Nov 24, 2008 11:45 pm I just shrug it off. It's an ad and their purpose is to sell things, not to tell the truth. I wish that wouldn't be the case, but that's how it is.
What's up with the new Mac commercial?
Posted on Nov 24, 2008 11:11 pm
Rob Stemple
The Czar of BS
Member Since: Dec 31, 2007
Mac is running this ad around here. Stating how "Green" they are.
They claim that it's the only fully recyclable laptop out there. Made from aluminum and glass.
My Dell is carbon fiber and magnesium. 100% recyclable.
They claim that their laptop uses less then 1/4 of what a light bulb consumes. (Not stating what wattage or type, CFL, or conventional.) But, unless your laptop batteries are 100% dead, and need of a serious charge. All laptops only draw around 25 - 50 watts.
The last thing that they claim, is that they are the only ones not to use mercury or other harmful substances in their laptops.
According to the RoHS laws of Jan. 1st 2007. All electronics in the U.S. must meet these standards.
So.... I don't get it.
Are they trying to see if people will swallow all the bull that they can shovel? Or, just counting on the whole live green movement that has just become trendy?
Either way, I'm ratter offended by all of this. It feels like an insult to those of us who do know about recycling and RoHS laws.
Now, I am not a Mac hater. I like Macs. They are great computers. I don't own one, because most programs that I need to run, do not run on the Mac platform.
The only thing I am against, is treating your target consumer as an idiot. And knows nothing more then chasing trends.
What do all of you think about this type of advertising? Does it get under your skin? Or do you just shrug it off?
I think it's safe to say what it does to me by this post. I'm just interested to see what others think.
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Nov 24, 2008 11:45 pm I just shrug it off. It's an ad and their purpose is to sell things, not to tell the truth. I wish that wouldn't be the case, but that's how it is.
Nov 24, 2008 11:56 pm For the most part, advertising gets under my skin.
I find that a big part, if not the majority of advertising treats its target audience like idiots. Does anybody ever actually laugh out loud at any commercial by McDonalds, Taco Bell, Sonic, Wendy's, or any ad made by any local business? They obviously play to the lowest common denominator.
I don't mind some ads. there are some that really make me belly laugh. But humor is the ONLY way to get to me via advertising. That, and being either in the first or last slot during any given commercial break.
All the others are a blur as I hold the fast forward button on my DVR. My DVR monthly fee is my no-commercial tax. To hell with commercials :)
Nov 25, 2008 06:08 am The mute button gets a workout at my house. I can't stand most ads, and this is coming from a guy who produces them.
There ought to be a law that says all commercials must be funny, at least. There's an unwritten rule in broadcasting - "never let the client star in his own ad." Of course, in the end it's his money, but everything possible should be done to dissuade him from it. Dave Thomases and Orville Redenbachers don't come around very often.
You should see some of the local ads in this area. Have mercy.
Nov 25, 2008 06:45 am The worst case here is for an exercise gear reseller place called "Second Wind", the owner is an unattractive, kinda chubby fella named Dick Enricko and is on all the commercials. Seems weird for a fitness place.
Over urinals in bar bathrooms he has ads he has really clever ads like "do you want a 10 inch Dick?" with a 10" picture of him.
Yeah...clever...
Nov 25, 2008 09:11 am Quote:
Are they trying to see if people will swallow all the bull that they can shovel?
They saw how much m$ was doing it, and got kinda jealous =).
Oh yeah, DVR skip is an awesome invention!
Nov 25, 2008 11:03 am And ad companies are complaining that DVR users are skipping over their commercials.
Boo freakin hoo. Gee, that only leaves televised sports, magazines, radio, billboards, posters, newspapers, fliers, buses, bathroom stalls, and about a dozen other outlets for your product pimping. Waaaaaah! I can see why you're so mad, Mr. Ad Exec. :rolleyes:
I've heard mumblings that they're considering disabling the FF button during commercials. We-tawd-ed!
