August 24th, 2007

Are Mac users smug and arrogant?

Posted by Jason D. O'Grady @ 6:41 am

Categories: Opinion

Tags: Apple Macintosh, Apple Inc., Microsoft Windows, User, Jason D. O'Grady

One recurring meme that frequently gets trotted out on Digg.com and other forums is that Mac users are smug and arrogant. Many Windows users claim also that Apple users love anything that comes out of Cupertino and would spend their last breath defending it.

Is it true?

I, for one, am not an Apple apologist. Nor am I an Apple cheerleader. But Mac users are a proud bunch, to be sure.

We love our machines. I’ve found that Mac users can’t wait to use their machines (when they get home from work for example) whereas Windows users can’t wait to get away from their computers because they associate them with work. Obvious generalities here I know, but I think that many would agree that it’s true.

Apple’s current “Get a Mac” television commercials further exacerbate Apple’s elitist image problem. The hoodie-wearing “I’m a Mac” guy (played by Justin Long, right) is only too happy to put down the “I’m a PC” guy (journo-humorist John Hodgman). Perhaps it’s Apple’s portrayal of Hodgman as a dim-witted nincompoop “PC guy” that gets the ire of Windows users? Are all Windows users stocky idiots?

I don’t think that it’s a fair characterization of Windows users as anyone who’s walked the aisles (or worked a booth) at Macworld Expo will attest to.

Perhaps if Apple used a spokesperson that was more humble and self-deprecating Windows users would be less offended. Maybe Apple needs to drop the hoddie-wearing beatnick in the commercials in favor or someone that’s more sensitive and universally appealing. Does such a person exist? Who could they use?

Most of the good candidates have already been used:

• Mahatma Ghandi? (already used him in a poster)
• Dalai Lama? (already in poster)
• Bob Dylan? (commercial and poster)
• John Lennon? (solo catalog and poster)
• Paul McCartney (exclusive album and commercial)

A bunch more were used in Apple’s famous Think Different ad campaign which debuted on 28 September 1997.

So who does that leave us with?

• Pope Bendict?
• Mother Theresa?
• Princess Diana?
• Steve Irwin?
• Renaldo?
• David Beckham?
• Tony Blair?
• Oprah?
• Tom from MySpace?
• Steven Colbert?
• John Stewart?

Maybe Apple’s agency could hire Jeff Goldblum again? Or change back to featuring real world users in their commercials, like Apple switcher Ellen Feiss?

What’s the answer to Apple’s elitist image problem? Do they even have one?

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