Microsoft's Ad Campaign Highlights the "Real" Truth

Microsoft’s TV advertising efforts over the past year haven’t exactly been running on all cylinders. For starters, the infamous Jerry Seinfeld/Bill Gates commercials were uncomfortably creepy. Next, the “I’m a PC” response to Apple’s Mac/PC commercials came across as defensive. The latest ad from Microsoft is much more strategic and direct. It features a young woman named Lauren who is tasked with selecting a new notebook for up to $1,000. Anything under – she keeps. Lauren explores both the Apple store and Best Buy and determines that a $1,000 laptop from Apple doesn’t meet her needs. Lauren has decided she’s “not cool enough to be a Mac person” (sour grapes?) and selects a PC for $700. The story has generated a tremendous amount of discussion and disgust in the diehard Apple camps.

While the commercial does a lot to generate conversation about the value prospect of each platform it doesn’t make a difference in consumer selection of a Mac or PC. To understand the debate we have to strip away the labels of “Mac” and “PC”. This is not about being cool or not being cool. Fortunately for Lauren and other PCers, computers don’t define coolness. Truth be told, as demonstrated by this new ad, is that when all is said and done people select computers based on their needs. Some needs are met by a PC as is the case with Lauren. The $999 MacBook simply doesn’t provide her with the screen size she wants for the price point she’s at. There’s nothing wrong with that. When Lauren decides to buy a PC she makes trade offs and for that matter she seems OK with that. You have to wonder if she understands the tradeoffs she’s making. Was she aware of Apple’s leading customer satisfaction scores, the amazing iLife software, the excellent quality hardware, access to Genius Bars and a stellar Operating System. These were the things that brought me to Apple (see my 2005 blog entry). Is a more educated consumer likely to prefer Apple?

Consumers are very price conscious today and it’s understandable why Microsoft would want to address their value add in this area. Lauren looks very happy with her purchase. Welcome to Vista Lauren! I’m sure you’ll enjoy it as much as much as all of the other Vista users who wish they could be back on Windows XP. I couldn’t resist…