Episode #29 – Apple Mac vs PC Ad Update, How to Do Your Own Web TV Show, Free Website Builder, and a BIG Lesson from Nintendo Wii
November 5, 2008
NOTE: Do yourself a favor and grab the FREE report from Infusion: “The Edge of Success.”
It shows you 9 proven techniques for doubling your sales. They are simple strategies you can use immediately.
Also, take a look at this great video about Mac vs PC for editing video. Click Here to view it.
Episode #29 – Have you been following the Apple vs PC drama? It’s very interesting to see how Microsoft have reacted to Apple’s wildly successful ad campaign. They’ve risen to the bait and made ads of their own to defend their corner. I’ll give you the full scoop in this episode, with some clips from the latest ads.
The viewer question this week is the #1 question I receive every day, which suprised me somewhat. It’s not a marketing question, but relates to how I put the web TV show together, and how you can do the same.
Another question that comes up a lot is how to build a website cheaply, quickly, and easily – those are the 3 criteria everyone seems to want. Well, this week’s Nifty Click fulfills all of those needs, and it’s completely free!
The BIG marketing lesson comes from Nintendo. A few years ago, the company was struggling to put it mildly. Sony (playstation) and Microsoft (xbox) were dominating the market and Nintendo were left floundering…until they created the Wii that is. It’s an astonishing success story. The product of course is revolutionary, but they still needed creative marketing, and they definitely had that. Nintendo employed a little known marketing strategy that you can use to help YOUR business. Let me know what you think by posting on the blog (use the ‘click to add yours” link above the video.
NOTE: If you haven’t done it already, take part in a new viewer survey and I’ll reward you with a valuable free gift you can download right away (no opt-in required and your answers will be completely anonymous).
Click Here to take the survey.
Free ‘Edge of Success’ Report (from Infusion)
Edicy (free online website builder)
Business Breakthroughs Webinar Replay (from last week)
Find a Nintendo Wii (handy site that shows what stores have Wii in stock)
Microwave Marketing Training System (special offer for viewers of this show)
Regards,
November 5th, 2008 at 4:04 am
Andrew, you may not be aware of it, but on my PC and a suspect on many others too, all your videos do not have the right proportions. It looks like yours 4:3 aspect ratio is stretched to 16:9 and it makes you look like a dwarf
.
I am only mentioning this because, well, you should do your own homework before mentoring other people on how to make videos.
November 5th, 2008 at 6:06 am
[...] risen to the bait and made ads of their own to defend their corner. … Original post: Episode #29 – Apple Mac vs PC Ad Update, How to Do Your Own Web TV … November 5th, 2008 in Mac info | tags: are-hidden, bait, corner, defend-their, file-does, [...]
November 5th, 2008 at 7:54 am
Vlasta,
You’ve missed the point. I wasn’t mentoring anyone, I was simply reporting.
btw, the videos are supposed to be 16:9, and I AM a dwarf, so you are seeing the videos correctly.
Regards
P.S. Hi ho, hi ho, it’s off to work I go…
Andrew
November 5th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Andrew,
When was is Video created? Infusion has already upgraded their interface.
BTW, I use Infusion and would highly recommend it to others.
Meny Hoffman
November 5th, 2008 at 8:17 am
>btw, the videos are supposed to be 16:9, and I AM a dwarf, so you are seeing the videos correctly.<
Hilarious! Thanks for that laugh, Andrew.
Neil.
November 5th, 2008 at 8:47 am
I think that Apple is winning the ad wars. For the life of me I don’t know why MS didn’t play to their own strengths.
The new commercials with Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfield complete puzzle me.
Andrew, please help me understand them!
Kevin C
Helicopter Pilot Careers
Airplane Pilot Careers
Edge On Motorcycling
November 5th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Andrew…I have been a big fan of the Mac vs
PC ads for some time now, and they just keep getting better. In my humble opinion when PC spends all that money to “defend” themselves they are only admitting that: 1) the ads are having a substantial PR impact and they need to defend themselves, and 2) they know there are problems with Vista, but in typical MicroSoft fashion they would rather get involved in a war of words and $$ rather than fix the problems. I don’t know if the Mac ads are improving Mac sales, but they must be taking a bit out of Vista sales.
I also like the new ad where they poke fun at those Windows “Mojave” ads figuring that if they just change the name people will ignore all the problems. Good stuff!
November 5th, 2008 at 9:50 am
Apple is the big winner. I laughed so loud my
family asked what I was laughing about. Sooo.. I retold the scenario. Talk about viral marketing. It was immediate
November 5th, 2008 at 6:21 pm
The Mac vs PC ads are inspired marketing, current, enjoyable, and delightful to watch. They use humor without a rough edge, and that’s refreshing these days. The PC response is badly conceived because it is reactive and moreover, further ingrains the sense that PC users are out of touch, marginal, nerdy users. PC should go with its traditional strengths, worldwide usage, etc. And some very current humor wouldn’t hurt it a bit, either.
November 5th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
I think all of the commercials you broadcasted are hilarious and I think the sparring of the two companies is healthy for both of them simply because it’s entertaining to the public. But I do think that Apple has an edge on PC with their scripts! They are funny! Thanks for sharing this.
