I Just updated this post with even more ads from the Mac ad campaign, enjoy!

I have 2 computers myself at this point in time, a desktop pc with Windows XP as an operating system and a laptop with Windows Vista as the operating system. The main reason I have windows based machines is the wide availability of software. I grew up using both windows and Macintosh based computers so I am familiar with them both and in my personal experience, it is true that Mac’s are more secure and are definitely superior in many aspects. I have had issues of some sort on both of my current computers, but luckily I have a computer background to be able to fix them (depending on the severity of the issue).

I am sure you are familiar with the huge “get a Mac’ promotional marketing campaign that is currently running for the mac and some of the ones they have ran in the past. I have included a few recent ones below just in case you are not familiar, but they are very widespread so you have most likely at least heard of them. In my personal opinion, their campaign is entertaining while at the same time being very effective at increasing the credibility of the Macintosh brand. They do this through pointing out the superiority they have in many different areas as compared to Windows based machines.

In the past, Macintosh promotional campaigns have seemed to be targeted towards the market leader and they have definitely continued on this trend with their current campaign. This currently a great time for them to be running customer loyalty advertising campaigns too, because those users who have had Windows based machines in the past are beginning to look at potentially upgrading to Windows vista. The reason this is good timing for their campaign is that if done correctly, Apple could convince current windows users that a Mac is superior and thus, would entice those current Windows users to at least look into the possibility of purchasing a Macintosh for their next computer…I am not saying they will purchase though because you must admit, the stronghold that Windows has on the overall computer market is nothing most people want to be going against.

This “get a mac” marketing campaign in my opinion is very well put together. It is humorous and witty while keeping a serious side with the factful information that is presented. They do not clearly state their superiority but instead choose to get the point across that they do not have the problems that can be found with PC’s…namely with the Windows Vista operating system. By doing this Apple is actually indirectly building the sense of superiority for themselves in consumer minds, and since the problems they show Vista as having are actual problems, consumers are able to relate more to the ad and thus pay closer attention.

Many people have said that Apple is fighting an up-hill battle, but if they are, they must have air support because they seem to be doing very well. I know of many collegues who have a Mac for their computer and they are very pleased with them.

Below, you will find a few of Apples “get a mac” marketing campaign ads. As you will see they are completely meant to cut down the PC and hype up the Mac…which in my opinion is done very effectively.

I thought it would be appropriate to begin the ads with the introductory ad from back in 1984. This was the introduction of the Macintosh computer. It was considered VERY EFFECTIVE in its day.

This ad is emphasizing the difficulty in upgrading to vista from another OS while the Mac doesn’t have such an issue.

This is a web advertisement that is clearly trying to get the point across to get away from Vista and choose a Mac

The following ad is clearly stating that Vista has security issues and as a result you must allow yourself to do things. This is true and one of the things I don’t like about Vista myself.

This ad is emphasizing the ease of use in video creation abilities of a Mac as to compared a PC. This is entertaining!

This ad is emphasizing the amount of trial software that is installed on PC’s that slow down the computer and waste space.

This next ad that Apple released showcases how Vista comes in many different versions where you choose the best one for you, where as a Mac comes in one version that includes everything you need.

This ad below does more than just showcase Mac Computers but also introduces the viewer to the Mac Genius which is available in an Apple Store to provide support and answer questions.

I like this next ad because it shows how a Mac can be well adopted by the lower age groups who do a lot of creative stuff, such as kids and teenagers.

This is another effective ad because it showcases the new backup feature that automatically backs up files. Now I am sure you can set this similar idea up on a pc also, you just may need some software.

I like this next ad because it showcases Mac’s ability to adapt to newly released products

The ad below is show how Vista has many compatibility issues and it may be necessary to purchase new components to make it work.

This next ad seems to emphasize the fact that a Mac is generally better at creating more creative things.

Here is one of Apple’s ad that pokes fun at the fact that a Mac comes with a built in camera while they must be purchased and installed separately on most PC’s

Here is an ad that doesn’t specifically state anything about Mac computers themselves. I believe this ad would be best suited for consumers with PC computers since the song will “hit home” with them due to the theme of the song.

This next ad, I honestly don’t understand the point of. Yes, they use a celebrity in Mr. Bean, but the ad itself doesn’t send across any message to viewers. I would appreciate to hear your thoughts on this one specifically…maybe I am just missing something.

This is another enjoyable ad I feel was made quite well. Even though it doesn’t say anything specifically about Mac’s, the ad is effective at showcasing PC’s flaws (specifically with Vista compatibility issues). They even throw some humor in with the bouncing off the wall nature!

This is another humorous ad that is enjoyable to watch. It showcases Mac’s popularity and how they are tapping into new markets normally dominated by PC’s.

