Microsoft's New Commercial: Windows is a Generic Equivalent to OS X

By  |  Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 6:40 pm

Microsoft’s moving ahead with more commercials in its “I’m a PC” series, one of which it’s posted at a section of Windows.com called Laptop Hunters. Let’s watch, shall we?

[vodpod id=ExternalVideo.801900&w=425&h=350&fv=c%3Dv%26v%3D0bb6a07c-c829-4562-8375-49e6693810c7%26ifs%3Dtrue%26fr%3Dmsnvideo%26mkt%3Den-US]

Can’t argue with the truth of the basic gist here: There are tons of well-equipped Windows notebooks under a thousand bucks, and only one Mac laptop option, the basic white MacBook. If Lauren, the shopper in the commercial, had told me she wanted a 17-inch laptop for less than a grand, I could have saved her the trip to “the Mac store” she makes: Sorry, Lauren, Apple no can do. (Hey, I can’t afford a 17-inch MacBook Pro, either.)

But while the ad communicates a real virtue of Windows computers over Macs–much more variety and many machines at much lower prices–it doesn’t leave me feeling like Microsoft has conveyed a positive message about its operating system.  At first I wasn’t sure why. But after watching the commercial a few times, I think I understand why.

Lauren’s quest is about about finding features at a particular price point. Windows machines can easily win that competition. But the ad–and all the “I’m a PC” marketing I’ve seen to date–ignores one kinda-important feature: the operating system. You know, the business that Microsoft is in, and the one most significant difference between a PC and a Mac?

Microsoft doesn’t say Windows is better than OS X. It doesn’t say it’s comparable to OS X. It. Just. Ignores. Windows. Period.

Which implies–to me at least–that it’s arguing that operating systems don’t matter much. Computers are all about hardware specs; software is a side issue.

This is actually a defensible position: More and more, operating systems are middleware that sits between a computer and the browser that gets you onto the Web. But it’s not an idea that leaves you feeling good about Windows. It leaves you thinking that Microsoft thinks its product is a low-cost commodity.

Kind of like when Walgreens makes the case to buy this:

Walgreens

Instead of this:

Tylenol

Except that Microsoft doesn’t even argue that its product is as useful as the more slickly-packaged alternative.

It’s a strikingly different marketing message than the one implicit in most of Apple’s “Get a Mac” ads, which tend to be about software, not hardware, and which make the case that Macs are better because their software is better:

I’m not out to bash Microsoft here–like I say, there’s truth in the message it’s conveying these days. But I’m still unclear as to why it devotes so much attention to comparing Windows PC hardware with Mac hardware–especially since the high entry-level prices for Macs already ensure that the vast majority of computer shoppers in the country will buy a Windows machine of some sort. (Chevrolet doesn’t spend much time trying to convince people not to buy Audis, in case you hadn’t noticed.) And I’d love to see a Windows ad do something I kind of assumed bold new Windows ads would do: make the case for Windows.

 
48 Comments


Read more: , , ,

26 Comments For This Post

  1. tom b Says:
    March 26th, 2009 at 10:52 am

    The problem for MSFT is that you're much better off buying a used Mac, or holding onto an existing Mac you might own than throwing up your hands in despair and settling for Windows. It's all about getting your work done with the minimum of fuss. Computers are not accessories; they are important tools in modern life.

  2. Muay Thai Says:
    January 4th, 2012 at 5:31 am

    I agree, when I was working from home I would pretty much be stuck dead when my windows pc failed… Muay Thai Combinations | Muay Thai Kick | Martial Arts for Children

  3. marty Says:
    March 26th, 2009 at 7:06 pm

    tom,

    MS office (newest one) loads faster on my celeron 1,3 ghz than on my 2ghz iMac. like two or three times faster.

    Don’t get me wrong, I like my Mac but it’s far from being perfect.

  4. Dave Barnes Says:
    March 26th, 2009 at 7:17 pm

    My reaction to this advert is: “Are you insane!” ?
    You are Microsoft and you have worldwide share of PC operating systems of 90%.
    And, now you run ads attacking the little mouse.
    Rule #1: Never attack down. Certainly, do not when the market share ratio is 10:1.
    Idiots.

