This is the thread where we talk about Mac's ad campaign

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It was kind of brought up on the Alex in NYC "things that are annoying about U2" thread over on ILM, but the more time I spend in the Apple store (as my friend is obsessed and goes there at least once a day), with their giant video screen playing all of their ads on a loop, the more I get really pissed off by them.

They seem worse than normal ads, more insidious. It's the same way self-referential Sprite Ads annoy me more than normal ads. And because my friend is in the legion of red-eyed mac zombies, he defends certain things they do that, if any other company were to do them, he would detest them to.

Example: When I saw the picture of the Dalai Lama with "think different" written in the bottom corner with a Mac logo and said "That's really offensive" he just replied "I like Mac's ads."

That, and there choice of the Black Eyed Peas and U2, two bands who are very politically active, as their spokespeople doesn't sit well with me for some reason. Like they feel that their public image has to be that of someone who is socially conscious, but have no qualms about being salesmen. That issue is a little more complicated though, and I'm not really sure what I feel about it.

Technically, they're done well. I wont argue that. But when I see their infamous "1984" ad, I cant help but think that if the real 1984 came it would be knowing and post modern just like Macs. Am I just overloaded on Mac ads, or are you annoyed by them too?

― David Allen (David Allen), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

I like Mac ads.
1984 already happened btw. ;-)

― Orbit (Orbit), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Noooooooooooooooooooooo *spins in circles really fast and then disapears into playstation ala Digimon*

― David Allen (David Allen), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:16 (twenty-one years ago)

I think you're just overloaded. When your pal goes to the Apple store, tell him to come find you at the jellybean store or the rice pudding store or whatever.

― Curious George Rides a Republican (Rock Hardy), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:21 (twenty-one years ago)

no, you're right, they're fucking obnoxious.

― fauxhemian (fauxhemian), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:25 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm as ambivalent about Apple's advertising as I am about everything else that they do. I love my 4-year-old Mac G4, but resent the fact that OS X Panther slows it to a crawl (which is why I'm STILL running OS 9.2.2 for my audio apps. Goddammit.) I love Logic Audio, but resent the fact that Apple, having acquired Emagic (its creators), are shoehorning it into an "iEverything" archetype that it just does not fit. And I'm torn between a) wanting an iPod and b) thinking it's the new cellphone: a pricey status symbol (think back to when a cellphone subscription cost you your soul, plus your firstborn's soul) that I'm a sucker for even considering.

Basically, Apple make great products, but their whole "Cut-your-DVD-demo-reel-whilst-downloading-the-new-Alicia Keys-onto-your-iPod-via-wireless-Ethernet-while-you're-stuck-on-public-transit" marketing gives me the creeps. It makes me pine for the comparitively stuffy Apple of yore.

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:27 (twenty-one years ago)

"Cut-your-DVD-demo-reel-whilst-downloading-the-new-Alicia Keys-onto-your-iPod-via-wireless-Ethernet-while-you're-stuck-on-public-transit"

But if you're the type of person who's actually going to do that, there's nothing creepy about it at all. In fact, it's damn cool.

― Pears can just fuck right off. (kenan), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:31 (twenty-one years ago)

I love Macs except for the outrageous prices and stinginess on basic components. I think the ad campaigns are very well executed (they have to be) - and not any more insidious than any other luxury/lifestyle brand.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Also, their brand is well executed in every way (again except price).

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:34 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't know about their "think different" campaign being offensive. But I don't think those ads did an effective job of tying in their product with the parallel they were drawing with famous "outside of the box" type thinkers.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:38 (twenty-one years ago)

"Cut-your-DVD-demo-reel-whilst-downloading-the-new-Alicia Keys-onto-your-iPod-via-wireless-Ethernet-while-you're-stuck-on-public-transit"

But if you're the type of person who's actually going to do that, there's nothing creepy about it at all. In fact, it's damn cool.

I'm not creeped out by the idea of being able to do that stuff. There's just something cloying about the ads themselves that I can't put my finger on. Remember, I sell all this crap for a living, and I find that there's a bit of a gulf - hell, a fucking *chasm* - between the Easy, Shiny New iFuture shown in the ads and the cost & effort required to actually do all the stuff being depicted.

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

"Cut-your-DVD-demo-reel-whilst-downloading-the-new-Alicia Keys-onto-your-iPod-via-wireless-Ethernet-while-you're-stuck-on-public-transit"

But if you're the type of person who's actually going to do that, there's nothing creepy about it at all. In fact, it's damn cool.

Except for, maybe, the public transit part.

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:43 (twenty-one years ago)

Except for, maybe, the public transit part.

Being facetious, was me.

ALSO: Hey Thermo!

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I think public transit is cool, yo. Means you're a right proper city dweller, instead of a dumb bumpkin. Right?

― Pears can just fuck right off. (kenan), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:49 (twenty-one years ago)

spencer otm. in terms of everything a good ad campaign should do, apple (and ipod specifically) have pretty much nailed it.

― mark p (Mark P), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:51 (twenty-one years ago)

ALSO: Hey Thermo!
Hey, Mr.Cat!

― Thermo Thinwall (Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the sense of insidiousness comes from the fact that everything about the Apple brand speaks an identical message in unison. It really is like a religion.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:55 (twenty-one years ago)

Blasphemer. Oh wait.

