Buy a PC Because it is Cheaper than a Mac

I thought this (not so recent anymore) ad was pretty effective for a number of reasons other than being entertaining and informative:



It drives home one of the biggest reasons why you need to buy a PC (a computer with Windows operating system) versus a Mac: the price. After all, most consumers really only use a web browser, music software, a picture viewer, and a word processor, right? So why pay a premium price for a Mac?

I have used both Macs and PCs in my career. Both crash and have occasional problems. But that's not the perception in the marketplace. The perception is that Mac is simple and cool and PCs are bothersome. With the launch of the critically acclaimed new Windows 7 operating system, PCs are fun and useful again. But, if anyone ever asks me what the difference between a Mac and a PC is, I'll tell them: for 99% of the population, it's price.

It doesn't just drive home the price point; many of the underlying messages in this ad are strategically sound and creatively produced:

• If you have some rational needs (who doesn't?) like speed, comfort and screen size, then a PC is a good solution.
• Lauren walks fast, looks happy, is productive, speaks articulately and makes logical decisions. Those are all symbolic traits of smart shoppers.
• Lauren says she's "not cool enough to be a Mac person." This helps reinforce the point of differentiation that PCs are for using - not showing off.
• Lauren mentions that the look of one computer is drawing her to buy it. Everyone can relate to that. We can also relate to the joy of making the final buying decision. It's good to have those emotions in the ad...it makes us want to feel the same emotions.
• For $700 cash, you can get an awesome computer with everything you want.

The 24-year battle between Mac and PC is like an anthem of my life; one of the defining competitions of the culture and technology that my friends and I have embraced through not only our working lives, but our personal lives. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are the business inspirations and guiding lights of my generation.

So it matters to me. I want both companies to succeed, but I can't stand to see Windows perceived wrongly.