The first time I saw this new Mac spot, I really did laugh out loud. The other two are pretty good as well. I can't comment on whether or not this is true for Vista, errr, sorry, Windows, as I have been a Mac user for the last ten years. Anyway ... I can say with 100% certainty that they do bring up an important point we all need to pay close attention to – something Jon Steel pointed out earlier this summer.
Are you solving the real problem(s) facing your brand?
In the past, when people's opinions didn't make it too much further than their neighbors and friends, a company could get away with having their marketing be a bit ahead of their product to help create demand. Now that people can and will speak their minds to the world and others as soon as they feel the least bit slighted, and more who feel that way can join them in sharing similar experiences, companies cannot afford to fail to meet the promises their marketing makes the minute their product or service touches the purchaser's hands.
There is no escaping that the product truly is the marketing now. Especially if your product is software, where the experience is everything. That being the case, we better first and foremost make sure that the product (or service) is the best it can be. If it's not, all dollars spent elsewhere telling people everything is great are just being thrown out the window.
It's amazing to see Apple poke fun at Microsoft's advertising spending with an advertisement. Hypocrisy is the word that comes to mind, particularly for a brand that's largely built on marketing and hype.
Posted by: Peter Korchnak | 02 November 2008 at 11:39 PM
I wrote an analysis of the Mac Vs. PC campaigns after visiblemeasures published their study.
You can read it at
http://www.brandinfection.com/2008/11/01/mac-vs-pc-campaign-an-analysis/
Posted by: Nader | 03 November 2008 at 05:09 AM
I presented this same question today on a client project brief. We were being asked to create a promotion around a new "me too" product offering.
We could have easily cranked out a shiny, big budget promotion, w/all the bells and whistles, that could have seen a short sales lift, however, it would not have been sustainable and would have done nothing for the brand long term. Long story, short, we're going back to the drawing board w/the client to figure out what the right game changing offer is, before we spend the money on promoting it.
I also have another thought for you, re: "the product truly is the marketing now." More on that later.
Posted by: windo | 03 November 2008 at 06:00 PM
Hello, im a college student from Mexico,(thats why my english is so crappy), i've been reading your blog and to tell you the truth i have learned more in 1 hour reading your blog (including the comments from all the people) than in 1 semester with my mkt teacher, so i'll keep visiting you...
See ya!
Posted by: Jorge Rios | 10 November 2008 at 07:37 PM
Getting back to you re: "the product is truly is the marketing now." Few years ago I worked on the ad biz for Kawasaki motorcycles. Every year the engineers would develop some new amazing feature on the bike, a new/different front fork or stronger brake calipers, whatever... the point was that the rest of the other guys (e.g. Honda, Yamaha, etc.) didn't have it and so we had to talk about it. And to be honest, most average Joe riders could hardly notice the difference or ride to the full potential of that new feature anyways. the engineers in japan were out of touch w/American riders. What we did learn from talking to riders, was that they credited the green machines not for the new bells 'n whistles from year to year, but that raw, stripped-down, visceral feel on the bike. That raw power was something that we heard from all types of riders on cruisers, sportbikes, dirtbikes, and even on their jetskis. campaigning on a specific feature that changes from year to year didn't get us anywhere. the bikes in the hands of moto editors ended up making the call on them before our ads would ever have the chance to convince riders. it took some time, and work, but we finally got 'em around to committing to the idea of raw and the brand.
Posted by: windo | 11 November 2008 at 08:57 PM
I agree completely. Put the money into product development and branded utility and create true and relevant communication this way. Then you can use advertising to amplify and accelerate this positive and relevant message.
The Mac tvr is hilarious as always.
/Baek
Posted by: Kristian Baek | 12 November 2008 at 08:16 AM