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Get a Mac

"Get a Mac" was a highly influential television and online advertising campaign launched by Apple Inc. in 2006 to promote its Macintosh computers by contrasting them humorously with Windows PCs. Created by Apple's long-time advertising agency TBWA\Media Arts Lab, the series featured minimalist sets with a plain white background and personified characters: Justin Long as the cool, casual "Mac" and John Hodgman as the awkward, suit-clad "PC," engaging in witty banter that highlighted Mac's superior ease of use, security, and design. The first ad, "Better," aired on May 2, 2006, marking the start of a campaign running from 2006 to 2009 that produced 66 aired spots out of 323 filmed, including international versions for markets like the UK and Japan. The campaign's development was overseen closely by Apple CEO , who rejected numerous concepts over seven months before approving the approach, inspired partly by rival Microsoft's efforts. Key creative personnel included executive creative director Eric Grunbaum, creative directors Jason Sperling and Scott Trattner, and associate creative director Barton Corley, who crafted scripts emphasizing relatable scenarios like viruses, security, and compatibility without overt negativity toward PCs. Guest appearances by celebrities such as and added variety, while the ads extended to online platforms and even Apple's keynote presentations. "Get a Mac" significantly boosted Apple's market position, nearly doubling U.S. Mac market share from about 4.5% in 2006 to 8.8% by early 2010 (with a 42% increase noted in 2007 evaluations) and driving , including a 39% year-over-year jump in 2007. It prompted a competitive response from with the "" campaign in 2008, underscoring its cultural impact on the tech industry. The series concluded with the final ads, including "Teeter Tottering," in October 2009, as Apple shifted focus to the , but it earned widespread acclaim, including the 2007 Grand Effie Award for the most effective marketing from the American Marketing Association.

Background and Development

Origins and Concept

In , Apple sought to bolster its position in the market following the announcement of its transition to processors, which promised faster performance for Macs and aimed to challenge Microsoft's dominance. With Apple's U.S. at approximately 4% at the time, directed the company's long-time advertising agency, , in September to develop a campaign that would clearly demonstrate the 's superiority over generic PCs through consumer-focused marketing. This effort was part of a broader strategy to differentiate the amid growing competition, emphasizing ease of use and without delving into specifications. The campaign's creative origins drew inspiration from Apple's landmark 1984 Super Bowl advertisement, directed by , which had revolutionized tech marketing with its bold, cinematic portrayal of rebellion against conformity. Building on this legacy, pursued a humorous approach to personify , evolving from initial concepts amid rigorous scrutiny. Development began in late 2005 with weekly strategy meetings at Apple's Cupertino , spanning seven months of ideation that included dozens of discarded ideas and tense reviews. A breakthrough occurred in March 2006 when the agency pitched the anthropomorphic Mac vs. PC format, which approved after viewing a test shoot, greenlighting production for a planned launch in May 2006. At its core, the "Get a Mac" concept featured two contrasting characters: a laid-back, innovative Mac representative embodying cool creativity and seamless user experiences, juxtaposed against a stuffy, outdated PC character symbolizing and rigidity. This avoided direct product comparisons or specs, instead highlighting relatable everyday contrasts in and reliability to appeal emotionally to consumers. The approach was designed for simplicity, with ads set against a minimalist white background to keep the focus on dialogue and character dynamics, establishing a fresh, ongoing narrative for Apple's marketing.

Casting and Production Team

The "Get a Mac" campaign featured actor Justin Long as the personification of the Mac, selected directly by Apple co-founder Steve Jobs after viewing Long's performance in the 2005 film Herbie: Fully Loaded, where Jobs saw him as embodying a relatable, cool everyman suitable for the role. Long was cast without a traditional audition, though he initially assumed he would play the more awkward PC character based on his prior comedic roles. Complementing Long, John Hodgman portrayed the PC, chosen after auditioning for director Phil Morrison, who was drawn to Hodgman's deadpan delivery and literary background, including his appearances on The Daily Show and his work as a tech writer that lent authenticity to the character's tech-savvy yet bumbling persona. Prior casting considerations included comedians like Will Ferrell and Owen Wilson, but the final duo was selected for their natural chemistry and ability to convey subtle humor through contrast. The production was helmed by director Phil Morrison, an indie filmmaker known for his 2005 film Junebug, who infused the ads with understated comedic timing and expanded the scripts during shoots to enhance dialogue-driven scenes. The writing team at Apple's advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day (specifically TBWA\Media Arts Lab) included key creatives such as copywriters Scott Trattner, Eric Grunbaum, Barton Corley, and Jason Sperling, who developed the core concept through iterative sessions—often pitching 10-15 ideas weekly—after an initial brainstorming discussion between Trattner and Grunbaum while surfing in Malibu. Steve Jobs played a hands-on role in approvals, reviewing final cuts and rejecting numerous drafts with direct feedback, ensuring the campaign aligned with Apple's emphasis on Mac superiority while maintaining a light tone. Filming occurred primarily in Los Angeles studios from 2006 to 2009, utilizing simple white-void setups to keep the focus on the actors' interactions rather than elaborate effects, which contributed to the campaign's low-budget aesthetic prioritizing sharp writing and performance over visual spectacle. Over three years, the team shot 323 spots in efficient sessions—such as the initial three-day production yielding 12 ads—filmed on 35mm film for a polished yet minimalist look, with only 66 ultimately airing after ' rigorous selections. This streamlined process, managed by TBWA\Chiat\Day's iterative scripting and editing, allowed for quick adaptations while adhering to a modest production scale that underscored the campaign's conversational style.

