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So let me see if I have this right. What you remember is that "If you are having problems with your Mac (no matter how dumb) then an Apple genius is available

So let me see if I have this right. What you remember is that "If you are having problems with your Mac (no matter how dumb) then an Apple genius is available who is willing to do anything to help you." Sounds to me like Apple achieved the purpose of the ads.

pizza 14y ago
The ad implies it's not easy.
- jopt 14y ago
  Which would be a problem if the ad targeted people who expect it to be easy. Apple are trying to sell Macs to people who are afraid of clicking unfamiliar icons, people who don't read dialogue boxes. The Mac users in their commercials are full of energy, and although (as we can see from the Genius' reaction) they don't know much, they're pushing forward without fear of failure.
  - pizza 14y ago
    > Apple are trying to sell Macs to people who are afraid of clicking unfamiliar icons, people who don't read dialogue boxes. That means they want an easy experience, no?
    - jopt 14y ago
      I don't think so. Easy is not homogenous. This ad doesn't show novice users browsing the web or reading their work e-mail without running into trouble. I think the ad is effective because the Genius doesn't help them with things that are "supposed to be easy." It shows that with just a little help from the Genius Bar, the novice users can do things they'd never dream of figuring out on their own. This ad targets people who would never expect even the "easiest" computer to let them make home movies or do their own presentations.
CoffeeDregs 14y ago
>What you remember is that "If you are having problems with >your Mac (no matter how dumb) then an Apple genius is >available who is willing to do anything to help you." Negative. I remembered that "I should expect to have problems with my Mac". I'm more concerned about that than I am about having help nearby. AFAIKnew, Macs were supposed to be easy to use. My wife, non-technical, was left with the same impression.
- ollysb 14y ago
  I'm guessing to the target audience there is no such thing as a computer that they can use without any help at all. Apple already has a reputation for making products that are easier to use. Now they're pushing the message that you'll always have great support as well (as opposed to the guy waving goodbye from the shop).
  - jiggy2011 14y ago
    Depends what they mean by support, do Apple give you a line you can call and say "hey, I need to make an anniversary card, please stay on the line and talk me through the whole thing?"
    - ollysb 14y ago
      I do agree they might be setting expectations a tad high here...
- jopt 14y ago
  I take away a more positive message: you don't need to know how it works, and you don't need to be afraid of trying new things (photo books and home movies) that you'd never do with the Windows box they gave you at work. If you get stuck, help will be there. Compare: What if the problem the man on the airplane had was not creative? What if his computer wouldn't start, or he saved over a file accidentally? Then I would probably expect to have problems with my Mac, and no amount of t-shirted genius would save that message. There are different kinds of problem, and different kinds of support. Apple are not pushing Genius as a backup plan or insurance when things go wrong; they're saying you can get help to learn to do things you would never do before.

pizza 14y ago

The ad implies it's not easy.

jopt 14y ago
Which would be a problem if the ad targeted people who expect it to be easy. Apple are trying to sell Macs to people who are afraid of clicking unfamiliar icons, people who don't read dialogue boxes. The Mac users in their commercials are full of energy, and although (as we can see from the Genius' reaction) they don't know much, they're pushing forward without fear of failure.
- pizza 14y ago
  > Apple are trying to sell Macs to people who are afraid of clicking unfamiliar icons, people who don't read dialogue boxes. That means they want an easy experience, no?
  - jopt 14y ago
    I don't think so. Easy is not homogenous. This ad doesn't show novice users browsing the web or reading their work e-mail without running into trouble. I think the ad is effective because the Genius doesn't help them with things that are "supposed to be easy." It shows that with just a little help from the Genius Bar, the novice users can do things they'd never dream of figuring out on their own. This ad targets people who would never expect even the "easiest" computer to let them make home movies or do their own presentations.

CoffeeDregs 14y ago

>What you remember is that "If you are having problems with >your Mac (no matter how dumb) then an Apple genius is >available who is willing to do anything to help you." Negative. I remembered that "I should expect to have problems with my Mac". I'm more concerned about that than I am about having help nearby. AFAIKnew, Macs were supposed to be easy to use. My wife, non-technical, was left with the same impression.

ollysb 14y ago
I'm guessing to the target audience there is no such thing as a computer that they can use without any help at all. Apple already has a reputation for making products that are easier to use. Now they're pushing the message that you'll always have great support as well (as opposed to the guy waving goodbye from the shop).
- jiggy2011 14y ago
  Depends what they mean by support, do Apple give you a line you can call and say "hey, I need to make an anniversary card, please stay on the line and talk me through the whole thing?"
  - ollysb 14y ago
    I do agree they might be setting expectations a tad high here...
jopt 14y ago
I take away a more positive message: you don't need to know how it works, and you don't need to be afraid of trying new things (photo books and home movies) that you'd never do with the Windows box they gave you at work. If you get stuck, help will be there. Compare: What if the problem the man on the airplane had was not creative? What if his computer wouldn't start, or he saved over a file accidentally? Then I would probably expect to have problems with my Mac, and no amount of t-shirted genius would save that message. There are different kinds of problem, and different kinds of support. Apple are not pushing Genius as a backup plan or insurance when things go wrong; they're saying you can get help to learn to do things you would never do before.