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...

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

[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

[wildcelticrose.livejournal.com]

He's a little mild and clean cut to be one of our hipsters ;)

[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.

[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)

[yukonsally]

I think the campaigns are misleading by saying Macs are great for games and graphics. Yet another strike against their ads: lies.

edit: I keep looking at the picture. "Hi, I'm a Mac and I can't be bothered to comb my hair or find a shirt that fits right. Let me organize all your info, music, and bank account numbers. Naw, it's cool, I saw it in a movie once, I can totally do that." then chugs a Red Bull.

I'll take the suit.

[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.

[teaberryblue.livejournal.com]

It's sort of hard to say because in the commercials it's mostly John Hodgman doing the talking while Justin watches, but that is pretty much how he dresses. It's enough like him that I see him as Justin in the ads (whereas not in other things he's been in) but if anything he's goofier IRL.

[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.

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

Ahahaha exactly! See also a further extrapolation of their love lives

[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!

[hey-its-michael.livejournal.com]

Well, it's all in the eye of the beholder. :o)

[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.

[wildcelticrose.livejournal.com]

BWAAAHAAHAAAAA

[nyyhoneybee.livejournal.com]

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

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

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

[nyyhoneybee.livejournal.com]

OMG you crack me up!

[rheyamorgaine.livejournal.com]

just another reason to put a boot up his ass. Yup.

[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)