November 6th, 2008 at 12:01 am
I think all of the commercials you broadcasted are hilarious and I think the sparring of the two companies is healthy for both of them simply because it’s entertaining to the public. But I do think that Apple has an edge on PC with their scripts! They are funny! Thanks for sharing this.
November 6th, 2008 at 1:44 am
I actually thought the 2nd round of Microsoft commercials weren’t bad (certainly better than the Jerry Seinfeld-produced ones — seeing Bill Gates wiggle his backside is an image I won’t be able to erase from my mind no matter how hard I try), and they are effective in getting the message across that people use Windows everyday to accomplish a myriad of things. How people perceive the ad is probably different for different people: People who use Windows and are satisfied with the experience likely feel validated and vindicated by the ad because they see it as a strong response at Apple’s long campaign to belittle them. Apple users likely see the ad as defensive and short on being a cogent response. People who haven’t purchased a computer likely find the Apple ads more effective because of the powerful use of humor to demonstrate Apple’s strengths. Linux users look at both and alternately laugh and sneer.
November 6th, 2008 at 5:08 am
Hello Andrew,
You do need to fix that aspect ratio. There IS definitely something wrong with the videos.
Those Microsoft ads suck. Instead of spending all that money on those STUPID ads, they should make their crappy operating system more reliable. I’m living a Vista nightmare. Scarier than Saw 5.
On the other hand, Macs suck too. And they crash as well. And their ads are just plain annoying and pretentious.
Infusionsoft sounds good – but the prices?
Enrollment & Setup: $4,997
Subscription: $299/month
And that’w without the “Email Package”!
It’s funny as they say “Infusionsoft is an “Active” web-based eMarketing solution designed to help true small businesses”
Not many “true small business” and start-ups can afford that – especially when you have GetResponse and similar that charge $20/month with no set-up fees.
Thanks for another good show!
Lisa
http://www.SurveySam.com
November 6th, 2008 at 10:39 am
I really like the MS ads, the ones with all the folks and Deepak, not the one with Bill and Jerry. I think the mac ads are getting really old….but, i’m a pc.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:19 am
Charles, I agree with you about Bill’s backside. Strongly. Interestingly, I’m a PC user but I love the Mac ads, and since I’ve been using my iPhone, I’m MUCH more open to considering a Mac in the future, and I never thought I’d say that.
Lisa, I would like to understand how you see the videos – could you take a couple of screenshots from an episode and send them to me.
Andrew
November 6th, 2008 at 11:28 am
Lisa,
Re InfusionSoft – there is no comparison to GetResponse or those types of programs. InfusionSoft handles marketing via mail, phone, fax, and email, complex follow-up sequences, the customer database, ecommerce, and a lot more – literally the entire backend of my business. Most people use one program for this, one for that, and then try and integrate them.
Yes, $5k was a lot of money to me when I was first considering using it, but I recouped that money within a few months by using the automated marketing systems within Infusion.
If someone doesn’t have the money, they don’t have the money, but I realized how crucial it is to setup a business RIGHT, from the outset. Too many people have shared their pain with me about how they had to switch from one system to another as their business grew and the tools they tried to use weren’t suitable.
That’s why I and most of my friends who are top marketers, use Infusion. It’s far more powerful than most people realize at first glance.
Ultimately, they have a very fair guarantee that protects your investment 100%.
Andrew
November 6th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I really think MS has to respond. Crispin Porter & Bogulsky, their agency is now putting user generated content in their latest ads. In essence, they are letting the users tell the story instead of responding with a pre-packaged presentation. While the ads are aimed at combating the attack campaign by Apple, there is also an essence of letting Windows users not feel so dumb. So even as Apple sells more computers, MS is still getting their branding out there and their message. The MS ads I really object to are the ones that “trick” people into using the Vista platform under the name of Mojave. Now that is a terrible campaign. If Vista were a reliable OS they would not have to trick people into using it.
November 6th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Hi,
I watched your Podcast. You have made an excellent presentation. Will keep looking at your other podcasts.
Regards
November 9th, 2008 at 12:24 am
The MAC Vs PC is a excellent marketing ad. They made this Ad with humour.They too start investing money in ad for their growth.Hope they will catch Microsoft sales soon.And your presentation is too good.
November 9th, 2008 at 12:37 am
Thank you for your humor and the fun way that you present things. That is one of the reasons that I keep coming back. I think APPLE is winning the war of ads. Thank you again.
November 10th, 2008 at 11:31 am
I am a big fan of MS but I have to say that MAC seems to be winning the game. They definitely seem to be winning the advertising war to me. I think that MS has to really step up to the plate and take a big leap to get ahead of MAC. Also, I love the podcast, keep up the great work.
November 11th, 2008 at 12:33 am
This is great it is informational and entertaining. Great host not your traditional host, make you want to know what is going on in the world a little bit more.
November 11th, 2008 at 2:57 am
Like I said in the episode, I don’t get involved with the Mac vs PC as to which computer is better, but here’s a great video that DOES give you a fair and balanced scoop:
http://www.TrafficGeyser.com/cmd.php?af=696559&u=www.siteproweb.com/lead/mac-or-pc
Enjoy.
