Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

dadder · Aug 13, 2003, 11:31 AM

Food for thought... am wondering why (outside of the obvious reasons of IBM's new chip) that everytime Apple's new line-up of desktop machines is mentioned it is now followed by a blurb about IBM or IBM's logo. I don't recall ever hearing the chipmaker's name in any of Apple's history of advertising/public relations. What's in this for IBM? For Apple? Why do we care that IBM makes the chip? It seems Apple's advertising/image is now tainted by incorporating the IBM beans into Apple's cup of joe. I don't know if I want IBM part of my Apple reputation. I thought Apple was great just the way they were.
BTW, I have nothing against IBM - I just liked Apple as Apple.

MindFad · Aug 13, 2003, 11:34 AM

Originally posted by dadder:
Food for thought... am wondering why (outside of the obvious reasons of IBM's new chip) that everytime Apple's new line-up of desktop machines is mentioned it is now followed by a blurb about IBM or IBM's logo. I don't recall ever hearing the chipmaker's name in any of Apple's history of advertising/public relations. What's in this for IBM? For Apple? Why do we care that IBM makes the chip? It seems Apple's advertising/image is now tainted by incorporating the IBM beans into Apple's cup of joe. I don't know if I want IBM part of my Apple reputation. I thought Apple was great just the way they were.
BTW, I have nothing against IBM - I just liked Apple as Apple.

Probably because they totally worked together on the new chip and technology, and want to keep the relationship good for the future. If it means more amazing chips and systems like the Power Mac G5, I'm all for it. And they spent 3 billion to make a plant to make Apple chips, so Apple could at least toss out a logo or mention here or there.

-Q- · Aug 13, 2003, 11:40 AM

And it can also serve as a reassurance to people who think if it doesn't have "Intel Inside" it can't be a computer. IBM still has incredible brand name awareness and if Apple sells a few more machines b/c an IBM logo is included, more power to them.

dadder · Aug 13, 2003, 11:47 AM

Originally posted by MindFad:
And they spent 3 billion to make a plant to make Apple chips, so Apple could at least toss out a logo or mention here or there.

Point taken. It just seems to go against Apple's 'pure' image.

MindFad · Aug 13, 2003, 11:57 AM

Originally posted by -Q-:
And it can also serve as a reassurance to people who think if it doesn't have "Intel Inside" it can't be a computer. IBM still has incredible brand name awareness and if Apple sells a few more machines b/c an IBM logo is included, more power to them.

Very good point. That's why I don't see how it can hurt Apple's image. They have a good reputation -- and they make kick-ass products and chips.

Big Mac · Aug 13, 2003, 03:22 PM

IBM used to be the enemy, before we all realized the true enemy was/is MS. The IBM logo provides additional mindshare and credibility to the G5. It's especially important to cast off the negative image of the Motorola G4 by emphasizing we're now going with a solid partner.

j mars · Aug 13, 2003, 05:40 PM

Do you think that IBM has any love for Mr. Gates, the man who led them into their dummest business mistake? You bet they would like to see Microsoft/Intel cut down to size. But they must be discrete, they have already been down the monopoly lawsuit road - years before Microsoft. Look at the facts, which desktop connects easier with their main frames, Windows or OSX? Even now they are shifting some of their OS's to Linux but in the long run it_is too complex for the desktop. But they can't control both the mainframe and the desktop markets without cries of monopoly. This way IBM has all the bases covered, MS with the (spun-off I believe) IBM desktop/laptops and Apple with the G5. No they can't put the IBM label on the Mac to give it the legitimacy that it gave the PC but they can work behind the scenes to bring Mr Gates down to earth.

Superchicken · Aug 13, 2003, 05:43 PM

Yeah that's one thing I don't get. Why Apple always made the G4 sound like their's.

Anyway perosnally I think Apple should have taken an even more agressive, make IBM their Intel stance for advertising.

Make a logo that has G5 (or something to do with the PPC 970 which I would have preffered) and have IBM written at the bottom. Seriously a lot of people refuse to buy a PC if it's got an AMD becuase they don't know what kind of pentium it has. I think if Apple really pushed the fact that they're working with IBM, even more than they do now, it'd be nothing but a GOOD thing.

MacManMikeOSX · Aug 13, 2003, 06:30 PM

Isn't it amusing we were all bitching about how we hate IBM (inventor of the now so called 86x architecture) years ago, ah the memories........

Superchicken · Aug 13, 2003, 06:41 PM

People love a no longer evil company

Moderator · Aug 13, 2003, 07:07 PM

Lots of older people think of Apple computers as "not IBM compatible."

To them its not windows v mac OS, its not x86 v PPC, its Apple v IBM

Boochie · Aug 13, 2003, 08:24 PM

True enough. I hadn't thought about this in a while, but when I was in high school in the early 80's we would speak of Apples and IBM PCs or PC-compatibles. The emphasis on the x86 systems was definitely IBM; Intel and Microsoft were not part of the vocabulary.

And let me add that the Apple II+ kicked ass over the IBM PC!

Originally posted by Moderator:
Lots of older people think of Apple computers as "not IBM compatible."

To them its not windows v mac OS, its not x86 v PPC, its Apple v IBM

roders · Aug 13, 2003, 08:32 PM

Aple needs 2 go with
"IBM/G5 INSIDE" it's obvious.
How bout this for a slogan,
Now IBM's G5's Inside, Intels P4's on the Outside.

Oww I feel a brainstorm coming on! Warning daft Add idea coming!

After a guy unpacks his new Mac, and puts his PC in a Box (with the words obsoloute on it) to be taken out with the rubbish/thrown away
maybe with the chip walking out a house with a bag under it's arm looking forlorn/angry, with a nice new Mac and it's G5/chip entertaining it's onwner with video editing/itunes etc.
Could even have the P4 chip banging on a window saying "I'm faster" "BUT I'M FASTER!" chip turns and walks down the path muttering sits on the curb in the rain, and whimpers "aren't I? ina miserable quzical fashion, camera pans/zooms out (with a remark from the user computer in the house saying "ooh your so much faster and easier to use!" , and we then hear/see the chip saying, but they told me I was faster, faster! why did they lie 2 me??? (

) as a van drives past with an add for the new G5 with the SPec test's confirming the G5 as the most powerfull desktop.

slider · Aug 14, 2003, 12:22 AM

This is a big thing for IBM too, Apple can help people out there know that IBM does make chips too. One of their problems has been branding, people just don't see IBM as a chip maker, they think chip they think Intel and to a lesser degree AMD. IBM is huge and has lost more than Apple to M$. IBM was the windows machine.

I love the bit above, so Apples are 100% IBM compatable, love it.

Superchicken · Aug 14, 2003, 01:07 AM

haha think about the slogan

Apple's new Power Mac G5,

More IBM compatable than your Dell will ever be

haha nah, they should seriously hype the whole IBM and Apple thing. Even do dual adds. It'd save their marketing budgets for both companies. And those dual add things always make me think. Ya know when they do an add for two different companies in the same add.

businezguy · Aug 16, 2003, 08:03 AM

The thing is, IBM is running a foundry-based chip process. What this pretty much means is a company will contact IBM and request a customized chip. Right now IBM is working on making a custom chip for the upcoming Sony PS3. That is what Apple did 2 years ago, and it took that long to develop the ship.

IBM needs the exposure to let companys know that in the Linux/Unix world, they are the company to go to for chip design and the best performance. This initial release of the 970s to the Mac world is about the best way IBM could have shown to the business world that they are serious about making chips.