We're Supposed to Choose the Hipster?

[aggienaut]

   A professional looking man in a suit, perhaps a bit frumpy looking, comes on the screen. "Hi, I'm a PC"

   A sloppily dressed shmuck comes on next. "Hi, I'm a Mac"


   Typically, in the interaction that follows, it might be admitted that "I'm a PC" is better with "numbers and spreadsheets," but the insufferable hipster will assert he's infinitely better with videos and music than Mr PC, possibly while rolling his eyes.


   I know a lot of money goes into focus groups and research before major corporations launch ad campaigns, but I really can't fathom how they came up with this one. It's supposed to be a commercial in favour of Macs, but it does nothing but fill me with a burning loathing for what the Mac is representing itself to be.

   The guy representing the PC looks like the kind of fellow who, if I needed to depend on him, would shake my hand and look me in the eye on Monday morning and say "I had to work overtime all weekend, but I got it done."
   The guy representing the Mac looks like a fellow I'd finally track down three days later and find out not only had he completely blown off the project, he'd slept with my girlfriend in the mean time.*

   The PC guy in this case looks well meaning, professional, and looks like he has his shit together. The Mac guy looks like he probably can't be bothered to shower, probably couldn't hold down a professional job, and would have unresolvable attitude problems.

   Now, I'm sure apple computers are great, if you're into that kind of thing, and I do my best not to judge them based on their commercial -- but isn't the commercial supposed to inspire consumers to LIKE their product? And not associate their product with insufferable shlemiels??

   And not just this commercial, but, well, everything else about Macs is kind of the same sort of counterintuitive making-their-product-seem-worse, in my opinion. PCs** come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, Macs seem to come in one appearance: cheap looking plastic. That opaque glossy rounded white shape they give everything, what's with that? It looks to me like they're trying to make the entire thing look like cheap plastic.

   Again, I'm not debating here the actual functionality of the computers. This is about their advertising. It's all seemed entirely backwards to me. Is the success of Apple computers actually because of this advertising ... or is their success in SPITE of it a further testament to the quality of their machines??

* Not that I have a girlfriend, well, it's complicated
** notwithstanding that Macs ARE, technically, "personal computers"

---

Addendum: Further speculation on their love lives, and their kitchens. See also: Mac vs PC vs LINUX GIRL

Comments

[wildcelticrose.livejournal.com]

I think the Mac guy is supposed to appear young and "hip".

whatever...

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

I just really have a hard time picturing him hanging out anywhere and people actually getting along with him.

[yukonsally]

I agree with everything you've said.

As an aside, I've worked on Macs and found them to be the complete opposite of intuitive. My husband works on a Mac and likes it for programming, but likes his PCs for games. Awesome. (and yes, we have four computers in the house. Husband's programming jobs require them)

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

I tried to keep the entry about only the advertising campaigns, but as it happens I've tried to learn to use macs (took a photoshop class which used macs) and also found using them to be exasperatingly annoying.

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

The guy who plays the Mac is an old college friend of mine. I'm pleading the fifth on this one :-P

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Did he dress/act much like he does in the commercial?

[applespicy.livejournal.com]

I love my Mac, but I really and truly hate the Mac commercials, for every reason you've just mentioned. They're just so smug and superior - it's not appealing.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you'd think it would be pretty basic that they should avoid those emotions. Certainly anyone who's already on the PC side of the Great Computer Holy War will be utterly turned off, and people in the middle will probably as well.

[hey-its-michael.livejournal.com]

Considering the people I see at the Apple store in SoHo or Meat Packing in New York, I think Apple has picked a spokesperson who seems to look like the majority of their market (here in the City, at least).

Of course, there is always sex appeal. Mac guy is infinitely more attractive IMHO than PC guy. Not that I purchase computers based on sex appeal, but considering the image Apple is trying to depict it probably helps. Plus, I think Apple enjoyed a nice spike in sales during the run of this ad campaign. Seems it worked for them on some level.

Personally, I switched to Macs from PCs when I entered law school in 2007 because I was tired of Windows. I really have enjoyed my experience with Macs thus far. Of course, to each his or her own. :o)

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

See being as I'm not generally evaluating the sex appeal of dudes, the closest I come to that kind of evaluation is their likelihood to try to sleep with my girlfriend, if I had one.

Mr "I'm A PC" looks like he probably goes home to his wife after a long day in office (he probably worked overtime), his wife is probably frumpy, but he absolutely adores her anyway, and they are one of those cute frumpy couples that dote on eachother.

Mr "I'm A Mac" probably scams on women in the local bars and is pleased when they find his hovel too disgusting to bear waking up in and leave once they've sobered enough to realize what they've done. He doesn't call them back. However he has an ex with a restraining order against him, for whom he writes shitty poetry in coffee shops. While listening to his ipod of course.