Andrew
November 11th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
Apple wins by far.
Microsofts commercials are horrible and can’t touch the Apple ads.
I believe they have been very effective at gaining some market share as well. Otherwise why would MS even bother. ;o)
November 13th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Hi Andrew,
Love your show! Re: The Mac/PC Ads…
Typically, the company holding the #1 position in a marketplace does not ever need to mention or refer to their competition in advertising.
Coke never mentions Pepsi in their ads, but Pepsi constantly compares themselves to Coke in their own ads, claiming to be the preferred choice in head-to-head taste tests.
If that’s so, why is Coke still #1???
By even acknowledging the Mac ads, Microsoft has shown the chink in their own armor… unfortunate for a company that was built on pure marketing!
Mac will never own the OS market… And I don’t think they want to. They are very content being the Maserati of operating systems, while Microsoft goes after the Mazda market.
(No offense to Mazda intended, I love your cars.
)
– Paul
Paul Keetch
Co-author, Make My Marketing Work
http://www.MakeMyMarketingWork.com
November 20th, 2008 at 10:07 am
I guess I might be in the minority. The scarcity tactic used by Nintendo actually annoyed me so much I have not bothered at all in buying one. I DO enjoy the occasional computer game though. I still have a Gamecube and a Playstation and WAS curious about the WII. However, the “scarcity” of the product sucked most of the curiosity out of me. Why should I have to work that hadr to buy their damn product?
That being said my girlfriend wanted one and she just happened to be in Target right after they put a couple out so she snapped it up! Now I have played around with a WII and I didn’t even have to go through the misery of buying one myself! Not sure what this says though??
December 31st, 2008 at 7:56 am
You can tell how effective an add is by how long you talk about it after its over. At my house we often find ourselves talking about an add that you dont think is very good or is a little bit disturbing but when you think about it, it must be effective because you are talking about it after the add is over. I think Mac is taking the lead on the mac pc campaign they have the upper hand as they started it. PC is doing exactly what your mother told you not to do when you got picked on at school! I also like how the Mac adds are seemingly less expensive but are still taking the lead over pc expensive adds.
March 3rd, 2009 at 7:29 am
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March 4th, 2009 at 4:17 am
I can’t believe people on here are saying Infusionsoft CRM is any good. It’s completely rubbish. It is so buggy I’m amazed anyone can use it properly. All I can think is that these people who ’say’ they are using it are only using a very small part of it in a very simple way, because as soon as you do anything remotely powerful (e.g. use their API or an action sequence) the whole thing falls over.
We’ve been using it for a nearly a year. I’m pleased to say we will shortly have our in-house replacement ready. It can’t come soon enough.
Don’t believe the hype that you hear about Infusion. 99% of it comes about because people are trying to earn a VERY large commission if you happen to buy it through them. All very cynical I’m afraid. Infusion soft sucks!
March 6th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
@Jenny –
I’m sorry to hear about your frustrations that you’ve encountered. My name is Joseph Manna and I advocate for users in need of some help, guidance or further assistance that they might not have received previously.
I’d like to be upfront and transparent about our product and let readers here know about the features and expectations with respect to the marketing automation software, Infusionsoft.
Infusionsoft’s solution is intended for businesses with fewer than 25 employees. Additionally, it’s designed to operate the marketing functions of a small business — that is, lead generation, lead nurturing, customer segmentation, email marketing, task delegation and customer account management.
We’ve certainly had some issues six months ago, but we’ve listened to user feedback and have improved our customer support by leaps and bounds as evident in our customer support surveys. We’ve updated a ton of documentation and resources to improve the ease of use and implementation of our software.
Our software is extremely powerful, very stable considering that we’re adding new features and refining the ones we have every three weeks — more than any other CRM provider in order to meet and exceed user demands.
We transitioned our product management control in the hands of our customers. Clients may go to http://ideas.infusionsoft.com/ to submit, vote and comment on new ideas for our solution. Our product management team will select the top ideas and incorporate them.
Infusionsoft boasts a 99.99% uptime along with a 96% – 97% email deliverability which is impressive considering all the tools under the hood for their small business marketing for under $400 monthly.
I’m not going to bore you with accomplishments that we’ve done … but believe me when I say that we provide a lot of value for our clients and I would love to provide that value for those who didn’t feel they received that.
Thanks for your time and consideration.
–Joseph Manna
joseph.manna~at~infusionsoft.com
480-289-6814
March 6th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Jenny,
I’m sorry you’ve experienced issues with Infusionsoft but my experience has been completely opposite to the one you described. It’s been reliable and a huge help in my business.
You’ll find that many of the most successful marketers USE it AND promote it, regardless of any referral commissions that might be paid.
I suggest that you contact Infusion to seek help – they’ve ALWAYS helped me.
Also, no that there isn’t a single piece of software on the planet that is without bugs, that’s the nature of software. If you’re looking for perfection you won’t find it, and I’ll be extremely surprised (but happy for you) if your custom built software works out better.
Regards
Andrew