Ron Schenone

Apple To Microsoft – Stop Those Ads!

Posted by on Jul 16, 2009 | 24 Comments

Boo-hoo. Apple is complaining that those Microsoft ads ‘You Find It, You Keep It’ is not nice and according to one Microsoft executive this is a conversation he had with Apple legal:

‘And so we’ve been running these PC value ads. Just giving people saying, hey, what are you looking to spend? “Oh, I’m looking to spend less than $1,000.” Well we’ll give you $1,000. Go in and look and see what you can buy. And they come out and they just show them. Those are completely unscripted commercials.

And you know why I know they’re working? Because two weeks ago we got a call from the Apple legal department saying, hey — this is a true story — saying, “Hey, you need to stop running those ads, we lowered our prices.” They took like $100 off or something. It was the greatest single phone call in the history that I’ve ever taken in business. (Applause.)

I did cartwheels down the hallway. At first I said, “Is this a joke? Who are you?” Not understanding what an opportunity. And so we’re just going to keep running them and running them and running them.’

Well those Microsoft ads must be working because Apple has dropped to the number 5 position in computer sales. Funny. How come those Apple fanboys are not posting this on the Internet? Did Apple really believe that in a recession people would still want to spend $2K on a computer?

But it gets better. Microsoft has been stating that it will be opening up Microsoft stores to sell its stuff directly to consumers. Hang on. You’re going to love this.

Rumor has it they may open Microsoft stores right next to Apple stores. That would be funny! LOL

Comments welcome.

Source

Microsoft opening stores source

  • Ryan Farmer

    Perhaps the only good thing I can say for Apple is that they don’t use cheap, crappy, fall apart components and pack the hard drive so full of crapware that the PC can barely even start up the first time you power it on.

    That’s how those $700 PC laptops roll. The discount in an HP or Dell comes right out of your ass when you have to wipe out 30 gigabytes of trialware and go buy software or scrounge up freeware to do what you bought the damned computer for, that and faulty worksmanship.

    I speak as the owner of a malfunctioning Compaq laptop that’s never really worked right from the moment I unboxed it.

    But I digress, complaining about a PC with Windows is like demanding a steak on a generic hot dog budget. :P

  • http://www.techdusts.com Mayank Agarwal

    Well looks like MS is full on these dayz…. 1st Bing, then MS Office 2010 (that too free cloud version) and now this….! woah…!

  • Martin Kruse

    As a person who’s outfitted many a $350 laptop, they roll just fine out of the box.

  • http://techdusts.com/ Krishna Santani

    Finally, Microsoft figured out how to get an effective ad campaign and learned the art of attacking its rivals..!!

  • Michael Brodt

    Once again, Apple’s Legal Teams screws up. They need to keep a tighter leash on them, that team is like a bunch rabid wolves. They go after the dumbest things.

    The funny thing is, I’m not all that impressed with those ads. I am more impressed with the Office 2010 trailer. The arguement over which is better is stupid. This is just a case of Apple Legal screwing up… again.

  • astroX

    nice! hahahahaha

  • Cistoran

    Thank god. Hey look i’m Apple. I can charge $2000 for a computer that people can make for $600 WEEE PROFIT!

  • Justin Waugh

    I don’t know how you can even justify Microsoft and Apple even being “competitors”. Apple designs hardware while Microsoft sells their software to any tom dick and harry that wants to put it on what they call a “computer”.

    Apple has strict quality control over their computers and make sure the software is designed SPECIFICALLY for the hardware.

    I am an an Apple fanboy, but a logical one. You can’t dispute my points, I’ve been in the computer repair industry for a while now, and I’ve fixed hundreds of PCs, you know how many Apple’s I’ve fixed? Zero. You know how many people I’ve converted to Apple just by telling them the facts about them? 4… out of welllll… FOUR. They love their Apple’s because they are made by a standard.

    My point is… Microsoft and Apple can’t be compared. They are oranges and… well, Apples. :)

  • Peter J. Paul

    I’m sure that Apple’s legal department called MS and simply asked them to stop. The ONLY reason the ads are still running is that Apple neglected to say “pretty please” (a legal term)

  • MacGuy

    Not to mention on PCs you get Viruses and Spyware infections. If Apple Lowered their prices the PC wouldn’t exist anymore let’s be honest.

  • http://ronknights.com/ Ron Knights

    I still love my 24″ iMac.

    But I can’t afford any more powerful Macintoshes.

    On the other hand, I can get powerful PC’s for less.

  • http://ethanstechhchat.webs.com Ethan

    I think the ads are a little mean. The commercial that said Macs are all about looks, thats not true. And according to Apple, Macs are Eco-Friendly

  • Turd Ferguson

    Its not about being right or wrong. Its about advertising. Apple has been running the cool guy vs the fat guy in a suit ad for a long time now… I am suprised that it took microsoft this long to come up with a suitable retaliation.

  • http://www.GavinsTipsAndTricks.co.nr/ Gavin Roskamp

    I just have to laugh at this one.
    Sure, I classify myself as an Apple fanboy, but I do have to laugh.

    So Apple comes out with these ads, I’m a Mac.
    Microsoft copies them, hires a bunch of people to look like normal people (and yes, they are scripted), and they shoot it, making sure to make the PCs sound better than the Macs for really invalid reasons. (Well except the money reason, but that goes into the whole Apple tax or Windows tax… so yeah)
    Then Apple fights back with their ad about how there are way too many PCs and none of them work perfectly, which is sorta false because some do work just fine and not all Macs run fine either.
    Then The laptop hunters *somehow* start to work? So Apple’s not-the-most-intelligent legal department calls Microsoft and tells them to stop showing them.

