Apple Gives Microsoft the Smack Down Over Ads, Sortof

[Jeff Campbell]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2009/04/apple-rebuts-microsoft-criticisms-that-macs-are-overpriced.ars' target='_blank'>http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2...-overpriced.ars</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Apple is unfazed by Microsoft's recent attempts to make Macs out to be a bad value. "A PC is no bargain when it doesn't do what you want," Apple spokesman Bill Evans recently told BusinessWeek. "The one thing that both Apple and Microsoft can agree on is that everyone thinks the Mac is cool. With its great designs and advanced software, nothing matches it at any price."</em></p><p><em><img src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1240191188.usr105634.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" /></em></p><p>Ouch. About time they said something. These ads aren't exactly great, and the information presented in them is misleading to say the least. But that is the nature of advertising, and anything goes for the most part. Regardless, I would think that Microsoft with all it's money could pay someone to come up with at least one ad that was decent. Of course this is just my opinion, so I'll go back to my overpriced (but non-gold plated) MBP and continue surfing.&nbsp;</p>

[Jason Dunn]

These ads aren't exactly great, and the information presented in them is misleading to say the least.

And the Apple ads are just a paragon of virtuous truth? :D Given how upset Mac people are with these ads, I'd guess they're hitting exactly the right buttons - Mac people know, if they're honest with themselves, that for all the good things about the Mac platform, choice and low cost are not part of the equation.

[doogald]

Seth Stevenson of Slate (http://www.slate.com/id/2216524/) isn't too impressed with any of the Crispin ads, and gives many reasons why they fizzle. While I think that the laptop hunters ads are more effective than anything Microsoft has done, I really wonder how much of a difference they will make in the market? It seems that Windows' best success this year has been in very low margin Netbooks (WSJ says that MS gets $15 per copy of XP on a Netbook.) I'm not sure that Apple really cares for a business like that, frankly, if it means cannibalizing their laptop business that continues to do well enough.