It is clear with the Apple spoof ads that the PC character is a hired actor.

It is clear with the Apple spoof ads that the PC character is a hired actor.

No need to get defensive about the Mac/PC ads. As stated earlir, I dont have a problem with them. To any reasonable person, they are clearly a humorous, tongue-in-cheek – and affectionate – stereotype, which Microsoft has already addressed directly with its “I’m a PC” TV ads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi1se9rH7S8

The good news is that this campaign, plus the Laptop Hunter adverts I mentioned earlier, appear to be working.

http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20090519/are-those-anti-apple-microsoft-ads-actually-working/

I am sure the content of these ads will not convince you to switch to a PC, David; but, as a self-declared Apple apologist, I suspect you are not in our primary target audience in the first place

Best wishes

Andy

No need to get defensive about the Mac/PC ads. As stated earlir, I dont have a problem with them. To any reasonable person, they are clearly a humorous, tongue-in-cheek – and affectionate – stereotype, which Microsoft has already addressed directly with its “I’m a PC” TV ads.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi1se9rH7S8

The good news is that this campaign, plus the Laptop Hunter adverts I mentioned earlier, appear to be working.

http://mediamemo.allthingsd.com/20090519/are-those-anti-apple-microsoft-ads-actually-working/

I am sure the content of these ads will not convince you to switch to a PC, David; but, as a self-declared Apple apologist, I suspect you are not in our primary target audience in the first place

Best wishes

Andy

I agree with you that both the Mac vs PC ads and the Laptop Hunter ads are “legal, decent, honest and thruthful”. In this light I think that the ‘diss your competitor’ element is minimal and done appropriately, unlike Company A’s approach.

I feel that brands who engage in a direct comparison with their competitors in their ads should make those comparisons themselves, *not* getting someone else to do the dirty work for them. All I’m saying is that bloggers should be wary of brands asking them to do their dirty work.

You are very aware that I’m an Apple apologist, so the Mac vs PC ads is a tough nut. I still feel they pass the test because:

- Apple isn’t making it appear like a user generated content campaign. It’s very clear that Apple is the one saying these things.
- The ads are executed in parody fashion and told in parable rather than direct comparison
- the PC is portrayed more as the dear friend who always finishes 2nd best, instead of the ultimate evil

I agree with you that both the Mac vs PC ads and the Laptop Hunter ads are “legal, decent, honest and thruthful”. In this light I think that the ‘diss your competitor’ element is minimal and done appropriately, unlike Company A’s approach.

I feel that brands who engage in a direct comparison with their competitors in their ads should make those comparisons themselves, *not* getting someone else to do the dirty work for them. All I’m saying is that bloggers should be wary of brands asking them to do their dirty work.

You are very aware that I’m an Apple apologist, so the Mac vs PC ads is a tough nut. I still feel they pass the test because:

- Apple isn’t making it appear like a user generated content campaign. It’s very clear that Apple is the one saying these things.
- The ads are executed in parody fashion and told in parable rather than direct comparison
- the PC is portrayed more as the dear friend who always finishes 2nd best, instead of the ultimate evil

I am confused. Your basic principle (stated above and repeatedly in recent posts) is “don’t diss a competitor”. That is precisely what Apple have been doing for years to Microsoft in a very direct way*.

Yet you appear to defend/differentiate their behaviour by saying “it’s OK, as they are saying it themselves”. Isn’t that the entire point of a brand dissing a competitor? i.e. they make the comparison themselves, not via others?

If your uber-point is “don’t – as a blogger/commentator – compromise your integrity by accepting incentives from one brand to diss another” (which is what yor response to Jibone appears to indicate), that is a valid, but entitrely separate, point. in my opinion.

Thanks

Andy

* BTW, I have no problem with Apple’s comparitive approach in the Mac/PC ads, or the similar approach by Microsoft in the recent Laptop Hunters ad series. http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=C6F0DDC317078684&search_query=microsoft+laptop+hunters

All’s well in the cut and thrust of competition, in my opinion, as long as what you say is legal, decent, honest and thruthful, as both the Mac and PC campaigns are (within reason).

I am confused. Your basic principle (stated above and repeatedly in recent posts) is “don’t diss a competitor”. That is precisely what Apple have been doing for years to Microsoft in a very direct way*.

Yet you appear to defend/differentiate their behaviour by saying “it’s OK, as they are saying it themselves”. Isn’t that the entire point of a brand dissing a competitor? i.e. they make the comparison themselves, not via others?

If your uber-point is “don’t – as a blogger/commentator – compromise your integrity by accepting incentives from one brand to diss another” (which is what yor response to Jibone appears to indicate), that is a valid, but entitrely separate, point. in my opinion.

Thanks

Andy

* BTW, I have no problem with Apple’s comparitive approach in the Mac/PC ads, or the similar approach by Microsoft in the recent Laptop Hunters ad series. http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=C6F0DDC317078684&search_query=microsoft+laptop+hunters

All’s well in the cut and thrust of competition, in my opinion, as long as what you say is legal, decent, honest and thruthful, as both the Mac and PC campaigns are (within reason).

Sorry Company A, I really love you and I’m a long-time customer. If you need to work out a social media strategy I’ll be happy to help.