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as2 · Sep 14, 2003, 01:42 PM

Has anyone seen the new G5 TV adverts, or know where I can download them.

I've just caught the end of the advert, but would like to see the whole thing.

Thanks.

AU_student_iceBook · Sep 14, 2003, 02:01 PM

Originally posted by as2:
Has anyone seen the new G5 TV adverts, or know where I can download them.

I've just caught the end of the advert, but would like to see the whole thing.

Thanks.

http://www.apple.com/hardware/ads/g5/

OwlBoy · Sep 14, 2003, 02:05 PM

do you mean there are new ones other than the one that is linked to now?

-Owl

aapljack · Sep 14, 2003, 03:54 PM

If you are talking about the kid getting blown out of his house, I have seen that on TV countless times. Alot more than I have seen any other Apple commercial from previous campaigns. They are pushing it big time. And why not, when you got it, flaunt it. Make those Dell users jealous.

-b

as2 · Sep 14, 2003, 05:18 PM

Yeah, that is the ad I meant.

I'd looked on the apple site, but only under hardware/trailers which is why I couldn't find it.

Not a bad advert, but kinda reminds me of the Levi's advert too much.

sailin74 · Sep 14, 2003, 06:36 PM

It's a terrible ad. People don't know whta a Mac CAN do. Show this speed demon working with PowerPoint, or Word, or doing video. Advertise that the Mac isn't a TOY. Show iLife. It's fast at what? People generally don't even know that a Mac can use Office.

-Jason

ebuddy · Sep 19, 2003, 08:22 AM

Sailin74 I couldn't agree more. This has always been a weakness of Apple in my humbled opinion. Appealing only to those who don't know where the power button is on their computer and VW Beetle driving Soccermom barbies. They might sell more of the World's Fastest Personal computer by welding a vase on the side of the tower. It's time Apple aggressively market the true value and power of this machine. Maybe I'm just jonesin' to get mine I don't know. I know 100% of the places I've worked don't use Apple and only 3 of 30 people I hang with have an Apple product. It's time to bring new users in.

cambro · Sep 19, 2003, 09:21 AM

Originally posted by sailin74:
It's a terrible ad. People don't know whta a Mac CAN do. Show this speed demon working with PowerPoint, or Word, or doing video. Advertise that the Mac isn't a TOY. Show iLife. It's fast at what? People generally don't even know that a Mac can use Office.

-Jason

YUP!!!!! I agree with this one.

NOW, how about THIS:

A blitzkreig, music-video style comercial of an OS X screen in fast-time action, with Photoshop, Safari, Office Suite, iPhoto, iChat AV, iTunes, etc. all whomping away AT THE SAME TIME...toggling between Expose views, perhaps...looking really offical, sophisticated, powerful, and just freaking sweet.

And THEN...in real-time, the camera pulls back from the screen and it's a 14 year old kid using the computer!! He picks up his iPod from the dock, sitting next to the screen, puts it on, walks out of the room. Mac sitting there, fading into the ever-present Apple screen.

Now, HOW COOL would that be???

I Me Mine · Sep 19, 2003, 11:34 AM

Not very.

x · Sep 19, 2003, 11:58 AM

Those ads worked for me when I switched 2 years ago.

Think about it, you don't want to be introduced to a new platform in 30 seconds. That is the job of the Apple store. The ads are probably meant to stand out and leave a lasting impression so you either go to the website to learn more or go to an Apple store.

We all know Apple ads are great for mindshare, it's a question of how much of that translates to actual sales. The G5 and Mac OS X should change all that.

KidRed · Sep 19, 2003, 01:00 PM

The ads are to market Apple and their products, not to say 'hey, we really don't suck. We know you use a PC everyday and we are pretty cool and close to being a PC. Look you can check email on a mac too! Mac also has Office. So when you get home you can do more work and be owned by M$. Look, now you can make a spread sheet, aren't you missing your PC already?"

Ah guys, sorry no. Apple doesn't need to show what a mac can do. They need to show their hardware/software and show what it can do/is. The G5 is showing it will blow your damn socks off and send you flying out your house because this hot metallic thing is the fastest damn desktop computer in the world!! Which is, well, pretty much the G5 commercial.

I don't know any PC users who haven't heard of the G5. I don't think they care if they can do spread sheets on it or not.

michaelb · Sep 19, 2003, 11:37 PM

(sailin74, ebuddy and cambro, DON'T go into marketing, you wouldn't make it!)

They're running this ad here in Australia too at a high repeat rate during primetime television.

And they haven't replaced the voiceover (Jeff Goldblum?) either, which is risky because sometimes American accents don't gel with Aussies.

(Microsoft, DELL, and HP always redub their ads.)

Still, it seems to be working as reportedly the AppleCentres are getting a lot of people walking in off the street to ask about the G5.

