April 5th, 2009

New Windows ad hits a nerve (again)

Posted by Mary Jo Foley @ 6:11 am

Categories: Advertising, Apple, Corporate strategy, Windows client

Tags: Apple Macintosh, Advertisement, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Corp., Laptop Computer, Desktops, Hardware, Mary Jo Foley

Microsoft has launched another of its new Windows “Laptop Hunters” ads this weekend. While bloggers and journalists are spending lots of cycles dissecting everything from what the salesclerks are wearing to whether or not the “star” is an actor, the one thing I can’t help but notice is how crazy the new commercials are making many in the Apple community.

The first “Lauren” ad got under many a Mac user’s skin for pointing out the obvious: Macs are more expensive than PCs. The new ad, featuring “Giampaolo,” admits Macs are “soo sexy,” but are more about branding than speeds and feeds.

Like they did when the “Lauren” ad debuted, many Apple enthusiasts are rushing to point out that Macs are still cooler than PCs. With Macs, you get iLife! You get fewer security problems! (Hmm. Maybe not.) If you just add $100 (or more) to your Mac purchase price, you could match the HP machine!

(My particular favorite is the complaint that Microsoft isn’t highlighting Windows in the new ads. Instead it’s focusing on the PCs … just like average consumers typically do when they are shopping for new systems. “Stop wasting time telling me how big this hard drive is, Mr. Salesperson. I want to see BitLocker in action!”)

The price/value/choice message Microsoft has finally surfaced in these new commercials is one it should have been trumpting for years. It took Microsoft $300 million and lots of false starts to get it right. But now that the Softies have found a winner, they should stick with the theme.

What do you think of Microsoft’s second Laptop Hunters ad? Has Microsoft finally found a campaign that works?