4 ms·
Has there ever been such a low ball PR campaign by such a large company? It's seriously hard to think of any major company that's come out with such sleazy tact
by zmmmmm 13y ago
Has there ever been such a low ball PR campaign by such a large company? It's seriously hard to think of any major company that's come out with such sleazy tactics as this against a direct competitor. Can you ever imagine Google or Apple running direct to consumer ads referring to Microsoft as "Microshaft" or some other slogan? Even on Reddit, things such as "M$" usually result in a torrent of down votes.
It's a fascinating strategy, and I'm kind of scared what it will mean if it works: can you imagine an all out war with every company doing this? I hope Google has the self control and patience not to return fire.
- gkoberger 13y agoUnfortunately, they're working: Microsoft wouldn't still be doing these after 2 years if they weren't. EDIT: More info on the effectiveness of the ads (tl;dr: yes, they're changing perception) http://adage.com/article/digital/microsoft-s-google-bashing-tv-campaign-working/244691/ http://adage.com/article/digital/microsoft-s-google-bashing-...
- mackal 13y agoThey hired a political strategist for these anti-Google campaign. No wonder they are so gross.
- kenjackson 13y agoApple had a whole TV campaign with Justin Long mocking Microsoft. It was pretty successful I recall.
- mcosta 13y agoThe apple guy ads were much more classy. This is embarrasing.
- azakai 13y agoThis is a matter of taste of course, but I found those Apple ads somewhat playful and amusing. Perhaps I didn't see them all and some were harsher? But this Microsoft campaign just feels like a political attack ad, bitter and cynical. I'm disappointed in Microsoft for doing it, and I think it's just going to help Google by making Microsoft look bad.
- vacri 13y agoAlso, the Apple ads weren't pretending to be an independent party - it was clear to any naif who was footing the bills for the ad.
- rpedroso 13y agoI tend to agree with you, but there are some differences: A) Most of the "Mac vs PC" ads focused on showcasing ways Apple products were superior to Microsoft ones [1]. This isn't universally true though [2]. Regardless, that strategy is better than showing people break dance with your tablets. B) The "Scroogled" campaign has a different, more aggressive tone to it. The whimsical background music in the Apple ads don't come across as forcefully as the term "Scroogled" does. I suspect this tone is more off-putting. [1] See some of the ads here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z0Ia5jDt4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5z0Ia5jDt4 [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DWLyrljLDk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DWLyrljLDk
- shaneofalltrad 13y agoWhat about the "Internet Exploder"(that term is true). Microsoft has taken it's fare share of insulting and I don't believe calling things "Scroogled" made by Google are far from the truth. It is funny because it is true, they are using some great coding, marketing and anything else under the sun to screw us or at least the competition (we as consumers will pay soon enough). We all know this. They have great products, but that is NOT a typical laptop, it is a glorified Search Engine. I personally have insulted Microsoft products a lot in my time, but you have to admit, they are getting scroogled by many of these hyped up minimalist products, that do not offer half of what a PC, MAC or *nix (Ubuntu/Mint) can give you.
- _delirium 13y agoIt didn't use a silly name for their competitor, but Apple's "I'm a PC" ads are one recent example of pointed negative advertising targeting a specific competitor (and using kind of silly stereotyping of "PC users" to do so): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfv6Ah_MVJU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfv6Ah_MVJU
- cjensen 13y agoThe "PC" in those adds was not a user. It was the computer. Those ads don't make fun of or otherwise characterize PC users in any way shape or form.
- _delirium 13y agoI know that's what they were officially personifying, but I interpreted them as having a PC vs. Mac user undertone. TV ads generally aim for that kind of implication, trying to make people identify with the kinds of people who own X versus the kinds of people who own Y (see also: beer ads).
- bunderbunder 13y agoThere's a huge difference, though, which is that Apple pulled it off. The "I'm a PC" ads might have been barbed, but they were also funny, and managed to keep it upbeat. Whereas this "Scroogled" campaign just comes across as sullen and petulant. Scalzi's Law: The failure mode of "clever" is "asshole".
- _delirium 13y agoThat I definitely agree with. Another of Apple's very-negative ads, the famous "1984" anti-IBM ad, is a good example of that. Analogizing your competitor to a dystopian totalitarian regime risks coming across as shrill and over-the-top, but Apple managed to pull it off.
- bunderbunder 13y agoThat one's an interesting case, too, though. It didn't really come out and say any of that; it just let the viewer fill in the blanks. Case in point: In 1984 everyone interpreted it as obviously being about IBM. When it was re-issued in 2004, everyone interpreted it as obviously being about Microsoft. Compare again with "Scroogled", which quite literally consists of little more than a pile of long-winded lecturing. Seriously, sitting through one of those ads transports me back to my sophomore history class. The one where the teacher had no shortage of. . . opinions.
- javert 13y agoThe justice system showed Microsoft that the world no longer works on the basis of fairness. It's exactly as if Ford were a monopoly for not making their steering wheels removable from their cars. Having been given a massive finger by "the people," Microsoft turned into a cynical company that no longer tries to play fair or to play with dignity.