The Mac-PC war dance now a McCain-Obama stand-in

NewTeeVee calls our attention to this video dramatizing the PC-versus-Mac battle as a bloody fight-scene dance from "West Side Story":

Maybe it's all the emotion around Obama versus McCain that's making the classic Mac-PC rivalry seem as though it represents ever-higher stakes. Witness the newest Mac ad, called "Bean Counter" -- it's a quick-and-dirty riposte to the Windows "I'm a PC" campaign, with Justin Long's Apple character skewering John Hodgman's PC as he tallies up dollars, five for advertising for every one allotted to "fix Vista." As TechCrunch characterized the more-pointed-than-usual attack ad, "Apple Goes McCain on Microsoft With Mocking Attack Ads."

The more critical tone of the "Bean Counter" ad does seem like a departure from the rest of the "Get a Mac" campaign. The ads used to depict the PC as old and out of it, but in a harmless, dotty-old-uncle way -- as in this one, in which PC is trying to lure college students to use PCs by hiding in a pizza box. The ads were like sophisticated children's theater; you get the message about Hodgman's errors but you're still kind of charmed by him, because the whole thing takes place in a friendly storybook world.

But this latest ad gives PC a sinister, money-grubbing aura, and directly insults not just the product but the ad campaign trying to sell us on that product.

It's an ad that seems to have absorbed these last, urgent weeks of the presidential campaign into its bloodstream.

-- Maria Russo

Comments

[EinRand]

McCain, free markets and Apple vs. Osama, socialism and Microsoft.
Apple is all about innovation vs centralized control of the market ala Gates.
Regardless, if you want to work for either company, you should vote McCain.
Once the socialists take over there will be little reason not to move overseas where you get to keep more than half your income. If a companies profits are slashed, then they will not heir, will move their company overseas, or short of that pass on their added costs to the consumer. Taxing "evil big bussiness'" is in reality just hurting the guy who is living paycheck to paycheck.

[Nik]

Yes, it's a different view for a Mac ad, but while I have my issues with Microsoft, I thought their I'm a PC add was pretty effective. Plus, it's still a funny Mac ad.

In response to Rand, it's sad that people actually believe the bull McCain spews. I really thought our country was smarter than that, but then again we did re-elect Bush....

[Bud]

Bad ole Bad ole mean ole man. Apple makes baby PC cry.

Sorry, I think you protest too much.

When it gets TOO bad, it will hurt the one slinging the mud. I don't think the Apple ads are at the McCain campaign point yet.

[American for Obama]

EinRand - That has to be the most moronic view i have ever seen. Isnt Steve Jobs always being accused of being a liberal? Seems pretty odd that u would match McCain with Apple and not Microsoft, and as long as we are name calling wouldn't our "dear president" Bush be a faciast? I doubt that i am the only american that sees similarities in Bush's abuse of "executive privalage" and Mussolini or Hitler. Now back to the main point u say "socialism and Microsoft" and then say"Once the socialists take over there will be little reason not to move overseas where you get to keep more than half your income" and then you say "Taxing "evil big bussiness'" ". If socialism is evil then how is it bad to tax Socialist Microsoft?

That being said I do not like the Microsoft Corporation for the main reason that i do not like having anything forced upon me liked they tried to do with Internet explorer and are now doing with Vista,but Apple is no better......anyone ever use an Ipod? I say down with both and Horray for open source be it any variation of Linux or Googles Android.

[Steve]

EinRand, Please move overseas if you think McCain has anything in common with Apple and Innovation other than the style of ads lately. And also wake up and stop drinking the Apple kool-aide. Apple has even more market control than Microsoft does.

You have a right to your opinion but I think you need to do some more research about both presidential candidates before you start going on about socialism and that everyone will loose their jobs with "Osama".