Comments on: microsoft’s ad misses the mark again

By: i'm a vivienne tam | denise lee yohn: brand as business bites™

i'm a vivienne tam | denise lee yohn: brand as business bites™ — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:11:11 +0000

[...] microsoft misses the mark again [...]

By: Kevin Ament

Kevin Ament — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 03:15:52 +0000

Sadly, I think you’re closer to the mark. Just wishful thinking on my part.

My take on the third installment here:

http://tinyurl.com/ccoepu

Would love your take on it.

By: denise lee yohn

denise lee yohn — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:48:15 +0000

double agents! yes! that explains it — i’ve been wondering why such a lauded agency like crispin would produce such off-target work — i was hoping it wasn’t because the client stifled every other idea they pitched…

By: Kevin Ament

Kevin Ament — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 21:00:32 +0000

Great post Denise. This campaign is a big ol’ mess. There’s an article today saying Lauren here is part of a three-year brand building campaign (http://tinyurl.com/c963nx), but the ad clearly degrades the brand. As Krishjohn points out, she’s “not cool enough.” Of all the brands I remember as a kid, the ones I wasn’t cool enough for are seared into my brain. Not so much the ones we settled for.

The second spot directly blows up the brand. Giampaolo says “I want to pay for the computer, not the brand.” (video here… http://bit.ly/16uyMZ). Wha? There’s a third out now with a mom and son… more of the same. More price messaging at the expense of brand meaning. I really think Crispin sold Microsoft a load of “cool.” Either that, or they’re working as double agents for Apple and are destroying the brand from the inside. I imagine those crazy advertising guys all use macs…

By: Krishjohn

Krishjohn — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:39:01 +0000

why Apple so pricy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu0qeb_rJYU&feature=related

By: Krishjohn

Krishjohn — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:02:25 +0000

That ad was funny. Watched for 3 times and laughed till tears.

Mainly because the first shop she went to was Apple store (still: first choice).
Secondly, that remark of not being cool.
Thirdly, that remark about “this looks like phone” — a secret message about iPhone?
Fourthly, she bought a computer for 699 — but the promise was she can choose up to 1000 — so, i have to admit that the girl was totally blond — where did those 300 go?

And aftre all — she had some (so called) REQUIREMENTS — 17 inch, comfortable keybord and speed. Wel, well, well — whoever buys mac because just of these 3 factors? Nobody, i think. Though Macs are faster, nad keybord is more comfortable. And when my sister with her PC comes (and it was over 699), and i sit behind it, i feel so happy for being a MacBookPro owner — the mac graphics are stuuning — much more better than PC graphics.

That ad is total FAIL. Absolutely agree with Lee Yohn — those guys even dont understand what a brand is, what can we expect form them?

By: Denise Lee Yohn

Denise Lee Yohn — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 23:11:30 +0000

just heard about microsoft’s latest attack on apple — in the second installment of the ad campaign, the “hero” mutters, “I don’t want to pay for the brand, I want to pay for the computer.”

mircrosoft just doesn’t get it, do they?! the brand IS the computer — for apple, it’s the computer that some people think is easier to use, more reliable, has better/more functionality, has a design that looks good which allows people to express themselves, etc.

i say this as someone who uses a pc so i’m not one of those people, but i understand that is what the apple brand is and that is what their customers pay for.

perhaps microsoft’s advertising should highlight why people should pay for the microsoft brand — ya think?!!

By: ajv592

ajv592 — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 11:32:18 +0000

Here’s what I like about it. In a time when all the other ads have already testified whether they are ‘macs’ or ‘pcs’, this one actually follows one ‘real’ woman’s journey through the purchasr process. It’s not an easy process for most. With gazillions of bells and whistles of the technical variety, Lauren obviously has chosen the most important to focus on, screen size. She takes some of the guess work out of the shopping for others like her, possible Mac-switchers being lured by design and ui fabulocity. It takes place in a comfortable setting for many of us, retail-ville. I’d be surprised if this spot doesn’t do good things for MS, HP, BBY and possibly even Mac (Hey, Apple should send MS for the free plug about cool. ; ).

By: Sam

Sam — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 19:14:28 +0000

I don’t understand why Microsoft doesn’t hit Apple back where it would hurt — by pointing out they are exactly what they say they aren’t: a big, fat corporation, too, that doesn’t play along with the rest of the industry, obsoletes its products on a three-year cycle (just try getting a power cord for a machine older than that!), who charges heaps of money to box you in, and yadda, yadda, yadda. Apple tries to position itself as “cool” while it does lots of not cool stuff. Microsoft gets hammered for being a monopoly. Hello?

So I’m not a marketing guru. I am a consumer who’s been driven mad when I tried to play iTunes on an MP3 player which wasn’t an iPod. How dare my dad be so foolish as to buy a Sony!

By: ballywick

ballywick — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:07:31 +0000

Yiiiikes. After the SongSmith debacle I don’t know how any future Microsoft ad could look bad in comparison!

The “I’m not cool enough” message reeks of the loser kid you felt sorry for in middle school and tried to befriend… only to realise he was empty, mean and really jealous.

Take or leave Mac’s coolness. It’s the easy confidence of a brand (and customer base) having much more fun.