MS Gets Greatest Phone Call Ever… From Apple!
Microsoft’s(more info) Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner(more info) has taken everyone by surprise during the Microsoft’s 2009 World Partner Conference. He not only told partners about the upcoming Microsoft’s Store this fall to be placed in proximity to Apple Store (more info) but also told the story about the greatest single call ever taken in business by him. According to Turner, the company got a call from Apple lawyers asking it to stop running the Laptop Hunter ads(watch video) after the recent drop in the MAC product line. Excerpts from his fascinating story.
And so we’ve been running these PC value ads. Just giving people saying, hey, what are you looking to spend? “Oh, I’m looking to spend less than $1,000.” Well we’ll give you $1,000. Go in and look and see what you can buy. And they come out and they just show them. Those are completely unscripted commercials. And you know why I know they’re working? Because two weeks ago we got a call from the Apple legal department saying, hey — this is a true story — saying, “Hey, you need to stop running those ads, we lowered our prices.” They took like $100 off or something. It was the greatest single phone call in the history that I’ve ever taken in business. (Applause.)
He also stated in clear terms that they are not going to stop and will keep running them and running them and running them. Laptop Hunter are the ads which Microsoft claim as the unscripted commercials and they are getting lot of mileage out of it. It showcases everyday people who can’t afford MAC(more info) and end up happy buying cheap Windows machine. Apple asked Microsoft to stop running outdated and inaccurate ads as they have slashed down the prices of MAC in June. Microsoft’s also openly challenged Apple by announcing its store right next door to Apple Store. Finally, Microsoft learned the art of attacking its rivals from all sides. I really love the way they are handling Apple. We are eagerly awaiting response from Apple.
Follow-Up
Ars Technica : Apple demanded Microsoft to stop its Laptop Hunters ads by Emil Protalinski
Technologizer : About Those Totally Unscripted Microsoft Commercials… by Harry McCracken
Techgeist : Laptop Hunters Will Have To Go by Michael Klurfeld
TechFlash : Microsoft exec: Apple lawyers tried to squelch Windows ads by Todd Bishop
CNET News : Microsoft: Apple wanted ‘Laptop Hunters’ ads pulled by Steven Musil
CrunchGear : The Microsoft Store is real, first locations to open this fall by Devin Coldewey
It’s funny how there is a double standard in a way. The Apple commercials were less than 100% accurate and were “funny” yet many people (Apple fans) howled in outrage at the MS commercials. I still don’t understand how someone can be a “fan” of a for-profit corporation the way some people are (both Microsoft and Apple).
This fight seems to be very intresting[:)]….lets watch out for Apple’s next move….
I kind of agree with Evan in wondering how can people become fan of for-profit organizations. To me its just a matter of personal choice which product you. I also feel that windows monopoly has remained for too long and now there is an effort to bring some competition to it from all the parties involved in this game, be it Apple, Google,…. People now would like to align themselves to the two camps Windows or Anitwindows. Whatever happens, consumer is going to have the last laugh.
(Twitter: @ mayank25may )
says:
Well i don’t agree here. You can be fan of a profit corporation. why? how? because you are not the fan “of the PROFIT” the corporation is making but you are the fan of ther ideology, ther innovations, the charisma of ther leaders, ther culture, ther cult…!! The problem with MS is that it is not on par with Apple and Google when it comes to these things… Thus MS has less loyal followers than Apple or Google… Rather MS has no followers they have consumers who will easily switch to other product if they are ready to break ther habits and are getting cheaper alternatives… no emotions attached here..! But look at Apple… i bet a guy using a MAC will only use a MAC + will be having a couple of iPODS and iPhone for his whole family…
Mayank,
I agree with you, Mayank. There is absolutely nothing wrong with be a fan of a corporation, unless of course you’re some sort anti-business socialist. My god, some people are just utterly brain washed by their cluless leftists leaders (including public school teachers), lol.
(Twitter: @ cesar_alsina )
says:
Well, let’s say that this people really go into the store, look at the computers, check prices and some other stuff and decide to buy the Windows PCs. What does that tell? Not much about the quality of the product itself and the advantages of one over the other one, but probably tells about how people follows the three decades trend of buying cheap computers instead of better computers.
These people, inexorably, will be disappointed by the quality of their investment and will learn in a hard way —even though the machines were paid by Microsoft or their grandma— that not always cheap and bulky is the best way to go when buying computers.
Those commercials are risible, laughable, and sad at the same time. They are making people get into stuff that is going to give them trouble, will cause waste of money in different ways, and energizes the poor status quo of current operative systems.
(Twitter: @ mayank25may )
says:
@Ceasr : agreed! but then is’nt that smart marketing … you have a cheap(i mean bad here) product and you are still able to convince ppl to buy one… and has’nt apple done the all along in the 80’s and early 90’s… remember the initial versions of Mac… Lisa… they all wer tin boxes with a screen infront.
I have a hard time believing that the Microsoft commercials are unscripted. The one that really gets me is the guy who says, “I always see Macs as all about design and not for computing power…” If Macs aren’t a bout computing power why do they only make powerful machines? Why don’t they make 10 under powered machines that you have to tack 10 different add ons onto to make them worthwhile? Macs are all about power, even the “consumer” level machines and they are all about value. Mac users use their computers much longer than PC users.
P.S. if you are the type of person who says, “I guess I’m just not cool enough to have a Mac.” You aren’t.
So the point of the article is that a Microsoft ad impacted Apple b/c Apple overcharges?
Hmmmmm…
Yawn…
Well, how about posting some TRUTH into this, for instance:
/begin rant
a) Apple (which is seen publicly as the artsy hip cool computer w/incredible design) overcharges significantly for everything they sell. Apple also leaves buyers in the dust (ie Motorola Chip Mac people, old iPhone people, old iPod people, etc)
b) Microsoft (the evil ‘giant’) has applications that get too large, has an O/S that worsens as it grows, and it charges users way to much for an OS that should be included with a computer for free.
Ultimately, it’s all ‘battles in the castles’, b/c Bill Gates owns a big share in Apple anyway.
Eventually, I hope, all software will be FREE (and sponsored primarily by donation) … or it will be copied / “stolen” / pirated (a mis-used term, frankly) / SHARED (the correct word for software duplication).
Information seeks to be free. All these apps & OS’s are 0’s and 1’s on a disk, easily copied and easily shared. Some companies (Adobe & Autodesk) subtly allow individuals to distribute copies of their software b/c they know that non-professionals can’t afford it and that students who download it will gain expertise and eventually have ‘brand loyalty’ at work.
As for TV Ads working or not, or whether the results are scripted or unscripted … who cares? It’s all a complete FARSE, and we are the ones paying the price anyway!
The Apple & Microsoft ad budgets are generated from the profits they make on selling us things at overinflated prices!
/end rant
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