The ad may seem bland to us Mac people who know every spec by heart, but for the unfamiliar person it serves to draw attention with a "WTF is this thing that is supposed to cause such an impact?"

chrisutley · Sep 20, 2003, 04:34 PM

One of the biggest knocks on Macs recently has been speed and price/performance. People constantly told me they thought OS X was "cool", but Macs are too slow and cost too much.

I think the ad is right on target.

DBvader · Sep 20, 2003, 05:30 PM

unfortunately, macs are still expensive for the performance. for the same price as a 1.8 G5, you can get a fully loaded (1 GB RAM, DVD-RW, Radeon 9800, etc) PC running at 3.2 GHz.

but, apple is still giving us more for our money than before.

The Placid Casual · Sep 20, 2003, 05:57 PM

The ad is on all the time in the UK too which is very rare for an Apple campaign.

I like it.

However, in all honesty I want the snails back!!

Oh and I can't think of anything worse than an advert showing the G5 running Word and Power Point etc. The last thing you want to do is link a machine with anything other than a conceptual idea of speed, and also fun... not how fast it can run excel...

For me, Apple are doing good work on this...

Peace,

Marc

CIA · Sep 20, 2003, 07:37 PM

I agree. I was very happy to see this departure from the white background ads that hark back to the original iMacs... Humor sells.

michaelb · Sep 21, 2003, 12:05 AM

Originally posted by CIA:
Humor sells.

Not as much as sex!

Revised G5 ad: Jennifer Garner rocketing across the lawn towards the G5 and its male user, clothing trailing behind her.

(Hey, I think she's sexy.)

dlefebvre · Sep 21, 2003, 11:40 AM

Who can say if it's a bad or a good ad? One thing sure, it works, because people are talking about it.

trublue · Sep 30, 2003, 03:02 AM

Well...I can't personally describe my dislike for the ad. I remember when I first saw it I was like "what are they thinking?"

I am so use to Apple ads that are stylish and have a touch of class to them...this was/is such a radical departure from the norm for Apple ads IMHO. Even the old iMac commercials featuring rip/mix/burn themes were more powerful in nature and the whole commercial experience was treated as more of an event...

The guy who got blown out of the house totally looks like a friend of the Dell dude.

I am surprised that they didn't include the Dell dude smoking a reefer with the guy before they got both got blown away. (What was Steve smoking when he approved this?)

Anyway, they truly could have done ANYTHING they wanted commercial wise to highlight the new G5 (which IMO is more important an event than the g4). Snails & Tanks were awesome in the past...so unique. The Think Different ads were classic (inspiring). The 1984 ad was epic...

And this feels like a painful and totally not un-inspired commercial that is WAY to light for the release of the g5.

If the original 1984 commercial was worthy of Ridley Scott...then the new g5 commercial might be worthy of the guys who made "Dude Wheres my Car" or "Bill & Teds Excellent Adventure".

Air Guitar.
Totally.

ebuddy · Sep 30, 2003, 08:00 AM

Perhaps I'm a little sheltered here in the Midwest. I'm not seeing the ad nearly enough. (knowing that an annoying ad is most effective when played repeatedly) I think I've actually seen the ad once on television.

Someone had recommended I not get into marketing. All I can say is, when more than 5% of the people I know and work with use an Apple product (iPod included) I'll be willing to concede your point. Until then, Apple marketing sucks! Marketing the iMac was extremely effective for them many years ago and some report how successful this commercial is yet I know of no one (other than myself and the other 2 macheads I know) who are even thinking of shelling out the dough of this machine (G5) based solely on speed.

Let's think about the mind of the switcher. (God knows us macheads will jump on and pay just about anything for an Apple product the minute it comes out and Apple has relied quite heavily upon it's loyals)

OSX (most stable OS in history, uses UNIX-the same trusted platform your employer's server uses) How few PC heads know about OSX and have used it?

I have yet to see an ad with "G4 inside" or the like. How often is Apple's name thrown around? Other than in TV shows like Sex and the City and movies by PIXAR.

Speed. covered by ad.

Software availability and advantages of Apple-only apps.

Gaming. To be clear, I find that I'm generally annoyed by this group of people, but I have to be fair. I spend more hours recording than my PC friends spend gaming. I just think music is more productive. Let's face it though, Gamers want to know their games and other software are available immediately and will run beautifully. They are willing to spend a LOT of money.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS. This is what marketing is. What's in it for me??? Do they (meaning, the general public) really believe the G5 is soooo fast that it will blow them out of the house? No. So, what can it do? Personally, I like the video I saw where what's his face says; "To sum up the G5, this is one kick ass machine." Coming from a geeky-looking, glasses wearing pocket-protector usin' computer maniac engineer type. That works for me. What works for you?