Good Grief, Even More Laptop Hunters!
By Harry McCracken | Thursday, April 9, 2009 at 9:47 pm
Microsoft has posted another commercial in its “Laptop Hunters” campaign, this one starring Lisa (mom) and Jackson (kid):
Same template as the earlier two ones: Show that Windows laptops come in all shapes and sizes, emphasize basic specs (and one cool feature in this case–Blu-Ray), pause to make the point that Macs lack substance, then show the happy shopper(s) with free laptop (a Sony this time–sorry, HP). And don’t even acknowledge the existence of Windows on the computers.
I’m tired of analyzing commercials, so I’ll just point towards my posts on the earlier ads: Lauren and Giampaolo. Most of my thoughts apply to this one too–but if you’re less tuckered than me, I’d love to hear yours.
14 Comments
Read more:
14 Comments For This Post
April 9th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Good lord. The acting gets worse with each spot.
April 9th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
What’s with these arbitrary price points? If someone offered to buy me a laptop, price consideration would go right out the window. Along with Windows Vista.
Why bother buying a Vista laptop now when Microsoft’s set to offer free upgrades to Windows 7 for Vista laptops in the near future? Congrats on getting a laptop with an OS that’s about to be obsolete in a year.
Wasn’t Lauren exposed to be an actor, hired through Craigslist? I could be wrong on this one — it’s just something I stumbled upon on the Interbutts.
April 9th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
I’d love to see some sort of survey of what people take into account when they buy a computer. Is price/performance really the #1 priority? Is user experience? Or is finding the best tool for the job, period, even if it costs more?
April 9th, 2009 at 11:26 pm
Uh, Ed, what if it’s not acting? Could that explain it for this one?
I had to chuckle at your title… Here we are at, good grief, three whole Microsoft ads following the same theme. Remind me again, how many Mac vs. PC ads did Apple release?
And I was so hoping for analysis, had you in mind when I said it here:
http://bobcaswell.com/2009/04/09/latest-laptop-hunters-ad-shows-off-pcs-with-blu-ray-remote/
Oh well. 🙂
April 9th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
I should probably publish this as boilerplate, but when I use words like “good grief” and exclamation points! in titles, I’m generally being silly, not serious. If I thought that Microsoft was making too many of these ads, I’d say so…
Also, I was probably subconsciously channeling the title of this book.
–Harry
April 9th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
@Bob:
Until Apple got on the whole “Vista sucks” kick (which annoyed me after a while), each of the Get a Mac ads highlighted a different advantage of the Mac.
And remind me again, where in the article did Harry even mention Apple’s ads? It isn’t like he’s comparing them here.
April 10th, 2009 at 12:06 am
@DTNick No need for Harry to mention/compare Apple ads… just pointing out that if this gets a “good grief” response for being sooo many MS ads on the same theme (that is, 3), I wondered what the “good grief” response looked like with the stream of Apple ads came out.
@Harry Thanks for clarifying… but are you ever silly in the same way toward Apple releases? Just curious 🙂
April 10th, 2009 at 12:29 am
No, Bob, I’m famously deferential when it comes to Apple. You found me out.
–Harry
(Update: Here’s the last thing I wrote about Apple’s ads. You be the judge.)
April 10th, 2009 at 6:31 am
Oh man, I was thinking the mom was hot until she opened her mouth!
These commercials are such an embarassment– they remind me of the old Gateway Store ads “I want something for TEACHERS!”
In this one, where they pass the Mac and make the snide comment about them being popular at “this age” i.e. 11– another low point. It’s also kind of questionable, because a kid really into gaming would probably start off with a PC, rather than a Mac preference, because there really are a larger number of titles on PC.
The Blu Ray comment was a bit ironic, given that MSFT was backing the wrong horse (HD DVD) about a year ago, and I’m not convinced the format has a lot of “staying power” at this point, with things moving to download.
April 10th, 2009 at 8:11 am
Nothing at all ironic about the Blu-ray comment, it illustrates the different philosophies in play: While Microsoft was selling a HD-DVD drive, they still made sure that Blu-ray playback was possible in Windows.
Steve Jobs decides he doesn’t like Blu-Ray and the competition it presents to digital downloads, and so every Mac owner is never even given the option of Blu-ray playback.
Of course, one day Jobs will change his mind and Macs will support Blu-ray, and then Mac fanbois around the globe will do a 180 and tell us that Blu-ray support is a great feature worth upgrading to the next version of Mac OS X for.
April 10th, 2009 at 8:39 am
“Of course, one day Jobs will change his mind and Macs will support Blu-ray, and then Mac fanbois around the globe will do a 180 and tell us that Blu-ray support is a great feature worth upgrading to the next version of Mac OS X for.”
Maybe, but I doubt it. Apple was on the consortium that designed Blu-ray. If they thought the technology “had legs”, they’d have jumped on on 2 years ago. But I could be wrong…
April 10th, 2009 at 9:19 am
I still don’t understand why this shouting match between Apples and PCs continues… Is it because of the nature of the internet and the fact that for every old(er) guy like me that doesn’t give a sh*t one way or the other (both get whatever job you need done) and exits the shouting match, some new kid with pimples and an overinflated opinion of his knowledge and expertise turns 16 and blows all his money on one version or the other and feels the need to trumpet why his choice was so much better than the other side’s?
I own 3 handbuilt pcs, a mac mini, an older macbook, an apple tv, 2 ipods, 2 iphones, a pearl, a zen, a wii, a 360. I bought them all and have enjoyed each purchase for what I needed it to do for me. Why do people feel the need to scream at each other about this? It’s like gay marriage. If you’re into it, great. If you’re not into it, great. Don’t worry about what other people are doing/using in the privacy of their own home or workplace…
PS. On top of it, these conversations about advertising really are a complete and utter waste of time. I’m not even sure why I burned 8 minutes reading it and then typing this out. It may be because I hold Harry in high esteem. Or it may be because I’m just procrastinating on starting the work day. 9:19am and counting… Yesssssss.
April 10th, 2009 at 10:39 am
Bob – I’m not sure why you feel the need to stir the pot here (and elsewhere I might add), but I’ll say this. The Apple ads had variety. It was not the SAME theme over and over. They at least tried to make them different each time. Microsoft has not, its the same commercial with different people.
You can play out a theme real quick. I’m still waiting for the ad where Microsoft mentions Windows once and for all? 🙂
April 10th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
Where was I when they were casting for these ads? I could use some free $$$ from Microsoft…I’d return the PC in a week and pocket the cash back. HA!