MAC vs PC – Are Attack Ads Working?

Turn on any prime time television show and you can be sure that you will come across the ubiquitous “I’m a MAC and I’m a PC” commercials that have been parodied so many times on YouTube that the commercial is becoming the parody.  Microsoft has launched its own rebuttal to the MAC attack ads with an incompetent campaign launched with a spot by Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates buying shoes.  However, all major players, Microsoft included, have remained eerily silent to the MAC ads that seem to hammer away.  Even though there are many players that stand to lose in the PC arena by the constant disparagement of PCs and their many problems, no one stands to fall on their head harder than Apple.

Let’s explain.  There are many, many case studies of companies running comparative ads and succeeding.  The Accord and Camry are always being compared to their less expensive or domestic counterparts.  There are even attack ads like Campbell’s versus Progresso soup that seem to have some longevity and help the respective attacker.  However, like political careers, it’s a game changer when the relentless attacker’s armor is pierced.  Take Elliot Spitzer, the former Governor of New York who made daemons out of prostitution rings and brought down several when he served as the state Attorney General.  Of course, his career was instantly over the minute Mr. Spitzer himself has relations with a prostitute, but back to MAC.

There are already the beginnings of chatter on the internet about the validity of some of the MAC commercials.  For example, a recent article in Computer World is already asking the FTC to investigate the claims that MAC is making about security.  Again, through all of this, the PC world is remaining quiet.  For what reason?  I would wager that they are waiting for MAC to have relations with a prostitute, and it’s coming… very soon.
This is not a battle over which is better or worse, but believe it when I say it, when the armor is pierced it will be an all out online reputation war.  It would be one thing if it were soup, but when you are talking computers, the catalyst to the internet, it could be world war one on the net.  Already we are seeing Microsoft begin to ramp up its advertising with the “Laptop Hunters” campaign that is showing success, but just wait.  The see saw will tip soon.  Until then AirCheese will monitor it.  What do you think?