It’s been a problem for PC’s since their beginning - restarting and freezing. This ad showcases the fault and the fact that Mac’s don’t have such issues. It is a well made and semi-humorous ad.

I enjoy this ad and feel it is a good ad to end with today. As you will see, this ad targets the college/university audience as facts are stated that are targeted to the group. Humor is definitely used throughout this entire campaign, but i enjoy the pep-rally nature that is in this ad itself!

Are you thinking of looking into a Mac for your next computer after you viewed the ads above? It is true that there are many advantages of purchasing a Mac, but be careful, DO NOT choose a Macintosh computer without doing the proper research and knowing what you may be giving up. You see, Windows has what I like to call a “stronghold” on the computer market. It is because of this “stronghold” that there is a good chance your computer right now has a Windows operating system and through choosing a Mac for your next computer, your current software would not be compatible. Windows PC’s have a long history or superiority over its Macintosh counterpart in terms of sales, but it can definitely be argued…that they are not superior in terms of quality.

I am unsure if you are aware or not, but the same kind of “who is better” talk was present when Windows XP was released. I could argue that at that time the open source operating system Linux was more of a threat to Windows than Mac, but that is for another day…

Ultimately, I do believe that Vista will eventually become widely accepted but it will still take some time for those who are believers in Windows XP, to continue their transition to Windows Vista. With the majority of new non-Macintosh based computers being sold off the shelf with Windows Vista installed, it is just a waiting game until it becomes the norm, just like Windows XP is the norm today. But don’t overlook the Mac…it’s quality, reliability, and security are very appealing for new and current computer users.

So overall, what do I see with Macintosh computer sales? Well, their sales should continue to increase as they continue to become more widely adopted, and more and more software will continue to be created for them.

One word of advice though…if you are wanting your computer to be compatible with the majority of programs, software and games, then a Mac is not for you. It is true that you can use an emulator on a Mac to be able to run some programs…but this is more of a hassle than anything else and will not work for everything.

But if you are not worried about the compatibility with your friends and family who most likely have a Windows based computer, than Macintosh computer could be a wise choice. They are well known for graphical and audio design work and there are many other upsides to having a Mac too!

Here is a little comparison…keep in mind that this is completely my personal opinion:

• how long the computer generally lasts (Mac wins)
• how secure a computer is (Mac wins)
• how much support is available (Windows wins)
• The stability of the Operating System (Mac wins)
• The amount of software available (Windows wins)
• The compatibility of previous and new software (Windows wins)
• The appeal (Close tie since a windows pc you can be customized very easily, but Mac’s have a nice look too)
• The performance (in terms of specs) (Windows wins) **
• The performance (in terms of security) (Mac wins)
• The Price (Windows wins easily!)
• Installing new software (Mac Wins…Drag and Drop baby…no wizard based interface!)

So why Is Microsoft not running any campaigns like Apple is for the Macintosh computer? The simple answer to this is that they do not have to. Because of their current “stronghold” on the market, consumers purchase windows and windows based software simply because “It is what is accepted”. Human nature tends to be to “stick with the group” and that is exactly what happens in the computer market. People purchase Windows based computers because others have Windows based computers. It’s a simple process if you think about it. If your friend Jimmy’s computer has Windows XP and you want to play games with him over the Internet, there is no way you would normally purchase a Mac. If you did, your purpose of purchasing a computer (to play games with Jimmy) would most likely not be satisfied.

I am sure that if Macintosh gets more of a market share that Microsoft will come out with some truly incredible marketing campaigns, but until that happens things will not change too much. Mac will continue to slowly grow their user base and Windows will continue be the most widely used Operating System. But word of advice to Microsoft…A loyal customer base like can be seen with Mac computer users will be very hard to convert back to Windows once they have more of a market share…so don’t wait too long before you begin to defend yourself in terms of quality. I personally do not know of anyone who wants to buy a PC if they already have a Macintosh…but I know of many people who want to buy a Mac if they have a PC.

If you ask somebody what type of computer they have, many will say Windows based…If you ask them what type of computer they prefer many will say a Mac. This is assuming that they are familiar with both platforms. Obviously however, if someone has only used windows based machines then they will not prefer to use a Mac…simply because they have never used one to be able to compare.

So, What do you think of the “get a Mac” campaign? How successful do you see it being, in the short run?, In the long run? What type of computer do you have? and what type do you prefer? and Why?

To Your Success!

Mark Garland
AnalyzedMarketing.com

**Windows wins here only because I have based performance on Specs. You can get a much faster machine for a lot cheaper than you can a Mac, but a Mac usually is much more stable and will outlast a windows based machine hands-down.