    By the way. Have you noticed that even Wal-Mart no longer portrays itself as: “Always the low price. Always.” There is a reason for this. Whilst we are in a recession/depression, average REAL incomes worldwide have been doubling (or more) every 50 years.

  5. Randall Says:
    March 26th, 2009 at 7:36 pm

    With the proliferation of web based systems, a.k.a. cloud computing, the operating system is becoming increasingly irrelevant. Because one needs merely a web browser, of which there are many that work on either operating system, does it really matter what the specs are? What one wants is an easy to use physical interface and lots of screen real estate. $699 for that system was a great deal.

    My bias: I run XP on a 15″ Macbook pro…

  6. Dizzle Says:
    March 26th, 2009 at 7:41 pm

    Is microsoft trying to sell computer hardware or it’s OS? Im confused. Also the blind message “it’s cheaper, so it MUST be better” is a bit preposterous. You get what you pay for!

    I own both Mac and PC (vista machine) and I am MUCH more productive with my intuitive Macbook.

  7. L1A Says:
    March 26th, 2009 at 7:43 pm

    i’m a mac and i got just i wanted too. /boggle at this =)
    by their logic we all should be driving kia or hyunday, i thinks

  8. Ron Evry Says:
    March 26th, 2009 at 7:48 pm

    Microsoft is jumping the gun because they see Apple nibbling away at their market share and getting huge amounts of press. They are also jumping the shark, but that’s another issue…

  9. jvon Says:
    March 26th, 2009 at 7:55 pm

    Lauren, I love your black VW Beetle you drive!

  10. Bob Says:
    March 26th, 2009 at 8:53 pm

    as she said, “just not cool enough for a Mac”, and that’s the way we like it.

    thanks for coming, bye bye.

  11. Steve Says:
    March 26th, 2009 at 8:55 pm

    Interesting, Windows is pitching itself at the budget end of the market now. No further need for XPPro, Vista Ultimate or 7…

  12. DysfunctionalParrot Says:
    March 26th, 2009 at 11:18 pm

    Maybe MSFT should have Seinfeld giving shoe advise again to Bill. Makes about as much of an impact.

    And cheaper? Since when did Microsoft sell computers? Ediots.

  13. Paulo Sargaço Says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 3:05 am

    You have a point there, Harry. Funnier then that, Microsoft seems to be making a case, not only for hardware, but for a particular brand of hardware: HP. I guess that their reasoning is that if they push PC, their business is kind of guaranteed. Which… is true. Not many people buy a PC to scrap Windows and install Linux.

  14. Stilgar Says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 4:00 am

    I really like this article, but I’m not sure Microsoft (MS) is trying to accomplish.

    Anytime I read forum posts or hear people discussing Mac vs PC, the main argument for PC users is inevitably, “PCs are cheaper.”

    That being said, I don’t think MS is necessarily trying to convince everyone PCs are better. This commercial seems to reinforce the concept that most PC users have: PCs are cheaper than Macs. The subject matter of the commercials with children working with pictures and video are targeted slightly more toward the operating system with the general message of, “we’re easy to use (too).”

    My impression is that MS is willing to let a few people go to a different platform, but right now they’re trying to prevent more PC owners from making the jump to Mac.

    The situation would get really interesting if there was a third party producing TV commercials for Ubuntu. “You want OS value? Try free” 🙂

  15. fefe Says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 9:09 am

    Great tip, I’d try to get in touch with even more people to read this. Maybe i’ll link this to osforum.com or something. Thanks again

  16. Marc Says:
    March 27th, 2009 at 2:58 pm

    OMG! Apple charge over the odds for their hardware! Well, I learnt something new today 😉

  17. Used to Be Mac user Says:
    April 7th, 2009 at 4:37 pm

    After reading the posts, I find it amusing of the attacks on Microsoft. She said what she wanted
    1. 17″ screen
    2. Under $1000