[rugbybaby.livejournal.com]

I laughed unreasonably long at this post. That said, I've used both and am pretty solidly on the PC path. My Mac held up pretty well, but if I'm going to get a laptop to last three years (fingers crossed) I'm going to go with the one that doesn't cost $1,000.

[zauzau.livejournal.com]

I agree with everything mentioned above and:
Whether or not Mac computers are awesome, when it comes down to it, I just can't afford to be a smug elitist like that guy... I can get just as much computing power (and my familiar Windows atmosphere) with half the money if I buy a new PC.
I don't dislike Macs at all and I wouldn't mind having one, but I am completely and utterly confused whenever I try to use one... I think for someone who grew up with oldschool Windows and DOS, the Mac OS is simply TOO "userfriendly" and feels really foreign to me. *shrug*
So what if PC guy doesn't get laid that often. He probably also isn't hungover on Monday mornings, when everyone needs their computer to work!

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Like I said above, I think the PC guy looks like he surely has an equally frumpy wife whom he adores completely. I picture them getting into arguments about how to operate the microwave "no honey I think it's like this" "no no I'm pretty sure you do this," in which with much love in their voices they try to help the other but are, in fact, both hopelessly wrong. Aww.

(The Mac guy on the other hand IS adept at operating his microwave -- he lives off hot pockets. His stovetop, however, has been buried by the overflow of dirty dishes)

[elvenforever.livejournal.com]

Excellent points! I enjoyed this, and yeah, you're right. :) The thing is, they're probably going for the 18-24 demographic and trying to portray "PCs" as Establishment and Macs as "Anti-Establishment."

Which doesn't say a lot for the 18-24 demographic.

[rheyamorgaine.livejournal.com]

The guy representing the Mac looks like a fellow I'd finally track down three days later and find out not only had he completely blown off the project, he'd slept with my girlfriend in the mean time.*

This made me laugh and nearly spit water out of my nose.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

And you KNOW he'd be all smug about it!

[nyyhoneybee.livejournal.com]

You know, I've never thought about it like this but...your right.

[awdrey-gore.livejournal.com]

I am forwarding this to my husband, who tires of insufferable hipsters (we live in Austin, a town which per capita is only outstripped by Seattle in terms of insufferable hipsters) and is so tired of the hipster paradigm ruling his line of work. In the interest if full disclosure, my old man prefers Macs but the decision to do so was made in the mid 90s and involved all kinds of geek logic.

This has nothing to do with sex appeal, these stupid ads, or it doesn't for me. I would do John Hodgman in a New York minute. I'd probably do Justin Long too, but it would take longer because the hipster smugness would need to be hosed off and I'd need to see the results on his bloodwork.

I also wonder at the notion of the hipster slacker being preferable to the hardworking professional. I am becoming paranoid but it has been my experience that the hipster slacker will work for shit wages as long as he can wear t-shirts, ride a razor scooter down the hall and someone buys him pizza on Fridays. I wonder if there is not a master subliminal conspiracy at work, emphasizing the de-professionalization of work, making the professional obsolete in terms of his cheaper, slacker counterpart.

/removes tinfoil hat

[cumaeansibyl.livejournal.com]

These commercials are for the irresponsible slacker douche. It's a niche market, but it'll always be there.

Slacker Douches

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Seriously. I wonder how many people see these commercials and genuinely identify with the Mac guy. "Heyyy he's a slacker douche like me, I really need one of those macs to be as glorious a slacher douche as he is!!"

[furzicle.livejournal.com]

This reminds me that at our school, the teachers (of which I am one) have PCs and the kids were bequested Macs. And I totally can't figure out the macs, not that I've tried very hard, since I don't have time. But the macs have all this cutesy symbology where you can't recognize what the symbols mean. I guess I'm just old and stuck in my ways--like the guy in the suit in the ad, I guess.

[tigrkittn.livejournal.com]

I've had pretty much the exact same thoughts. The commercials themselves leave me feeling "sold" on PCs over Macs. I think we're in a big majority too, given that those commercials have made John Hodgeman a star - and Mac guy is still just a guy who does Mac commercials.

What I can't figure out is how the company is still running ads that are obviously a complete failure!

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Someone said above that they experienced a spike in sales while the commercials were running, but I've got to wonder if that's from a new product released during that time or other thing OTHER than the campaign. The campaign is AWEFUL and I really am at a loss as to why they think it's a good idea.

[67threnody.livejournal.com]

I love me my Mac. I don't have TV, so I've never seen the commercials.

I miss out on a ton of pop culture stuff.