Campaign Format and Content

Core Structure and Style

The "Get a Mac" campaign consisted of 30-second television spots that followed a consistent framework, opening with the characters introducing themselves as "Hello, I'm a " and "And I'm a ," before transitioning into a demonstration of the PC's typical shortcomings—such as bureaucratic inefficiencies or vulnerability to viruses—resolved wittily by the Mac to highlight its advantages. This structure emphasized personified computers engaging in direct, conversational comparisons, allowing for succinct storytelling within the tight format while avoiding overt technical jargon. Visually, the ads adopted a minimalist aesthetic with a plain white background to keep the focus squarely on the two actors, who wore contrasting attire: the in casual and untucked shirts symbolizing approachability and , and the PC in formal suits and ties evoking rigidity and conformity. Props were limited, featuring occasional laptops to represent everyday without distracting from the dialogue-driven narrative. The lead actors' performances enhanced this simplicity, with Long's relaxed demeanor as Mac contrasting John Hodgman's stiff portrayal of PC. The tone struck a humorous, non-aggressive , portraying the as effortlessly simple, creative, and reliable in opposition to the PC's cumbersome and error-prone nature, fostering viewer through light-hearted banter rather than confrontation. This approach relied on , cultural references, and subtle sight gags to product benefits engagingly. Musically, each spot featured an original upbeat jingle composed by , providing a quirky, energetic that complemented the indie-inspired vibe without overpowering the . The pacing was brisk, with quick cuts and rapid exchanges maintaining momentum through the 30 seconds, culminating in the "Get a Mac" overlaid with the Apple logo to reinforce brand recall.

North American Advertisements

The North American advertisements for the "Get a Mac" campaign consisted of 66 television spots aired in the United States and from May 2006 to October 2009. The series launched on May 2, 2006, with the debut ad titled "Better," which contrasted Mac's focus on creative, life-oriented features like photo editing and music with PC's emphasis on spreadsheets and business tools. Ads were released in quarterly batches and rotated on prime-time networks to reach broad audiences, often aligning with major product announcements such as the operating system in late 2007. Central themes in these domestic ads revolved around Mac's superior security, seamless usability, and innovative capabilities, using humorous scenarios to depict PC's shortcomings. In the May 2006 "Viruses" episode, PC contracts a computer virus that forces it into quarantine, while Mac casually notes its inherent protection without antivirus software. The June 2006 "Out of the Box" ad illustrated Mac's instant setup and multitasking prowess, allowing immediate use for tasks like networking, in stark contrast to PC's hours-long configuration process. Aesthetics and lifestyle differences were highlighted in spots like "Work vs. Home" from June 2006, where Mac embraces fun applications such as iLife for home entertainment, portraying PC as rigid and office-bound. Tied to specific product rollouts, later ads introduced Mac-exclusive features through engaging plots unique to the North American series. For example, the January 2008 "Time Machine" ad promoted Leopard's backup tool, showing Mac effortlessly restoring files via visuals while PC fails with manual methods. Episodes like "" (January 2007) featured PC hiring a fake Mac to undermine its rival, only for the ploy to backfire and underscore Mac's reliability. The campaign concluded in October 2009 with ads such as "PC News," where PC attempts to hype but inadvertently promotes switching to Mac.

