The Blue Apple

Apple's "I'm a Mac/PC" ads are lovely to look at, amusing and go right to the heart of Apple's corporate kulturkampf. While each ad is broadly focused on a technical superiority claim, the real message is in the characterization: Macs are for cool people. PC's are for, well, uncool people.

As Seth Stevenson pointed out on Slate, there's a bit of a cultural faux pas here, as uncool is the new cool. PC guy, played by John Hodgman of The Daily Show (and really, how cool is that?) does get all the laugh lines and is actually more likeable than his hipster counterpart. But I think Stevenson is missing the point when he faults the ads on the reverse likeability gap. For me, the kindly portrayal of PC guy is part of Apple's "Make love in order to make war" strategy of running Windows and Office, making sure iTunes and iPods work on pc's, generally making nice on the network and protocols front, etc. It's a great strategy and these ads pay it off.

Having said all that, there is more than a little condescension in the ads which, in my experience, accurately reflects the attitude shared by Apple and many of its fans. Is that a problem for Apple? I don't know. Because at this point my mind keeps wandering to parallels with the Liberal/Conservative divide in America. And here I believe that condescension is a problem. When I listen to Apple dude in these ads, I hear the voice of Liberal America. He's saying things that I agree with. He's saying things that I think are important. I'm more than willing to buy what he's offering. But I'd rather have a beer with the other guy.

Comments

[Marcus Brown]

I think it's very clever of apple. I think you're right about the PC guy being, well the chap to like. That's kind of cool. They let every PC user identify with the charming/geeky PC guy (that's them in the office) while being nudged in the direction of private "fun" stuff with an Apple (that should be them at home). We don't get to choose the computers we use at work, and Apple knows this. We do, however, make that choice for our homes.

I think you can see this clearly in the "box" ad. In an office environment it's the IT guy who has to put the body parts together, at home you just want to get on with it quick as you can.

I don't think it's really condescension. I think (and this has been a common thread throughout all apple stuff) that Apple just simply can't understand why anyone would want to go through the pain of PC usage.

[Amelia]

I use Macs, but though some of the ads make me smile I have to say that I find them obvious and patronizing.
They have just broken in the UK this week.
http://ameliatorode.typepad.com/life_moves_pretty_fast/2007/02/im_a_mac_vs_im_.html

[Pavel]

but WHY do you have a photo of 2 guys using a Mac?
Bush has an old Powerbook in the background!

[Jeffre Jackson]

Good eye!