Apple's Get a Mac campaign

Apple just launched their new Get a Mac campaign. The campaign features six tv commercials and a separate section of their website listing 14 reasons to get a Mac.

Overall the TVCs are great creative work. The ads are simple. They practically spell out the brief by reciting the facts to the viewer. Still, they manage to be funny and allow the reader to make their own conclusion. The ads follow the art direction of the previous switch campaign, with the white backgrounds and straight on people shots. Here the subjects of the TVCs:

1. Viruses
The PC guy impersonating a PC computer claims there are 14 hundred known PC viruses around and sneezes. When the Mac guy tries to help, the PC guy advises the Mac guy not to be a hero and get away from him. But the Mac guy isn't worried. There aren't any for Macs.

This is a true statement. There are only proof of concept trojans for Macs, which did not manage to spread so far. Let's hope it stays that way. Of course you can protect your Windows PC against viruses with Firewalls and virus protection software, so for advanced users viruses should not be an issue.

2. Restarting
The PC guy freezes in action several times during the 30 seconds.

Of course this is a bit of an overstatement, because a well put together and well maintained Win XP will not freeze. However, the overall message is correct. OS X at its current stage is the most stable OS ever. I can't remember the time I had to restart my iMac or MBP the last time. It just never freezes. Poorly written application do freeze, but never the OS. Of course this is just me. Is your Win XP/ OS X stable?

3. Better
The Mac guy claims he can do better at lifestyle stuff, like pictures, music and movies, while the PC is better for spreadsheets.

I believe iLife truly does make things easier, but I'm sure there is an equivalent application for each on the PC. What do you guys use on Win XP instead of Garageband or iMovie for example? On the other hand, I don't see how PCs can do better with spreadsheets. Do they mean Excel? Not that I care, but what is it anyway?

4. iLife
Another ad stressing on iLife. Capitailizing on the success of the iPod and iTunes the Mac guy is trying to sell all other iLife applications that come with a Mac. PC guy claims he has Calculator and Clock bundled with Windows. Oh, the way the PC guy is dancing is hilarious.

Fair point. iLife is a huge added value when buying a Mac. I am amazed that MS still does not bundle an iLife like package with XP. It would be essential these days. It does come with IE and Windows Media player though, so the Clock and Calculator is a bit of a strech again. But, that is what advertising about. Dramatizing the facts.

5. Network
This is my favourite ad from the series. The campaign intros a third character in this TVC. The girl in light blue represents the latest digital camera from Japan. And the Mac can speak to her in Japanese demonstrating that Macs can easily communicate with different peripherials. The best part is when the PC guy is trying to communicate and says: "Bon giorno, hello..."

I got to give it to Apple, weeks after the new cameras, phones, printers come out, they have the drivers ready with the next OS update. You have to be an extreme early adopter to be in a situation not to be able to run a piece of hardware on a Mac. I guess this isn't an issue on Windows XP at all, since drivers for Windows mostly come on CDs with the hardware.

6. Wall Street Journal
This ad higlights the famous article in Wall Street Journal claiming that the iMac is the very best desktop PC on the market. But, wait a minute... The PC guy has claims too. No spoilers. Watch the videos.

I have to agree with the message of the ad. The iMac is a nearly perfect computer. As perfect as the MacBook Pro. Apple really has things right in all their departments. Apparently even their marketing department and PR is doing a great job too. They have great press coverage, apparently.