"Laptop Hunters" Agency is Mostly Macs... Duh...

[Vincent Ferrari]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009/05/laptophunter/' target='_blank'>http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2009...5/laptophunter/</a><br /><br /></div><p><em>"Here's something that should get Mac fan boys foaming at the mouth. Pictured above is the office of Alex Bogusky, the brains behind Microsoft's new Laptop Hunter commercials. Sure enough, those are two MacBook Pros sitting on his desk."</em></p><p><img height="349" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/600/at/auto/1241700327.usr18053.jpg" style="border: 1px solid #d2d2bb;" width="465" /></p><p>Sure this doesn't say a whole lot.&nbsp; I mean, I'm sure there are companies that produce ads for Honda that have employees driving around Dodges.&nbsp; It's just really funny that the company making one of the most hated strings of ads ever is using a product they make a point of bashing in each and every one of them.</p><p>I've always thought Microsoft was missing a huge opportunity with these stupid ads, and that's the opportunity to show that the ad itself was made on a Windows PC.&nbsp; If you go to any site created with Apple's iWeb, you see a "Made on a Mac" logo on the bottom of it.&nbsp; Microsoft should've employed a company using Windows for their ads, and made a huge deal about how the ads were made on Windows PCs.&nbsp; If nothing else, it would provide some fodder for the Windows folks who insist that everything done on a Mac can be done on a PC.&nbsp; They <a href="http://applethoughts.com/news/show/93578/microsoft-uncorks-new-laptop-hunters-ad.html" target="_blank">could've even hired Sheila</a>!&nbsp; I hear she wanted a laptop that could cut video and that's what she got at Fry's...</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

[emuelle1]

I wouldn't say they're "the most hated ads ever". As TV commercials go, they're far less annoying that most. They could have hired Billy Mays...

They're simply not popular among sites mainly populated by people with the resources to acquire a MacBook Pro.

I do think it's a vicious FAIL not to produce ads for Microsoft products and partners with products made by Microsoft and their partners though. If Windows is good enough and MS's hardware OEM partners truly do produce comparable products, surely they're good enough to produce an ad on, right? I'm far more annoyed by that than Lauren's idiotic offhanded (and probably scripted) comment about not being "cool" enough to own a Mac.

[Sven Johannsen]

The reality is that creativity has much more to do with the individual using the tool, than the tool itself. I have no idea what the process was to pick these guys (this firm) to do the ad, but I bet the top criteria wasn't, what are you going to do it on.

[Vincent Ferrari]

The reality is that creativity has much more to do with the individual using the tool, than the tool itself. I have no idea what the process was to pick these guys (this firm) to do the ad, but I bet the top criteria wasn't, what are you going to do it on.

Ya know, that's the kind of thing I'm just kind of tired of hearing. It does have a LOT to do with the tool itself. You could hammer a nail with the head of a screwdriver, but if you had a hammer your job would go much easier.

I find it ironic that Microsoft didn't push for an agency that ran Avid or Vegas Pro on Windows to do their ads; then they could tout how the ad itself was also made on Windows. I don't know about you, but in my daily life, I come across people who, whether correctly or not, have the perception that Macs are good for "graphics," and they are, but that's to the exclusion of Windows PCs (at least in their minds). Imagine if the commercial ended with "Oh yeah, and this commercial was also made on a PC."

Apple does it with iWeb sites for crying out loud. They know the value of explaining which tool built the project.

[David Tucker]

You do know what Apple uses as POS devices in their stores, right?

[Vincent Ferrari]

You do know what Apple uses as POS devices in their stores, right?

Yep, I sure do. Apple iPod Touches.

Now I know why you asked that; because you think they're still using Windows CE handhelds from Symbol. Just so you know, they aren't in the Apple Stores I find myself in most often. :D

(Link (http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2009/04/10/apple-stores-to-ditch-windows-easypay-systems-for-iphone-30/))

[David Tucker]

Just pointing out that everyone does it. Nothing wrong with it either. MS has had a hard enough getting good advertisements made that it can't afford to cut themselves off from good talent just based on their tools. Its a good idea but not what MS needs. They just need an effective ad campaign, which they finally have.

[Vincent Ferrari]

Just pointing out that everyone does it. Nothing wrong with it either. MS has had a hard enough getting good advertisements made that it can't afford to cut themselves off from good talent just based on their tools. Its a good idea but not what MS needs. They just need an effective ad campaign, which they finally have.

I don't understand... Everyone does "it." What's "it?"

Apple was using Symbol handhelds for years before the iPhone existed, so unless you mean "it" with this ad agency producing ads on Macs because Windows doesn't exist yet, I don't get your point.

It's not the same thing, dude.

And the fact that you just said looking for editors who use Windows would be "cutting themselves off from good talent" pretty much confirms that despite Microsoft's derisive sneering comments about "cool" and "popular with the kids," the creative folks in the business just aren't using their products, so unless ad agencies are trying to be "cool" or "run by kids," you just did one hell of a job dismantling their ads.

Nice work!

[Sven Johannsen]

Ya know, that's the kind of thing I'm just kind of tired of hearing. It does have a LOT to do with the tool itself. You could hammer a nail with the head of a screwdriver, but if you had a hammer your job would go much easier.

Talking about creativity and talent, not the technical aspects. Your example uses the wrong tool for the job, not just a different variation of a perfectly legitimate tool.

[emuelle1]

Yep, I sure do. Apple iPod Touches.

Now I know why you asked that; because you think they're still using Windows CE handhelds from Symbol. Just so you know, they aren't in the Apple Stores I find myself in most often. :D

(Link (http://www.roughlydrafted.com/2009/04/10/apple-stores-to-ditch-windows-easypay-systems-for-iphone-30/))

The Marlton, NJ Apple store was still using the WinCE devices when I bought my iPhone 3G last month.