PC is cheap, Mac is Cool (video)

Remember the “I’m a PC, I’m a Mac” series of commercials? It was not a long time ago when Apple (creator of Mac) came up with series of “ads” that lampoon Microsoft and cemented Mac’s image as a cooler machine. Microsoft responded with an “odd” commercial that features Jerry Seinfeld and Microsoft founder Bill Gates himself. Truth be told, I don’t think Microsoft achieved anything with the release of that commercial so they had to pull it out earlier than expected. Had they kept showing that commercial, I think it would’ve achieved the real results they were hoping for. Anyway, that’s another topic. I blogged about it a few months ago, if you want to read it, feel free to do so.

Just recently, Microsoft flexed its “odd” muscle again and came out with an ad that basically says: “Ok, Mac is cool but PC is cheap.” Of course it was not said verbatim but anyone with an IQ greater than zero will get it. I’m not in any way an advertising genius but as an average user, that Microsoft ad screams Buy Mac! Buy Mac!


Basically, the commercial features an average user, Lauren, looking to buy a new machine. Sees an Apple store and finds the merchandise beyond her budget. Lauren sighed: “I’m just not cool enough to be a Mac person.” By a stroke of genius, she hops on another store where different machines running Windows are being sold. She looked around and found the “cheapest” one. An HP machine running Windows. Nice. Now HP is dragged into this mess. She bought it and showed a big smile on her face. End of commercial. Duh?!

I’m not sure who are the people behind this commercial but I’m pretty sure their respective careers will be finish sooner than they say “cheap.” I find it disappointing because I’m a PC user. I admit Mac is cooler but there are tons of reasons to use Windows also. Maybe my reason is similar to the billions of other PC users out there. For Microsoft to come out with this ad and (inadvertently) portray PC as somewhat inferior to Mac is for me a great disservice to the billions of PC users around the world.

I hope Microsoft can still redeem their badly beaten image – however much of it are of their own doing.

Watch the commercial below and see for yourself:

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