and get lost in the technical limitations.
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Thunk said 3:26PM on 6-04-2007
Simplicity is the key here. When the iPod debuted, there was 0 information about specs, how it worked, & why you would want it. It was just music, action, and satisfaction. The SINGULAR FOCUS is the same here for this campaign, except it is slower, and speaks, "instruction" over "action", its almost informative as if they are teaching us how to use the next gen device. Neat, but not that fun to parody - the 'Get a Mac" ads were golden.. these just simply carry a silver flashiness to them. i think the "Get a Mac" ads are further reaching, and more fun, they are also... spent.
Perhaps some parodies will arise with these replacing "Calamari" with another word, but aside from that, there is no bones about 'em. The phone is for sale, this is how it works. Effective enough and the main buzz is already there. Three stars out of five.
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Justin said 3:35PM on 6-04-2007
When advertising to the general consumer, creating an emotion to associate with you brand is more important that displaying features. You could never run through all the features of a mac in a commercial—therefore leaving the consumer with a feeling of well being regarding you product is more important.
While most here may be interested in features (myself included), fanatics are in no way the general consumer.
The iphone ad speaks to a more specific audience. And the features they advertise are selling points that fall within a scope than is much smaller by comparison.
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Scott McNulty said 3:50PM on 6-04-2007
Ahh, !, the only reason we delete some of your comments is because they are abusive and don't add to the conversation.
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derek said 3:50PM on 6-04-2007
i agree scott
that is what i was thinking when i saw the ads. i said "hey thats cool!" about the ads, instead of "ok this makes mac look dumb" to the mac vs. PC one. if they would just show all the macs features, instead of just saying "windows is for work!!!" more people would have respect for macs.
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Harry said 3:59PM on 6-04-2007
The iPhone is incredibly telegenic: it's tactile, and it's much sexier than the phones people already own. Watching someone make a photobook—come on, seriously, do you think that's going to make gripping TV?
I would think Apple's starting point would be 'let's try not to make our products look boring'.
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James said 4:04PM on 6-04-2007
I love the new ads. Can you imagine doing a demo of all those features on the phone you have right now in 30 seconds? Impossible!
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apedropintoneto said 4:05PM on 6-04-2007
I believe that with iPhone Apple wants to create a phenomenon like iPod; with their Mac Line their approach is more like: "C'mmon, you already know what it does, don't be stupid and change"... And I think this applies to Apple TV (remember that Bill Gates/ Steve Jobs interview: Steve Said that they "were trying to change the way people interact with TV" - something like that)...
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Paul said 4:06PM on 6-04-2007
It's possbile that Apple changed the ringtone to something more traditional to make sure that viewers understood that this is, infact, a phone.
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