Nov 25, 2008 11:08 am Well, they also disabled the FF button on DVD's during trailers...so ya know what happened, some clever people built software to re-author the DVD's and remove them altogether. :-)
That being said, half the fun of the super bowl is the commercials, if advertisers put as much effort into all their commercials as they do those, commercials might be fun/funny to watch...
I still like the Mac/PC commercials, though they are getting less funny as time goes on.
Nov 25, 2008 12:00 pm Just thinking out loud . . .
i can see in the future, that broadcasting services (abc, fox, etc) will stipulate that viewing the signal feed means that you agree with their stipulations, one of which is that you can't skip over the commercials with a recording type device (DVR, TIVO, PC, etc).
I think this is starting to smell like digital rights stuff. When a person purchases a copy of a piece of work, then the creator can say what you can and cannot do with that piece of work.
I envision it as another blow to people's ability to choose for themselves.
EDIT: that doesn't come off right. Sounds like I'm trying to advocate stealing; I'm not.
Than again, on the other hand, if people skip commercials, and the advertisers start seeing a drop in revenue that they can attribute to said skipping, then I can see the advertisers come up with better avenues to get the people's attention. So, that could mean that broadcat TV sources will become more expensive, or drop off altogether, in favor of more robust, dynamic video sourcing (think internet).
Personally, that's what this country (United states) is kinda good at: using a capitalistic model to drive evolution in the market place. People can find a niche that isn't tapped, then tap the living crap out of it =).
Wasn't there a PC / Mac / Linux commercial somewhere? I think I saw one on youtube.
ha:
Nov 25, 2008 02:17 pm Yes, most commercials get under my skin as well. Although I'm not a huge TV viewer at all so I don't see half the commercials that are out there. I rarely if ever tune in a network channel. Mostly Discovery, SciFi, Science or history or similar. Sports channels as well but only if it is a game I must see.
Nov 25, 2008 02:54 pm pjk I'm thinking the same way you are on this.
But, in a different context. What I am seeing with the wireless microphone issue, and low powered digital Google networks. Is ratter scary.
When digital TV comes on line in Feb. The American public will no longer own the airwaves. All airwaves at that point will belong to corporate America.
And I can just see the writing on the wall at that point. Since we no longer own them, then why should we receive them for free?
Broadcast TV will be a paid service only. You want to watch the networks? Then you have to pay to have the rights to. You want to record a program? Not without explicit permission of that network.
Bottom line, more commercials for that network to run. And no ability to skip them.
Want to watch your team in a title game? Well, that will only an additional $35.99 for the first hour. And an additional $10.99 for every hour after that.
Here in Philly, Comcast has a bid out to buy the Phillies. If approved, then Comcast owns the air rights to every game that the Phillies play. Meaning, that every game break, will have at least 2 - 3 Comcast commercials in there. And I bet you that the game break will be extended to allow of the commercials to air before the game can resume.
Nov 25, 2008 03:20 pm Yeah, I can see that angle too.
I have a feeling that people that are recording their shows, will be under the thumb of RIAA style DRM rules.
If you have a show recorded, then you had better have the written permission of the creator, or else we'll charge you for it.
The FCC or whatever will want tracking chips in TIVO and DVRs, so they can see what shows you're recording. Then they'll start enforcing it.
ugh.
Nov 25, 2008 04:33 pm Here's what I predict will eventually happen:
You know all the annoying programming graphics and video "teasers" that the networks put down in the corner of the screen DURING THE REGULAR TV SHOWS? Well, I think that those spots eventually be sold to advertisers so that there will be an annoying golden arches down in the corner of your screen while you watch the football game, or whatever. It's coming.
I, too, am a DVR user, so I barely watch commercials anymore. I never know what new movies are coming out or anything like that. I like the way Tad put it. My monthly DVR fee is my "no ads" premium membership.
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