International and Extended Campaigns

UK and Japanese Adaptations

The adaptation of the "Get a Mac" campaign launched in January 2007, featuring comedic duo as the PC and as the , who reprised the roles in a series of refilmed advertisements tailored to local sensibilities. These spots, initially numbering six and expanding to at least 15 over the year, adapted the original scripts with humor, emphasizing dry wit and understatement, such as in the "Naughty Steps" ad where the PC is humorously disciplined for software issues. The ads aired on commercial channels and maintained the core format of casual conversations highlighting Mac's simplicity against PC's frustrations, but with localized references to avoid direct jabs that might seem overly aggressive to audiences. Challenges in the UK version included preserving the original charm while translating puns and cultural nuances, such as adjusting the PC's portrayal to align with stereotypes of bureaucratic inefficiency rather than overt incompetence. The campaign's scripts were rewritten by to incorporate subtle irony, ensuring the humor resonated without alienating viewers familiar with Mitchell and Webb's work from shows like . In Japan, the campaign debuted on December 12, 2006, with 10 advertisements featuring the Rahmens comedy duo—Kentaro Kobayashi as the Mac and Jin Katagiri as the PC—fully remade in Japanese rather than dubbed from the US versions. These spots emphasized cultural politeness and humility, portraying the Mac as casually sophisticated and the PC as a stiff, overly formal "salaryman" type, with themes focusing on ease of use in work and education contexts, such as handling complex kanji input without frustration. Ads like "Viruses" and "Security" highlighted Mac's reliability in professional settings, adapting the narrative to Japanese values where direct bragging would seem impolite, instead using subtle contrasts to underscore Mac's effortless integration into daily life. Localization challenges in involved toning down the ads' confrontational tone to fit societal norms of , with script adjustments ensuring the Mac's advantages were shown through humble demonstrations rather than boasts, and avoiding Western-style character judgments based on attire. The ads aired on Japanese commercial networks, with shorter formats suited to local TV slots, and prioritized conceptual clarity over exhaustive feature lists to maintain the campaign's lighthearted appeal.

Web-Exclusive and Promotional Videos

In addition to the television spots, the "Get a Mac" campaign featured a collection of web-exclusive videos released primarily on Apple.com from 2006 to 2009, expanding the narrative to address niche topics such as security concerns, creative software capabilities, and device integrations not covered in broadcast ads. These shorts adhered to the campaign's core style of witty banter between the personified Mac (Justin Long) and PC (John Hodgman) characters but often adopted longer formats, ranging up to two minutes, allowing for more detailed demonstrations of Mac features like virus resistance or multimedia editing. For instance, early online-only releases in 2007 included unreleased cuts focusing on driver issues and malware vulnerabilities, presented with higher production polish to suit digital viewing. Promotional tie-ins extended the campaign's reach through seasonal and product-specific content, such as the 2006 holiday special where an animated PC and Mac join in caroling to highlight Mac's ease for holiday photo editing and sharing. By , web clips incorporated compatibility, depicting seamless syncing and mobile productivity advantages in scenarios beyond TV constraints, like . These videos emphasized and niches, such as simplified interfaces for non-technical users or optimized in titles like , positioning Macs as versatile for everyday and specialized tasks. Distribution leveraged platforms like for uploads starting in 2007 and for downloadable viewing, fostering viral sharing that amplified the campaign's . Apple promoted these exclusives via newsletters and site banners, resulting in widespread engagement without traditional airtime. Technical enhancements, including embeddable players and occasional interactive prompts on Apple.com (e.g., feature spotlights linking to product pages), distinguished web content from linear TV formats, encouraging deeper user exploration.

Keynote Integrations

Live Demonstrations

The "Get a Mac" campaign's Mac and PC characters, portrayed by and respectively, debuted in Apple's live events at the 2006 (WWDC) on August 7, where a featuring was integrated into a demonstration of iChat Theater to introduce features of the upcoming operating system. This marked the characters' first appearance in a live event setting, blending the campaign's humorous style with practical software showcases to engage the developer audience. Subsequent keynotes from 2007 to 2009 at WWDC and Macworld incorporated the characters through scripted videos and occasional on-stage segments, often focusing on topics like Leopard's Time Machine backup feature or MobileMe cloud services. For instance, the 2007 WWDC opened with a video skit in which the PC character impersonated Steve Jobs to announce Apple's fictional shutdown, prompting the Mac character to walk on stage for banter that transitioned into the main presentation. Similarly, at the 2008 Macworld keynote, a new ad played early in the event, with the PC character lamenting Microsoft's plans to mimic Apple's 2007 innovations, setting a lighthearted tone before product reveals. These integrations adapted the campaign's format for live audiences by including real-time interactions with , such as impromptu Q&A exchanges where the characters riffed on feature advantages, and blending scripted humor with on-the-spot demos of capabilities like cross-platform compatibility. At the 2009 WWDC, for example, the keynote began with an opening video of the PC wishing for minimal innovation, followed by the Mac character appearing on stage to tease upcoming announcements, including iPhone OS updates. The characters appeared in four keynotes across these years: the 2006, 2007, and 2009 WWDCS and the 2008 Macworld, extending the campaign's reach beyond television to Apple's core tech enthusiast community and reinforcing brand messaging during major product unveilings like the iPhone 3G in 2008.

