Apple's advertising for Macs

[Southern Patriot]

For the last year or so, the only Apple advertisements I've seen on TV are for iPods. When was the last time you saw an advertisement for their computers? All of this iPod advertising seems to have paid off, maybe even more so than Apple had planned, since iPods seem to be selling faster than Apple can get them into the stores. I think that if they put as much effort into their advertising for Macs, they would probably sell 10 times (or more) as many as they do currently.

[Wickedkitten Veteran]

Hard to say really, I remember reading on Forbes earlier this week that Apple are looking to raise their market share significantly in the next year simply based on the fact that so many of the people that are getting ipods, then go on to buy macs.

[JnCoKiLLa]

It would be nice to see something beside a I-Pod AD for once

[NetRyder]

Advertising would certainly make a difference.

[Mx]

Yea, I've only ever see Mac ads.

[imtoomuch]

No, not really. Advertising may help Apple sell a small amount more Macs, but most people know Apple comps exist. The average consumer wants a Windows based computer for many different reasons.

[Southern Patriot]

No, not really.  Advertising may help Apple sell a small amount more Macs, but most people know Apple comps exist.  The average consumer wants a Windows based computer for many different reasons.

585152302[/snapback]

People know iPods exist too, but that hasn't stopped Apple from running daily advertisements for them. I have no doubt that their ad campaign has had a large impact on how many have been sold in the last few months (especially during the holidays). The average consumer wants a computer to get online with, listen to music on, and balance the checkbook on. They also want a computer that is going to be reliable and not plagued by weekly (or even daily) viruses, but many of them don't KNOW that there are other options besides Windows computers. Most of the general public is not even as knowledgeable about technology as the average poster here on Neowin, so they don't realize that many of the problems they associate with computers are ONLY (or at least primarily) Windows problems.

[SVT]

When was the last time you saw an advertisement for their computers?

An iPod is a computer.

[Southern Patriot]

Hard to say really, I remember reading on Forbes earlier this week that Apple are looking to raise their market share significantly in the next year simply based on the fact that so many of the people that are getting ipods, then go on to buy macs.

585152230[/snapback]

Do you happen to have a link for that article? Most of the stuff I've seen from Forbes is generally pro-Windows and anti-everything else. Now Mossberg from the Wall Street Journal is a very active proponent of the Mac.

[Southern Patriot]

An iPod is a computer.

585153241[/snapback]

:blink: :no: :rolleyes:

[bakerster]

An iPod is a computer.

585153241[/snapback]

No it isnt?? :huh:

[Mouton]

An iPod is a computer.

585153241[/snapback]

http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Acomputer

Edited December 23, 2004 by Mouton

[Southern Patriot]

http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Acomputer

585153246[/snapback]

Maybe in the most general sense of the word, but then again, if you are going to be that general, then a VCR is a computer too.

[dhavalhirdhav]

nah.. Apple doesnt have Windows :p

[Southern Patriot]

nah.. Apple doesnt have Windows :p

585153274[/snapback]

You say that like it's a bad thing. :p

[SVT]

http://www.google.com/search?q=define%3Acomputer

585153246[/snapback]

A programmable electronic machine for processing information

An iPod fits that definition.

an electronic device that executes the instructions in a program. A computer has four functions: inputs data, processes data, produces output, and stores results

An iPod fits that definition.

Refers to a programmable electronic device that can store, retrieve, and process data i.e. a PC.

An iPod fits that definition.

A machine for carrying out calculations and performing specified transformations on information, such as storing, sorting, correlating, retrieving and processing data.

An iPod fits that definition.

A device which processes and stores information digitally.

An iPod fits that definition.

I see a pattern here...

[Lare2]

Would love to see more ads of that sweet looking G5 beast.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

Apple seems to use alot of product placement for their advertising. I can't even count how many TV shows and movies I've seen Mac's in. 24 has G5's everywhere and I've seen Powerbooks in tons of shows. I do think that they need to have good TV ads for their iMac G5's.

[Southern Patriot]

An iPod fits that definition.

An iPod fits that definition.

An iPod fits that definition.

An iPod fits that definition.

An iPod fits that definition.

I see a pattern here...

585153290[/snapback]

And as I mentioned, a VCR meets most of those definitions as well. I still don't think most people would consider a VCR (or an iPod) a computer. Anyway, I think most people here are reasonable enough to understand which computers I was talking about in my first post.

[Southern Patriot]

Apple seems to use alot of product placement for their advertising. I can't even count how many TV shows and movies I've seen Mac's in. 24 has G5's everywhere and I've seen Powerbooks in tons of shows. I do think that they need to have good TV ads for their iMac G5's.

585153313[/snapback]

Macs are all over the place in my favorite shows as well (all of the CSI shows). CSI:NY is the only one that seems to have an equal number of Windows PC's (mostly Dells, I think), although there are a couple in the other two CSI shows. I see PowerBooks everywhere I look too (even in a couple of print ads for Windows software!!!). Too bad so many shows mask over the Apple logo (although I've seen a few that they missed occasionally). A G4 iMac is kind of hard to miss though (pretty much all of the lab computers on CSI are iMacs).

[Korgun]

advertising for their desktops/laptops doesn't have as much of a return on investment as advertising for ipods

i'd be surprised if apple even sold desktops/laptops in 10 years....

[macssuck]

advertising for their desktops/laptops doesn't have as much of a return on investment as advertising for ipods

Net Sales and Unit Sales by Product[1]

Macintosh net sales: $4.923 billion.

Macintosh unit sales: 3.29 million

iPod net sales: $1.306 billion.

iPod unit sales: 4.4 million.

Net Sales Per Unit

Macintosh: $1,429

iPod: $296

Expenses

Advertising: $209 million.

Research and Development: $489 million.

General administration and sales: $1.421 billion.

Apple generates five times more sales (measured in dollars) with the Macintosh product line than the iPod product line. Apple doesn't break down the profit or expenses per unit, but with only about $300 revenue per iPod I suspect the bulk of Apple's operations funded by the Macintosh product lines which pull in nearly 5 times as much revenue per sale.

i'd be surprised if apple even sold desktops/laptops in 10 years....

You must live in a fantasy world where companies routinely walk away from a profitable and proven five billion dollar per-year business to focus on selling fancy music boxes.

[1] Apple Computer Inc: 2004 SEC Form 10-K

[giga Veteran]

The last mac related commercial I saw other than iPod was the superbowl iTMS one.

[Chad]

No, not really.  Advertising may help Apple sell a small amount more Macs, but most people know Apple comps exist.  The average consumer wants a Windows based computer for many different reasons.

585152302[/snapback]

Yes, but how many continue to have misconceptions toward Macintosh computers? Look at all the computer geeks on neowin who still have those misconceptions.

[NeoXY]

I have seen one when the G4 iMac came out....(still a nice computer) than I saw another one with the G5....and oh yeah...a bunch of iPod ones too...:p