In my case I could have just as easily gone the PC route had I ended up with a PC in 1987, when I got my first computer. But after comparing and contrasting I plumped for the Mac, less for messianism than for the fact that, well, I just liked it more. The rest went from there.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I think the sense of insidiousness comes from the fact that everything about the Apple brand speaks an identical message in unison. It really is like a religion.

Which is exactly why it bugs me so. Thank you, Spencer, for nailing that down for me.

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Friday, 21 January 2005 21:59 (twenty-one years ago)

I just liked it more

I have paid very little attention to Mac ads either past or present, so I'm not sure what to say about the thread topic per se. However, I do know that I can't resist the sexy little things.

― Pears can just fuck right off. (kenan), Friday, 21 January 2005 22:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, right.
Because the Dalai Lama would totally be pimping iPods and G5s. Right. Sure.

― MY FAVOURITE LIGHTER IS CHEESEBURGER (trigonalmayhem), Friday, 21 January 2005 22:58 (twenty-one years ago)

No, I mean, because the Buddhists would totally be ok with it, even if they weren't so pacifist.

― MY FAVOURITE LIGHTER IS CHEESEBURGER (trigonalmayhem), Friday, 21 January 2005 22:59 (twenty-one years ago)

And fuck all y'all public transit haters.

― MY FAVOURITE LIGHTER IS CHEESEBURGER (trigonalmayhem), Friday, 21 January 2005 22:59 (twenty-one years ago)

And fuck all y'all public transit haters.

WHO BE HATIN'?

A downtown-dwellin', apartment-livin', subway-ridin' plebe be me.

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Friday, 21 January 2005 23:02 (twenty-one years ago)

holla!

― MY FAVOURITE LIGHTER IS CHEESEBURGER (trigonalmayhem), Friday, 21 January 2005 23:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Worrrrrd!!!

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Friday, 21 January 2005 23:09 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm more annoyed by the fact that Apple advertising and design trends become so widely copied. Those Apple ads that Erol Morris made with the people interviewed against a white background have infiltrated everything. There are so many ads that consist of "interviews with normal people" and even movie posters have started to copy that simple white background look. If you're going to rip off a certain style of ad at least copy something that's not so bland.

It's crazy to me how some people have a desparate need to find some reason to criticize Apple. Some of the Nike campaigns for example are equally annoying and also have creepy cult-like overtones (isn't that what advertising is after all?). Yet it seems strange to criticize Nike for their ads when there's the larger issue of child labor at stake. But since there is not much to object to politically with Apple people whine on and on about their pricing and aesthetics. Are there any ads more annoying than the Dell ads of the past few years? Buy hey, at least they make cheap junk and donate money to republicans so America eats it up with a spoon. It's those fancypants elitists in Cupertino with their arrogant overpricing and stylish ads who we must attack, attack, attack.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 21 January 2005 23:35 (twenty-one years ago)

Hey, we attack a lot of things here!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Saturday, 22 January 2005 00:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, I know but it's not ILX I'm referring to, it's the rest of the web, print media, man-on-the-street, etc. Ha ha, I just said man-on-the-street. Why must you all criticize The Apple? They are untouchable -- a gleaming white beacon sent down to this earth to show us the light.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Saturday, 22 January 2005 00:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Why must you all criticize The Apple?

HEY, HEY, HEY
BIM'S THE ONLY WAY!

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Saturday, 22 January 2005 00:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Wow, I had to google that to find out what you're talking about and now I have a new movie at the top of my must-see list. Thanks!

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Saturday, 22 January 2005 01:07 (twenty-one years ago)

movie posters have started to copy that simple white background look

This has been a staple of movie poster design since the beginning of time, or at least since a certain type of comedy that started appearing in the 80s.

http://posters.imdb.com/posters/s/somekindofhero14510.jpg

http://posters.imdb.com/posters/s/seenoevil11661.jpg

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6305161879.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

http://www.impawards.com/1990/posters/opportunity_knocks.jpg

http://i.imdb.com/Photos/Ss/0305669/poster.jpg

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 22 January 2005 02:53 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.impawards.com/1990/posters/opportunity_knocks.jpg

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/6305161879.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

― Tracer Hand (tracerhand), Saturday, 22 January 2005 02:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Sure, for a comedy but what about a dark sci-fi movie?
http://www.moviemarket.co.uk/archive/Alien_Vs_Predator_723462.jpg

OK, maybe it's a stretch to attribute this to the white Apple ads. I suppose the whole bright-white-as-high-tech look goes back from the All Is Full of Love video through THX1138 to 2001.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Saturday, 22 January 2005 07:16 (twenty-one years ago)

VW ads of the 50s and 60s are the archetype for that white background stuff

http://www.rigneygraphics.com/html/aboutus/enewsletters/04-09/images/vw_ad_sml.jpg
http://www.1302super.com/1970_super_ad_small.jpg

― Ed (dali), Saturday, 22 January 2005 12:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Those Apple ads that Erol Morris made with the people interviewed against a white background have infiltrated everything.

richard avedon was photographing people in this manner loooooong before errol morris. so its not an entirely new concept.

― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Saturday, 22 January 2005 22:45 (twenty-one years ago)

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