Brian Grey Blog

It’s a small blurb for sure, but today’s Wall Street Journal highlights an interesting spat between old friends Microsoft and Apple.

The rift centers around Microsoft’s recent ad campaign that features everyday consumers walking around a Best Buy (or some similar big box consumer electronics retailer) in search of a PC for a really low price. Apparently, Apple takes exception at the characterization in the ads that the everyday consumers in the spots discount buying a Mac because they’re too expensive.

Well, I have to say I am surprised to see Apple responding to a competitor’s ad campaign — and a Microsoft campaign no less.

Hey, it’s not like those Mac vs. PC ads in which the PC is portrayed by the dorky nerd (is that redundant?) and the Mac is played by Mr. Urban Hipster Guy (who probably doesn’t have a job in real life) aren’t a bit unflattering to Microsoft. But I don’t recall hearing that attorneys from Redmond were calling Cupertino to complain about that characterization.

Now the WSJ blurb is not super descriptive as to Apple’s beef with Microsoft, but it appears to be along the lines of Apple taking exception to the claim that Apple laptops cost way more than a PC loaded with Microsoft’s award winning operating system.

Maybe in a recession there’s Marketing Law exception and competing on price is the way to go, but why would Apple even go there? How about the old adage “you get what you pay for”? My 3-year old Macbook pro still hums along like the day I bought it while my Dell laptop with XP gags and coughs its way with every reboot (thank goodness I have avoided Vista).

If Apple was being Apple they’d not waste time having their lawyers ask Microsoft to stop an ad campaign (particularly given how successful those requests usually are) and they’d apply their creative genius at parodying the spots somehow in ther Nerd vs. Cool Guy ads.

You know, something along the lines of showing the happy family trying to boot up their new PC laptop with their baby on their lap and then showing the kid heading out the door for college just as the desktop is fully loaded.

Remember, always compete on quality and performance, not on price.