    In my opinion, both companies have their heads in the wrong place on this one. Apple should let Microsoft fight back with their ads, it creates healthy competition. Microsoft shouldn’t copy Apple with (what I see as) nearly everything, but they do anyway.

    I think I’ll sit this one out and just laugh from the sidelines.

  • http://bobbyh.com @bobbyhaley

    I’m glad so many people buy PC’s because it equals job security for me. I work 50 hour weeks on a military base fixing pc’s and 90% that comes through my office are Dell and HP (aka the “top” companies). Personally, I an Apple guy because I like consistency, performance an aesthetics. I’ve had zero problems from my iBook that I’ve been using for 5 years and it’s been though hell. I just bought a new Macbook and I’m sure I’ll use it for years to come too.

  • Jeff

    Mac fanboi here has a few things he neglected to say

    1 – the parts are not QA special. they are standard parts. Like car batteries, they the same thing with a different sticker on them

    2 – Macs break all the time. You run a mom and pop repair shop? great. I work in an industry that sees thousands of units a day, and macs take up their share. There would be no reason for the genius bar and Apple Care if macs never broke.

    3 – they don’t design the software for the hardware, its the other way around. They limit the amount of hardware items that can work on the mac as internals so they don’t look bad, and so they can raise proffit margins. Also, mac takes a bite out of all profit items they license, taking more money.

    4 – Mac’s get viruses. They are also the fastest to be hacked every year. The reason there are fewer issues simply lies in the numbers. if you have less then 20% market share, and you were out to hurt the masses, no one will take the time to hurt you. if mac had the controlling share, you bet your butt you would see mac viruses crawling all over the place.

    5 – Mac’s get too hot, and apple claims its your fault.

    6 – They use ad campaigns to get fanbois. You said in your own post you use ad hominem. Sorry, but I am not going to take you seriously as a computer repair technician if you claim macs are better no matter what. You dont even understand how or why the company does what it does. Windows 7 far exceeds anything I wanted from windows so far, and the only reason now to buy a mac is the bundled software. I haven’t had a virus infection in over 5 years, and Most virus infections are caused by poorly maintained computers that people use.

    I do like mac. Price aside its a great platform. Problem is, price included and there is no reason to buy one. I can do all the same things on a PC for over 1000 dollars less.

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

    Thanks for all of the great comments everyone. It is very much appreciated.
    Regards, Ron

  • Connor Bryant

    Apple always has had a history of taking (unnecessary?) legal action. They never cease to amaze me.

  • http://www.technologyslice.com.au Tech

    Those ads are great. Apple did the same thing to them and now they’re whinging about it.

  • Tim B.

    I send $2,200 on a Powerbook in June of 05…. since then I had 5 logic board replacements (low memory failures), PB was a defective product straight out the factory, had a battery recall, and so much more. After the 2nd logic board went out I had no choice but to buy a replacement laptop since the PB lived at the apple store, so I got the first Intel mac book pro for a little less than 2000) which crash and burn EXACTLY 2yrs (and 3days) after my apple care went out. Never Again!!!!!

  • http://slrman.wordpress.com James Smith João Pessoa, Brazil

    I have used Windows and Macs side-by-side on a daily basis since 1986. So I do have some experience on which to base an opinion. That is, if you are using windows when you could have a Mac, you either know nothing about computers or are willfully ignorant.

    Here are FACTS. Apple provides the best quality, user experience, reliability, and resale value of any computer. I know you windows fan boys hate to hear that, but it’s the truth.

    In addition, the software is generally cheaper, thare is plenty of free software and there is nothing you can do with a PC that the Mac cannot do better. That includes playing WoW and other moronic games.

    • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/blade/ Ron Schenone

      James Smith João Pessoa, Brazil
      Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us.
      Regards, Ron

  • srlsy guise

    “Here are FACTS. Apple provides the best quality, user experience, reliability, and resale value of any computer. I know you windows fan boys hate to hear that, but it’s the truth.”

    The only fact involved in that statement is the fact that they have a higher resale value.

    Unfortunately, these aren’t cars. When I get rid of my PC, it’ll be when it dies, or when it’s unusable. Unfortunately that will be in five years. So I’ll spend 1500 dollars on an abso-fucking-lutely stellar PC I built myself, and you can have whatever Mac’s shitty “mid-range” model happens to be.

    You will spend more money for the same spec Mac, and that is the only indisputable fact.

    http://store.apple.com/us/browse/home/shop_mac/family/macbook?mco=MTM3NDg3NTI

    Identical to my Dell laptop purchased in fall 07, except I upgraded the RAM, which is only DDR2, and the Hard Drive. I can play every game at higher settings with smoother picture than on this POS. My warrantee was 3 years for 300 dollars, free repair and replacement for anything.

    Total cost of my computer, including 3 year unlimited/no questions asked warranty, screen upgrade(1650X1080), scanner/printer, upgraded video card, upgraded sound card, mouse, and microsoft word in 2007: $1700 dollars.

    Total cost of a comparable MacBook, with no extended warranty (shitty phone help doesn’t count) in 2010: $1799

    http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MC371LL/A?mco=MTc0Njg1OTY

    So I paid less to get a better computer 3 years ago with a better warranty for less money. Explain to me why that is at all inferior to your beloved mac.

    Also the PC has a much larger community of open source software.

    Also iTunes nickles and dimes you for things that are free on the internet.

    Also only idiots and sheep believe what steve jobs force feeds them every year.

  • http://www.mikositalianice.com Zach

    its called OLIGOPOLY.
    I love my Mac and my PC.
    and my Linux server. and my andriod phone.