    Sounds reasonable, most of us, including myself in todays economy, have a budget, and would like it to do a few basic things, 1)type a document for school/work, 2)email, and 3) surf the internet. Both Mac and Windows can do all of those, so it really comes down to price + whatever features she wants (no she did not say “I want a half eaten apple logo on the back”) and this commercial matches what she wanted (for $300 less).
    I think that she is right on, and if she did have a budget of $2,799.00 (Apples published price for a 17″ laptop) you could buy a pretty tricked out windows PC.
    In the I’m a Mac vs I’m a PC commercials Mac points out things it is strong in (video editing, pictures, etc), these commercials by Microsoft return the volleys with the same fairness that Mac started the battle with.

  18. tramster Says:
    April 19th, 2009 at 7:54 am

    Interesting.
    I did hear rumour that Microsofts adverts for the “I’m a PC” campaign were made on a mac!!!
    Anyone able to corroborate this?
    As for the ad, She got what she wanted for a good price. Apples capabilites where not in her criteria.
    Me, I’m a PC and I love the tinkering under the hood. Setting it up is whats its all about for me.

  19. kousik Says:
    May 14th, 2009 at 2:59 am

    @Randall
    Do you really know what the OS is for? Cloud is just for storing your data, and when you try to work on the data the OS becomes important.

    Anyway, good article — I am happy owner of both a Mac and a PC (as well as a Linux box), and I totally agree with you. However, I see another negative point — it tries to say that an average PC user is “less cool”, but I don’t think that’s a cool way to think of the customers!

  20. Travis Says:
    May 24th, 2009 at 2:37 pm

    To used to be a mac user, I dont think you actually were a user. You seem to miss the point. No matter how “tricked out” your windows PC is, if you get a macbook pro for that price you are getting value out of every penny. Im not sure why she would ever need a macbook pro, as she doesnt seem like shes professional at anything except tweeting perhaps, but that is a beast of a computer. Do a part by part comparison of the macbook pro and it is a great value for the equipment, with a slight premium on the operating system, which is fine as it is infinitly better than vista. If you are looking for a cheap computer, sure buy a pc, or better yet a netbook, as most of those people really only need a browser and solitaire. The video editing commercial makes me crack up every time. “its only got 2 gigs” HAHAHA. If you want to do video editing you buy at least a macbook pro. I have a mac pro and everything is blazing fast and simple. And, when ive got spare time, I can play crysis in (shudder) bootcamp on very high settings. Sooo. Have fun with your pc.

  21. Travis Says:
    May 24th, 2009 at 2:44 pm

    And about the price thing, I would like to tell a story. When my dad needed to buy a computer, he spent a very long time deciding. He had always had pc’s because his firm has a great hook up with dell ( my dad was an acquaintance). But he was sick of dealing with consumer customer support for my moms pc and his laptop. So we went out looking, he checked out hp’s, sony’s, all windows and he finnaly decided on a macbook base level. He fooled around with it for hours, over the course of a couple of weeks before buying and he is extremly pleased. He knew he could have gotten a pc for 700, but he simply hated the os. This is a guy who’s ski jacket is older than I am (im 23) and he got it in a bargain bin at a discount store for around 5 buvks. i have probably had a dozen new ski jackets and pants, atleast one every two years. This is a guy who loves a bargain and gets the best out of it. But apples customer support and ease of use WAS the good deal for him. Now, if you prefer vistas bugs and viruses and tech support from india from people reading off a list, by all means enjoy your purchase. ill pay a premium for quality.

  22. Guru Says:
    July 25th, 2009 at 4:17 pm

    @Dave Barnes

    90% would be 9:1 not 10:1

  23. James Smith, João Pessoa, Brazil Says:
    October 31st, 2009 at 7:25 am

    I suspect the reason why MS Office loads faster on a Windows system than a Mac is that MS has some “hooks” in their software to help it run better than competing software or on a non-Widows system. While that might sound underhanded, if you were running a company like that, how would you do it? For once, I can’t fault this intelligent business decision my MS.