Evolution in Presentations

During the early phase of the "Get a Mac" campaign from 2006 to 2007, the characters frequently appeared in pre-recorded skits that opened Apple keynotes, serving as feature-focused hype for OS X updates and Mac hardware advancements. At WWDC 2006, the intro featured PC attempting to derail the conference by urging developers to take a year off for self-discovery, only for Mac to counter with enthusiasm for Mac innovations like the transition to Intel processors. Similarly, the WWDC 2007 opener depicted PC impersonating Steve Jobs to dismiss the event, but Mac reaffirmed the value of OS X Leopard's 300-plus new features, drawing strong audience engagement with laughter and applause. These segments emphasized Mac's creativity and reliability against PC's rigidity, aligning with keynotes' demonstrations of software stability and user-friendly interfaces. By the mid-phase in 2008, as Apple's ecosystem expanded with the , the characters' keynote roles shifted toward integration with mobile features, reflecting the campaign's maturation and reduced standalone emphasis on Mac OS updates. Ads shown during the Macworld 2008 keynote highlighted cross-platform synergy, such as Air's compatibility with iPhone apps, while the WWDC 2008 presentation prioritized and launches without a dedicated "Get a Mac" intro, signaling a thematic pivot to unified Apple experiences over Mac-PC rivalries. This evolution maintained the skits' humorous edge but subordinated them to broader product narratives, with audience responses remaining positive through chuckles at PC's mishaps. The phase-out occurred in 2009, with the characters' final keynote appearance at WWDC 2009, where PC futilely tried to convince developers to skip the conference and return home, countered by Mac's invitation to explore and enhancements; the segment ended with huge applause before took the stage. Following this, the format was retired from keynotes as Apple shifted marketing priorities. Behind the scenes, provided rigorous feedback on evolving scripts to prevent repetition and sustain the campaign's wit, often dismissing ideas as "fucking stupid" during weekly meetings and insisting on precise details like lighting reflections to keep content fresh. The production team shot 323 spots over three years—far exceeding the 66 aired—to test variations and discard stale concepts, ensuring intros remained engaging without overexposure. Event audience reception data indicated consistent enthusiasm, with live blogs noting "huge applause" and laughter that amplified the keynotes' energetic atmosphere.

Reception

Commercial Effectiveness

The "Get a Mac" campaign correlated strongly with Apple's sales growth during its active years from 2006 to 2009. Apple shipped 5.3 million Macintosh computers worldwide in its 2006 (ending September 2006), a figure that rose to 7.1 million units in 2007, marking a 34% increase. Industry analysts, including , attributed much of this expansion to the campaign's effective positioning of Macs as intuitive and superior alternatives to Windows PCs, particularly amid the rocky rollout of in early 2007. This sales momentum continued, with quarterly Mac shipments reaching 2.16 million in Apple's fiscal Q4 2007 alone, up 34% year-over-year. The campaign also drove measurable gains in Apple's U.S. PC . According to data, Apple's share stood at 6.1% in Q3 2006, climbing to 8.1% by Q3 2007 and further to 8.8% in Q3 . These improvements positioned Apple as the fourth-largest PC vendor in the U.S. by , countering broader market challenges and benefiting from the ads' humorous contrast between the sleek and the beleaguered PC. The effort helped Apple capture a larger slice of the segment, where adoption grew faster than the overall PC market. Brand perception metrics further underscored the campaign's effectiveness, especially among younger consumers. A 2008 Piper Jaffray survey of teens revealed Apple's strengthened mindshare, with 81% of respondents owning an and high intent to purchase Apple products, reflecting a shift in favorability driven by the ads' relatable portrayal of 's ease of use. Post-2009, the campaign's residuals supported Apple's premium branding strategy. Even after its conclusion in 2010, the established image of Macs as innovative and user-friendly contributed to sustained market positioning, with analysts crediting it for long-term loyalty and higher perceived value in the premium PC segment. This foundation helped Apple maintain double-digit growth in Mac sales through the early , solidifying its differentiation from commodity PCs.

