Stunned. In a word that was my reaction when I read in Adrants that Apple is firing its Mac Guy. When I first saw this ad I thought it was a great way to build loyalty among current Mac enthusiasts and bring some PC users on board.
For those of you who don’t know, Apple is firing its Mac Guy, who has provided witty comebacks for the past several months in a series of TV commercials insulting PCs. This campaign, I thought, was effective. The ads offered a clear and easy to understand message, which was perfect since Macs are often perceived to be a complex devise for creative types.
I think I can accurately speak for the advertising group that came up with the campaign when I say that the goal of the ads are to educate PC users on how user-friendly Macs are, all while not turning off Mac enthusiasts.
The ads hit the nail on the head! I loved the campaign. Then again I am huge fan of Seinfeld, Politically Incorrect and West Wing reruns, so I love witty banter.
So if these ads made sense, why in the world is Apple dropping the Mac Guy? Well, they let a few people influence their perception of effective marketing for their target demographic. Huge mistake! I see this all the time. Companies wanting to be everything to everyone – it’s not possible, so don’t waste your time trying to do it.
The whole idea of target markets, segmentation and demographics is to reach your preferred market. NOT the entire market.
Apple built Mac on targeting and did it well. So why change now? The Mac Guy campaign made sense and pushed the bridging of target demos in a way that did not turn off one side or the other. What more could you ask for?
If Mac goes for mass appeal, they may be loosing the loyal market that built them to what it is today.
To say the least, I am really disappointed that Apple is pulling its Mac Guy. I will be even more disappointed if they hire Ellen DeGeneres to take his place. That would be a sell out.
For those of you who don’t know, Apple is firing its Mac Guy, who has provided witty comebacks for the past several months in a series of TV commercials insulting PCs. This campaign, I thought, was effective. The ads offered a clear and easy to understand message, which was perfect since Macs are often perceived to be a complex devise for creative types.
I think I can accurately speak for the advertising group that came up with the campaign when I say that the goal of the ads are to educate PC users on how user-friendly Macs are, all while not turning off Mac enthusiasts.
The ads hit the nail on the head! I loved the campaign. Then again I am huge fan of Seinfeld, Politically Incorrect and West Wing reruns, so I love witty banter.
So if these ads made sense, why in the world is Apple dropping the Mac Guy? Well, they let a few people influence their perception of effective marketing for their target demographic. Huge mistake! I see this all the time. Companies wanting to be everything to everyone – it’s not possible, so don’t waste your time trying to do it.
The whole idea of target markets, segmentation and demographics is to reach your preferred market. NOT the entire market.
Apple built Mac on targeting and did it well. So why change now? The Mac Guy campaign made sense and pushed the bridging of target demos in a way that did not turn off one side or the other. What more could you ask for?
If Mac goes for mass appeal, they may be loosing the loyal market that built them to what it is today.
To say the least, I am really disappointed that Apple is pulling its Mac Guy. I will be even more disappointed if they hire Ellen DeGeneres to take his place. That would be a sell out.
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