Looking at the pictures, Suit Guy reminds me of a senior attorney I worked with who would be like "oh my god I don't know how to change fonts help me helllllp meeeeee!"

T-Shirt Guy probably wouldn't be like that, but after he finished using my computer I'd be wondering what kind of illegal stuff he'd downloaded and how soon I was going to get busted.

[batchfile.livejournal.com]

strange. having worked for 6 years in an office doing IT... i found the ad to be positive to the macs, not derogatory.

the image of the suit represents the negative image of "the man"/management who doesn't care about thinking outside the box. his suit indicates an adherence to rules no matter the irrelevance or negative consequences.

the kid represents youth, lack of superficiality, and the probable presence of "out of the box" creativity.

i don't know what a hipster is though. he looks like a programmer to me, whereas the suit looks like a manager.

[gratefuladdict.livejournal.com]

I see both sides. Many people are so busy thinking about which character they find likable, they forget to think of who can get the job done.

2008 presidential election, anyone?

I tend to agree with the girl from one of the PC rebuttal commercials: "I'm just not cool enough to be a Mac."

[wallynotorious.livejournal.com]

This is a good post and you should feel good.

To me, Windows has always worked intuitively. Their problem is, they have the right roadmap, they just break down occasionally along the way. Macs on the other hand make absolutely zero sense to me, and I couldn't own one for more than a day before trying to barter it for a hot meal.

But then again, I actually know how to configure my Start Menu and set default programs and such. Which seems to put me ahead of 95% of Windows users I've known. :P

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

I'm a PC user, I took a photoshop class at the local JC for which I had to use a mac in the computer lab. For the entire semester I tried to get accustomed to using the Mac. I hoped maybe my feelings were just initial confusion and over time the feeling of intense loathing I'd get while trying to accomplish ANYTHING on it would subside ... they didn't.

Things seemed to be backwards just for the sake of being backwards, such as the buttons to close or minimize windows being on the left instead of the right and being utterly differing incomprehsible symbols. Granted they being on the right on my PC I suppose is just as arbitrary, but at least the line, square, and X make sense to me as minimize, restore, and close, respectively. I forget what the symbols on the mac were but it was like square, smilie-face, dodecahedron or something. Then there was no enter button, no mouse keys, a key on the keyboard that apparently is "command," "apple," AND something else. I dunno it all just seemed like a great deal of utter randomness.

[zellie-bean.livejournal.com]

Maybe I hang out with really grungy people but I thought he looked pretty normal in the ad to me. Relaxed but not unreliable. What really irritates me is the smug attitude. That just makes me want to punch him and crush the nearest mac with my Dell.

It also pisses me off when they go on and on about how great macs are, oh macs NEVER get viruses, they NEVER crash. Bullshit. I taught at a charter school where every student had a mac laptop and the stupid things bugged out just as much as the Dell laptops at my college.... and I've read articles about malware on Macs. Less often, not never. Main difference was that even when the Macs were working, they still wouldn't do what I wanted them to do as far as simple word processing (worked like a dream for multimedia but I'm a writer not a videographer :P )

Commercials in general are stupid though. Half the time I can't figure out what they're selling. Kinda defeats the purpose. I would really respect a commercial that was just like...this is the product, this is what it does, the end. Something that sells itself.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Yeah well the whole gist of the commercials that they keep on hammering and hammering is that it's better for video and music and all this crap that you know what? I don't really care about! I doubt I'll EVER edit a video on my computer and the musical capabilities of my dell are entirely adequate. Videos aren't everything!!!

[yukonsally]

I crashed a Mac at a job several times a month, while my refurbished Dell hasn't crashed since I got it two years ago.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

:O!!

[ucrazyutaraptor.livejournal.com]

The only reason this advert is good is because Justin Long is the mac. mmmmmmm Justin Long.

The PC adverts in the UK have got really intolerable lately too :(

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

nnnnnnNo nnnnnnnnnnNo he looks like a total douche, what's wrong with you people's taste?!?

:D

[darkenglishrose.livejournal.com]

I actually just loved the way that Windows turned around and owned them with their adverts of all those different people saying 'I'm a PC', I really liked those adverts <3

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Yeah where they start out with a guy in a suit who looks kinda like "Mr PC" and he says "I'm a PC and I've been turned into a stereotype" but then they go through all these other uses of PCs, in factories, under water, on research vessels, all kinds of neat stuff. Driving home the point that there's more to life than making videos and music, and PCs are often preferable for these many many other purposes.

[technophobe1975.livejournal.com]

I am not a fan of that particular campaign as its smugness really puts me off. Plus you are right - if you wanted a job done properly you would choose the PC guy.