New apple ad vs Microsoft ad

[errole]

We just woke up this morning on WPcentral to see the new Microsoft ad from Microsoft. The ad looks good but I feel something is lacking. Then this morning I ran across this which instantly caught my eye: Apple - iPhone 5s - You’re more powerful than you think

Idk if its the apps they used with the music or what. But it really grabbed my attention.

 

[oditius]

Not a big fan of Apple, but their marketing department is one of the best. If MS could only convince a few of them to jump ship, I am sure MS would go leaps and bounds past iOS... Remember,

"It's not what a phone can do, it's what the OS can make you believe it can do..."

 

[errole]

This is so true.I Love that tag line.

 

[tgp]

"It's not what a phone can do, it's what the OS can make you believe it can do..."

On the same token, marketing is often more important than the actual product being marketed. Apple has great products, but they excel at marketing.

 

[TLRtheory]

Well... Apple knows effective marketing better than any other OEM.

Their premise is shockingly simple... and it's amazing that no one else has figured out what they do (aside from Samsung... Samsung's kind of starting to figure it out) to make their marketing pitch hit home every single time.

They combine relevant, well-known feel good music to connect with the mainstream crowd - then show a diversity of beautiful, happy, healthy, talented, life-loving people using their Apple products to perform a diversity of activities. That personification of "beautiful, happy, healthy, talented, life-loving people" is what everyone wants to be, so even the people that don't relate at least aspire to be the ones shown in the ads.

Microsoft is known for spending lots of money on their ads, but they're never relatable or effective. They never show real world instances of usage... more often than not, it's ridiculous and completely fails to get the point of the product across... it's not Sony-level of bad, but it's bad.

Additionally, they know how to control their grapevine reputation. After bombing with their first Xbox One presentation where next to no games were discussed, Microsoft killed it with a second presentation showing off more exclusives than PS4 could ever dream of... the whole debacle about Windows 8 being unsuitable for desktop computers has been factually untrue for over half a year now yet the stigma still remains because Microsoft doesn't seem to understand how to control their grapevine reputation... Apple, on the other hand, can have it factually proven time and time again that their MacOS platform isn't as secure as some would like to believe - yet still have the grapevine favoring them in such a manner that their followers seriously believe "Macs don't get viruses". Sometimes it's worth it to pay off JD Power, Consumer Reports and build those public relations - grapevine rep can either make a killing in profits or kill a product dead.

...and some effective marketing wouldn't hurt. Every last one of the things shown off in Apple's "powerful" ad could be just as easily done with the right Windows Phone apps using the same presentation formula.

They could even reverse the public's thoughts on Windows 8/8.1 by making a quick, to-the-point commercial where a Windows 8 critic talks about what a well-informed Windows 8 pro can't do on his Windows 8 machine, have him debunk it in a comical manner, then exit to a tagline such as

"Windows 8... (show a picture of the surface) great on tablets, (show a picture of any given desktop) great on desktops... (show a picture of an touch-based AIO, HTPC-connected-to-TV and a laptop) great on everything."

 

[Xellsama]

I think, what Microsoft need is a good tag line that's tangible and empowering, something that make people want to be part of. Not "more colorful", not "honestly", these are so vague and detached from anything that would push people into action. Don't always make it sounds like you are begging people to use your stuff.

Windows Phone is "not for everyone, but made for you", is in the right direction but still not enough. Why not just "Windows Phone, embracing your individuality" or something like that?

And Surface? "It's not a laptop, it's not a tablet, it's Surface". What does that even mean? Consumers still don't know why they would want to buy it, they don't know any attributes of it!!! Why not "Lighter than a laptop, More Powerful than tablets, it's the Surface"? Or even just "Lighter, More Powerful"? People would suddenly know what this thing's key features are and you already provided two good reasons to buy it.

Office? Last time I saw an ad for Office that said "Now you can take your homework on your vacation". It made me cringe, I mean, yes, working on vacation is definitely what we all want to do. And what does that tell us about Office anyway? Why not "Office, always exceeding expectations", or "Office: Faster, Easier, but more Powerful than Ever", or even just "Office, More efficient at work, More time for Vacation".

People would almost always ask you "why" you are buying a MS product, but rarely for Apple, or even Google stuff now. Why? Because they already have ideas planted in their mind for those other brands, but Microsoft is just a vague term that constantly reminds people of "BSD" or random bugs in the older Windows.

 

[anon5997296]

All Microsoft needs to do is get their arses off the lazyness.. And fix the **** they've done.

