"I'm a PC" is the title for a television advertising campaign created for Microsoft by ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CPB) in mid-September, 2008 in order to "revamp" the reputation of the Windows Vista computer operating system.[1][2] The new series of commercials replace those that featured the pairing of Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates, which failed to find an audience.[3][4][5]
The $300 million dollar advertising campaign was designed to challenge what critics call Apple's "elitist Mac user vibe" "Mac Vs. PC" campaign by showing everyday PC users, such as scientists and teachers, noting the virtues of their platform of choice.[3] It also featured prominent and popular individuals saying "I'm a PC" and had appearances by personalities such as medical doctor and writer Deepak Chopra, ultimate fighter Rashad Evans, actress Eva Longoria Parker, photographer Geoff Green and singer Pharrell Williams.
The campaign has been criticized for having used notable supporters of various Apple products as well as its commercials being revealed to have been created largely on Apple computers.[2]
Campaign
The "I'm a PC" advertising campaign was created by the CPB advertising agency and exhibited normal PC users to be found everywhere. It was the second phase of Microsoft's 2008 efforts to displace the ubiquity of Apple's "Mac Vs. PC" ads, which portrayed the Mac as "cool and intuitive" and the PC as "boring and clunky".[3] The Microsoft spots typically opened with an image of Sean Siler,[6] a Microsoft employee claiming "I'm a PC, and I've been made into a stereotype".
The composition was made to be initially resemble that of the Apple campaign, as Siler bears a resemblance to John Hodgman, the "PC" counterpart to Justin Long as a Mac in the Apple commercials.[7][2] The series of commercials also feature common international users as well as noted celebrities like Deepak Chopra, Rashad Evans, Geoff Green, Eva Longoria and Pharrell Williams, all noting "I'm a PC".
The advertisements are also interspersed with various non-famous users who proclaim "I'm a PC" from a variety of places and in a number of methods. One such is user "Meaghan", displaying the words written on a whiteboard while underwater in a shark cage. When the shark bumps the cage, Meaghan flips the whiteboard over to display the additional, humorous message, "and I'm afraid". The intent is to demonstrate how PC users are ordinary people, contrasting the "Mac Vs. PC" campaign's negative portrayal of Windows users. [8]
Criticism
Shortly after the new campaign began investigation by various Internet groups determined that the series of "I'm a PC" commercials were created on Apple's Macintosh computers, using the Adobe graphics editing program, Photoshop CS3.[2] Initially discovered by a Flickr user[9] who noted traces of Apple's operating system and Adobe's CS3 graphics program embedded within press-released images of the commercials. Computerworld magazine concurs, noting that when the file properties of those images, made available on the Microsoft press site, are examined, the designation "Adobe Photoshop CS3 Macintosh" can be seen.[2] After the discovery began circulating, Microsoft responded overnight by digitally scrubbing the Apple-related metadata from the images. [3][10][11]
In an official press release, Microsoft stated "As is common in almost all campaign workflow, agencies and production houses use a wide variety of software and hardware to create, edit and distribute content, including both Macs and PCs."[3] John Paczkowski of Digital Daily notes that "(t)he irony is enough to make your head explode. The latest evolution of Microsoft’s (MSFT) new ad campaign–the one designed to seize back control of the Windows PC image that Apple has so mercilessly tarred and feathered–wasn’t even made on a PC."
Further criticism notes the choice of spokespeople used in the "I'm a PC" campaign. Jerry Seinfeld, Deepak Chopra, Eva Longoria Parker and Pharrell Williams are all notably vocal Macintosh owners and fans.[3] Seinfeld's eponymous character from Seinfeld uses a Macintosh,[12] and Longoria Parker personally uses a MacBook Pro. Chopra uses one as well, and Williams uses a Macintosh in his recording studio.[13][14]
References
- ^ Carlson, Nicholas (19 Sept. 2008). "Microsoft's new "I'm a PC" commercials want you to "Think Different"". Vallywag. Retrieved 2008-09-30.
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- ^ a b c d e Microsoft's 'I'm a PC' ad images made on Macs, By Gregg Keizer, Computerworld (Republished on PC World, Spetember 20, 2008)
- ^ a b c d e f 'I'm a PC' made on a Mac, by Asher Moses, The Sydney Morning Herald, September 24, 2008 (duplicate on thevine.com.au)
- ^ Were images in Microsoft's 'I'm a PC' campaign made with Macs?, by Jacqueline Emigh, Betanews, September 22, 2008
- ^ Microsoft Says: No Seinfeld For You!, by Mark Hopkins (mashable.com)
- ^ So What's Up With That New 'I'm a PC' Guy, Anyway?, By Mark Wilson, Gizmodo, September 19, 2008
- ^ Magazine: Microsoft ad uses Mac software, United Press International
- ^ 'I'm a PC' ad pictures made on a Mac, (MacNN.com)
- ^ I'm a PC, Made on a Mac, by Tim Beyers, Motley Fool, September 22, 2008
- ^ 'I'm A PC' Made On A Mac, by Dave Methvin, InformationWeek blog, September 21, 2008
- ^ Microsoft’s ‘I’m a PC’ Ads Created On Macs, by Daniel Eran Dilger (RoughlyDrafted.com), September 19th, 2008
- ^ Mac-Loving Seinfeld Endorsing Microsoft For $10 Million, (gawker.com)
- ^ "I'm a PC", but use a Mac, by Chris Tangora (macmod.com), September 20, 2008
- ^ New PC Commercial Parodies Mac Commercial Making Fun of PC, by David Hauslaib (jossip.com)