Critical and Public Response

The "Get a Mac" campaign garnered significant acclaim from the advertising industry for its witty scripting and innovative approach to comparative advertising, which humanized the and PC through relatable characters. In 2007, it received the Grand Award from the Effie Awards organization, recognizing its role in driving a 42% increase in Apple's U.S. during the campaign's early phase. Advertising Age later highlighted it as one of the top 15 ad campaigns of the , crediting its cultural impact in shifting consumer perceptions of technology brands. Public reception was largely positive, with audiences appreciating the campaign's humor and simplicity. A Harris Interactive poll on consumer attitudes toward technology brands indicated strong favorability for Apple's messaging, though specific enjoyment metrics varied; broader surveys from the period showed the ads resonating with over half of viewers as entertaining and memorable. Media outlets like noted in 2006 how the campaign's lighthearted tone reinvigorated humor in tech advertising, contrasting it with more technical-focused competitors. Criticisms emerged regarding the campaign's portrayal of the PC as an uptight, failure-prone "loser," which some viewed as promoting and class-based stereotypes. Microsoft expressed concerns over the ads' aggressive tone, leading to an internal review and the launch of their counter-campaign in 2008, which aimed to reclaim the narrative around PC diversity and reliability. While not escalating to formal antitrust action, Microsoft's response underscored the perceived competitive pressure from Apple's messaging. Public backlash included debates over the anti-PC bias, particularly in early online tech communities from 2006 to 2008, where users argued the ads unfairly generalized Windows as unreliable and uncool. These discussions highlighted broader societal implications, with critics like those in Flow Journal analyzing the campaign's role in perpetuating myths of class transcendence through brand choice.

Legacy and Cultural Influence

Parodies and Spin-Offs

Microsoft launched its "" advertising campaign in September 2008 as a direct counter to Apple's "Get a Mac" series, featuring a diverse array of individuals proclaiming their pride in using PCs to challenge the portrayal of Windows users as outdated or inferior. The campaign included at least 12 advertisements that aired globally, emphasizing the versatility and broad appeal of PC users across professions and lifestyles, with celebrity appearances such as actress Ellen Page to highlight inclusivity. allocated a $300 million budget to the initiative, marking one of its largest advertising efforts at the time to reclaim narrative control in the PC versus Mac rivalry. In a notable response involving the original "Mac" actor, collaborated with on the "Justin Gets Real" spots in 2008, where appeared as himself to promote Intel-powered PCs, humorously addressing his typecasting from the Apple ads by endorsing Windows alternatives. This series poked fun at the ongoing tech persona wars without escalating to legal action, as neither Apple nor pursued lawsuits over the respective campaigns despite their pointed exchanges. In 2021, Intel revived a similar approach with its "Go PC" campaign, again featuring promoting Intel-based PCs over Apple's Macs, highlighting performance and choice in a style reminiscent of the original ads and Dell's effort. User-generated parodies proliferated online, including the 2007 YouTube video "I'm a Linux," which extended the format by introducing a third character representing as a quirky, open-source alternative to both and PC, amassing significant views and inspiring similar fan content. featured a 2007 sketch parodying the ads, with playing both the Mac and PC characters in exaggerated scenarios, amplifying the campaign's cultural footprint through comedic satire. In November 2020, during Apple's "One More Thing" event announcing M1-powered , reprised his role as the PC character in a surprise , humorously conceding the 's superiority in battery life and performance to underscore the product's advancements.

Long-Term Impact

The "Get a Mac" campaign's use of —depicting the as a cool, youthful character and the PC as a bumbling, outdated counterpart—set a for anthropomorphic in , influencing subsequent comparative campaigns that emphasized over technical specifications. This approach demonstrated the return on investment (ROI) of humor in , as evidenced by increased and affinity, with the series serving as a in how lighthearted can elevate consumer perception without overt negativity. For instance, the campaign's structure inspired later tech ads to humanize products, reshaping the genre toward relatable narratives that prioritize emotional engagement. In terms of brand evolution, the played a key role in transitioning Apple's image from a niche computer maker to a broader icon during the pre-iPhone consolidation period, reinforcing the as an aspirational choice synonymous with and . By 2009, this positioning had solidified Apple's reputation for innovative, user-centric , contributing to its market dominance in personal computing and paving the way for ecosystem expansions like the launch in 2007. Marketing analyses highlight how the ads' focus on experiential benefits over hardware specs helped Apple achieve long-term , with retrospective views crediting it as a pivotal effort in the company's ascent to cultural ubiquity. The campaign endures in through frequent media references and analyses, such as a 2014 retrospective that examined its lasting "I'm a " effect on consumer identity and tech rivalries. In the , discussions have increasingly reevaluated the ads' stereotypical portrayals—particularly the class and competence divides between characters—for their role in perpetuating tech industry biases, prompting broader conversations on in narratives. These reflections underscore the campaign's dual legacy: a commercial triumph that also highlighted evolving standards for inclusive representation in brand storytelling.

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