  24. Ales Says:
    March 8th, 2010 at 12:32 pm

    Hollywood Wallpapers

  25. Jon Peterson Says:
    July 7th, 2010 at 7:25 pm

    Incidentally, with your medicine example: the compelling argument should be "THEY'RE THE EXACT SAME THING, IN A DIFFERENT PACKAGE".

    No really. The FDA requires generics to be chemically identical to the name-brand. As soon as generics for a particular medicine start showing up, it's financially unwise NOT to switch, because you are literally paying more for the exact same product.

  26. http://marktaylor7799.blog.com/ Says:
    July 3rd, 2014 at 11:56 pm

    I’ve been exploring for a bit for any high-quality articles or weblog posts in this sort of house .

    Exploring in Yahoo I finally stumbled upon this website.
    Reading this information So i’m glad to convey that I
    have an incredibly good uncanny feeling I came upon exactly what
    I needed. I so much surely will make certain to don?t
    overlook this site and give it a look regularly.

    Here is my page; official website; http://marktaylor7799.blog.com/,

22 Trackbacks For This Post

  1. Top Posts « WordPress.com Says:
    March 28th, 2009 at 5:22 pm

    […] Microsoft’s New Commercial: Windows is a Generic Equivalent to OS X Microsoft’s moving ahead with more commercials in its “I’m a PC” series, one of which […] […]

  2. Microsoft’s Lauren « b&k m online Says:
    March 31st, 2009 at 10:57 am

    […] little more important. What is it that Microsoft is really trying to tell us about Windows? I think Harry McCracken sums it up pretty well. Lauren’s quest is about finding features at a particular price […]

  3. Another Microsoft Ad That Ignores Windows | Technologizer Says:
    April 4th, 2009 at 10:51 am

    […] I said about the “Lauren” ad, the most positive idea you can take away about Windows from Giampaolo’s shopping expedition is tha…. Which might be a selling point at the moment, but I can’t imagine that it’s a healthy […]

  4. Zev Mo Bloggin’ » Blog Archive » Hey, Lauren! Is Apple’s 17-Inch MacBook Pro Expensive? Says:
    April 6th, 2009 at 10:45 am

    […] this passion crop up in some of the comments on Ed Oswald’s two recent posts (here and here) on Microsoft’s new “Lauren” ad comparing 17-inch Windows laptops to the MacBook Pro. I’ve also encountered it every time I’ve tried to do the math on the Windows vs. Mac […]

  5. Laptop Hunters: Noch mehr kontroverse Anti-Apple Microsoft TV-Spots « Medienfieber das Medien Blog Says:
    April 10th, 2009 at 2:21 am

    […] Microsoft’s New Commercial: Windows is a Generic Equivalent to OS X 0 Kommentare Keine Kommentare bis jetzt Einen Kommentar schreiben RSS-Feed für Kommentare zu diesem Beitrag. TrackBack URI Einen Kommentar schreiben Antworten abbrechen. Zeilen- und Absatzumbrüche automatisch, E-Mail-Adresse wird nicht angezeigt, HTML-Tags zulässig: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong> […]

  6. Too Early to Judge the “Lauren” Effect, But Mac Grows | Technologizer Says:
    April 16th, 2009 at 11:14 am

    […] “PC Hunters” ads came too late in the quarter to register any impact that could be gauged in the survey. It will be until July or […]

  7. Software Evolution! | Computer Tech Blog Says:
    April 19th, 2009 at 12:02 pm

    […] Microsoft’s New Commercial: Windows is a Generic Equivalent to OS X (technologizer.com) […]

  8. Advertising Works! | Technologizer Says:
    May 18th, 2009 at 7:50 pm

    […] all:&nbspNews I still think that Microsoft’s current Laptop Hunters ad campaign for Windows represents an odd combination of stating the obvious (that you can buy a Windows PC with beefy […]

  9. Microsoft’s Odd (and, in One Case, Utterly Revolting) Ads for Internet Explorer | Technologizer Says:
    June 30th, 2009 at 12:41 pm

    […] Lauren. Bring back Seinfeld. Even revive the commercials depicting Microsoft Office users as dinosaurs. […]