 

[Deamion]

Apple makes good products, but it's their marketing that makes the "seem" to be the best in the market.
The issue as I see it is, Apple product are "good enough" for most people, so there is no reason for these people to shop around. They just re-up when the next Apple product is released.
If Microsoft could help people see that there is a better option out there with a lower total cost of ownership, I believe people would switch. Ultimately, people what the best value for their money.
There is always going to be people that will only buy what is currently popular, but these people are not loyal, and will jump ship to the next popular product in a heartbeat.

 

[nikkisharif]

I definitely agree with the fact that other companies need to up their marketing game. When it comes to tech, the commercials that are most memorable to me are Samsung and Apple. Can't even begin to describe what a Microsoft commercial looks like. Maybe with the acquisition of Nokia Mobile, Microsoft will learn something because I do remember the ad for the Lumia 1020...LOVED IT!!!

I have a household where most of my devices are Apple [3 MacBooks, 4 iPads & 4 iPhones] but we also have 2 PCs (1 17" HP laptop & 1 15" Gateway laptop). Each device has its good points and its bad points but the main reason I buy Apple products more often than not is because of the simplicity. Not just ease of use but piece of mind. If something goes wrong with my Apple device, be it a hardware or OS issue, I can take my device to the Apple Store and they will handle it. If something goes wrong with my PC, I have to search for an authorized repair center for HP or Gateway, I can't just take it to the Microsoft Store...especially if I didn't purchase the laptop there. Yes its not that hard to do but I just don't have the time. I travel for work, so I'm away from home about 90% of the time but I know if something happens to my laptop or phone, I can get it to the Apple Store. I also know if I'm away from home and something goes wrong with the kids device, they can just take it to Apple. I don't have that type of security with other devices.

For some of us its not a matter of being cool or being diehard Apple fans, its a matter of piece of mind. If Microsoft could provide me that same convenience then they would definitely be one of my top choices. If they already provide this type of service, please enlighten me. I love technology and am always looking to add to my collection...it just has to work for me!

 

[squire777]

I have never watched an Apple ad and thought, "hey I want to get that!". To me their advertisements always come off as either smug or annoying.

 

[AngrySprintUser]

I don't think anyone can argue that Apple has an amazing marketing department. As an ex iPhone user, I went through nearly 3 generations of iPhones. One being my brother's iPhone 4, then my 4s and 5, and I have to hand it to them as far as the OS, one little change and they had you convinced that the newer phone was something revolutionary. The term isheep it's not so far fetched. I remember when I got the iPhone 5 and realizing I pretty much just got another 4s with a taller screen, and that was pretty much the beginning of me looking for another OS. I tell you though my iPhone friends, they could sit there for hours trying to convince me that my phone was the center of the universe, and that the 5 was a completely different phone than the 4s. It's great marketing and kudos on Apple's part.

The recent ad Apple has come out with is pretty genius, and they've done a great job selling the point that their phones can be used to do anything. Most people are not going to use their phones to set off fireworks, but it'll give people the idea for other things. I will say when Samsung came out with their ads for the Galaxy making fun of the iPhone users waiting in line, that was the right approach. MS had the right idea with The Wedding and Recital commercials, but have since veered off from that direction.

Apple makes a good product, but does an even better job of making you think you need their product.

 

[Peter McNeill1]

There is also, up until he died, Apple had Steve Jobs, us with WP had Steve Ballmer. One, a hip dude with charisma in jeans and a turtleneck (although to be fair, aren't turtlenecks sort of pass? big time?), the other a bull in a china shop that bellows when he talks (oh, and lets not forget the monkey dance). MS was seen as square daddy-O, while Apple was cool, chic, etc. Thank god it's changed but the iSheep will never give up their turtlenecks (or Mutant Ninja Turtles) and will believe in the God of Jobs til they croak thus will continue to buy no matter how little of a refresh the product is. Hopefully MS will advertise much better, maybe get a new agency to do more edgier, hip ads.

 

[AngrySprintUser]

There is also, up until he died, Apple had Steve Jobs, us with WP had Steve Ballmer. One, a hip dude with charisma in jeans and a turtleneck (although to be fair, aren't turtlenecks sort of pass? big time?), the other a bull in a china shop that bellows when he talks (oh, and lets not forget the monkey dance). MS was seen as square daddy-O, while Apple was cool, chic, etc. Thank god it's changed but the iSheep will never give up their turtlenecks (or Mutant Ninja Turtles) and will believe in the God of Jobs til they croak thus will continue to buy no matter how little of a refresh the product is. Hopefully MS will advertise much better, maybe get a new agency to do more edgier, hip ads.

I do like Nadella so far though.

 

[smoledman]

The reason Apple ads work is the product is insanely great. You have to nail that part first.