  10. About Those Totally Unscripted Microsoft Commercials… | Technologizer Says:
    July 16th, 2009 at 8:23 am

    […] they weren’t unedited, of course. And it’s worth noting that when folks noticed that Lauren, the first Laptop Hunter, mistakenly called the Apple Store “the Mac Store,” the company’s re-edited, […]

  11. HP’s Windows 7 PC Extravaganza | Technologizer Says:
    September 14th, 2009 at 9:38 pm

    […] in Microsoft’s “Laptop Hunters” ads will be buying the Envys–they start at $1699 (13-inch) and $1799 (15-inch), prices […]

  12. AMD Vs Intel » HP’s Windows 7 PC Extravaganza Says:
    September 15th, 2009 at 3:32 am

    […] in Microsoft’s “Laptop Hunters” ads module be purchase the Envys–they move at $1699 (13-inch) and $1799 (15-inch), prices […]

  13. Technologizer’s 2009 Predictions: Hey, a Lot of This Stuff Really Did Happen! | Technologizer Says:
    December 24th, 2009 at 2:20 am

    […] Reality? Dead on, Dave. […]

  14. talbog.com » Blog Archive » hey-lauren-is-apples-17-inch-macbook-pro-expensi Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 11:24 am

    […] passion crop up in some of the comments on Ed Oswald’s two recent posts (here and here) on Microsoft’s new “Lauren” ad comparing 17-inch Windows laptops to the MacBook Pro. I’ve also encountered it every time I’ve tried to do the math on the Windows vs. Mac […]

  15. talbog.com » Blog Archive » microsofts-new-windows-ads-theyre-a-trap-bwahaha Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 11:25 am

    […] new ads with shoppers spurning Macs for HP laptops too seriously. Mostly I’ve mused about why they seem to ignore Microsoft’s own contribution to the PC and used them as a springboard for PC-Mac price comparisons of my own. (I’m happy to say that […]

  16. memoer.net » » Movie Avatar Starring – this-laptop-hunter-isnt-a- Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 5:12 pm

    […] a Mac” ad out–and this one is the first one that would seem to respond directly to Microsoft’s “Laptop Hunters” ads and their snarky put-downs of Macs, since it involves a woman shopping for a computer and addresses […]

  17. memoer.net » » four-more-get-a-mac-ads-no-direct-laptop-hunters Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    […] written, one of the striking things about the “Laptop Hunters” series is that it makes no claims about Windows. The message is all about the specs and features you can get at a particular price point, and […]

  18. memoer.net » » too-late-to-judge-the-lauren-effect-but-mac-grow Says:
    May 27th, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    […] “PC Hunters” ads came too late in the quarter to register any impact that could be gauged in the survey. It will be until July or […]

  19. Microsoft’s Latest PC-Mac Comparison is…Almost Reasonable Says:
    August 10th, 2010 at 10:01 am

    […] But the case it made for Windows PCs and against the Mac was touchy and evasive. It ran PC ads that knocked Macs as overpriced but couldn’t find anything nice to say about Windows. It got pointlessly insulting about Mac users. And it commissioned a white paper on the […]

  20. Samsung’s Fake Real People Remind Me of Microsoft’s Real Fake People Says:
    March 26th, 2011 at 4:28 pm

    […] Galaxy Tab fans who happen to be actors. To put things in perspective, he mentions Lauren, the star of a 2009 Microsoft “real person” ad who also had acting experience. (To be […]

  21. Samsung’s Fake Real People vs. Microsoft’s Real Fake People Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 12:38 pm

    […] “true-life” Galaxy Tab fans who occur to be actors. To put things in perspective, he mentions Lauren, a star of a 2009 Microsoft “real person” ad who also had behaving experience. (To be […]

  22. Samsung’s Fake Real People vs. Microsoft’s Real Fake People Says:
    March 28th, 2011 at 4:04 pm

    […] “true-life” Galaxy Tab fans who happen to be actors. To put things in perspective, he mentions Lauren, the star of a 2009 Microsoft “real person” ad who also had acting experience. (To be fair to […]