Microsoft's "I'm a PC" ad gently alights upon the airwaves

Microsoft started airing its new "I'm a PC" advertisements on TV this evening, giving Mr. Seinfeld a bit of a rest while it faces Apple's campaign head-on. It's very touching "we are the world" kind of stuff: smug-free, heart-string-tugging and so forth, but basically it boils down to 100 points for zero Justin Long, minus 100 points for zero John Hodgman. The ad is embedded after the break.

Update: YouTube version added for the Silverlight-averse. Also, is it just us, or does Microsoft's Hodgman-clone kind of look like Paul Dano? Just something to think about.

[Saad Rabia @ Sep 18th 2008 11:04PM]

I'm a PC and I do video & audio productions. I also wear glasses!

It doesn't only just work, it also works the way I want. ;)

[ROBERTO @ Oct 4th 2008 1:55PM]

MACS ARE PCs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE CAPS LOCK.
now that i got that i out of my system, i wanted to talk about the fact that mac commercials are stupid because they claim or seem to suggest that macs are not pc's when in fact they totally are.
it is a totally wrong way to advertise.
the commercial seems to make the mac look like an other worldly glorified object from heaven meant to do what pcs do but even better.

[Tinu @ Sep 18th 2008 11:23PM]

I am a PC and I like life without walls.

[WIN @ Sep 18th 2008 11:34PM]

**** MPEG / WMV versions here ****
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/windows/

[Baby-G @ Sep 18th 2008 11:37PM]

I am a PC and I like to not freeze with a rainbow circle. Nor do i like to buy a new system every time a single minor upgrade happens to my hardware. I love Video Games, and graphics cards, oohh oohh and I LOVE ALL TYPES OF SOFTWARE!!!!! I do not discriminate software....

[who? @ Sep 19th 2008 12:08AM]

@ROBERTO

Exactly! Macs are just PCs that can do one extra thing- run OSX (without a hack or similar). Apple was in the PC business before Microsoft if my time line is correct.

@Baby-G

I'm OSX, and I've never crashed. Nor frozen. Nor have I had the joy of the overlapping window.

What do I do? I run OSX, Vista, XP, and Ubuntu. That's right. ♫ Anything you can do I can d... ♫

[Greg @ Sep 19th 2008 12:10AM]

Yeah, because the only point the Mac commercials were making was that PC users are dorks. Riiiiight

[Kaligo @ Sep 19th 2008 4:05AM]

I'm a PC and I run Linux, and I don't like silverlight.

We need an open standard for web video so bad!

That said, nice ad, too bad advertising costs millions and ads nothing to a product.

[JohnTitor @ Sep 19th 2008 12:26AM]

hello I'm a mac, and I love to hang out at starbucks

[who? @ Sep 19th 2008 12:28AM]

"hello I'm a mac, and I love to hang out at starbucks"

Caribou and Dunn Bros coffee only- Starbucks charges for Wi-Fi now! WTF?

[alberto @ Sep 19th 2008 12:33AM]

LOL. so your a PC...what type of PC are you are you a HP, Sony, Alienware, Gateway. Apple. or a emachine.

I like this ad way better then the Seinfeld ads. I can not believe they paid him 10 million too make such worthless crap.

But the truth is saying am a PC is like saying am just a car that likes to ride to the beach for the weekends. Windows is not a machine its a software and a major brand. To treat it like it's a general thing is an insult. Really, what is Crispin Porter thinking down there in Miami. I guess you guys need some new creatives cause this is weak in execution. But like I said before I like it a lot better.

You want to beat Apple at it's own game advise Microsoft to own it's brand...take their brand directly to the consumer.

"Am AL, I have Windows of opportunities to explore the world" "Am Kate, I have Windows of opportunities to be creative" Microsoft is about making opportunities reality. It's not something hard to come up with...BTW this is all trade mark by RIO, Inc.

Am a PC...Am a Alienware PC that runs Unix. Not Windows.

Microsoft needs to be more specific...I don't want to be a PC, I want to be Alberto with the power to create.

[CraigJ @ Sep 19th 2008 12:51AM]

Hello, I'm a PC and I run Ubuntu.

[Bill Gates @ Sep 19th 2008 1:27AM]

"Im a PC, and I ..."
CRASH

[Elijah F. @ Sep 19th 2008 1:41AM]

I'm a PC and I'm too cheap to spend money on a decent computer.

[Eh @ Sep 19th 2008 1:44AM]

Im a PC and I havent been unstable since Windows 98.

[who? @ Sep 19th 2008 1:47AM]

Ha! Anyone else see this article?:

Computerworld is reporting that Microsoft's new ad campaign, 'I'm a PC' was made using a Mac. They site the press photos that were sent around to the press as having 'created by' tags for Adobe CS3 on Macintosh:

Four of the images that Microsoft made available on its PressPass site today display the designation "Adobe Photoshop C3 Macintosh" when their file properties are examined. The images appear to be frames from the television ads that Microsoft will launch later today.

One of the images is of a real Microsoft engineer, identified only as "Sean," who resembles John Hodgman, the actor who plays the PC character in Apple Inc.'s iconic ads. Reportedly, Microsoft will play off Apple's own campaign -- during which Hodgman introduces himself with the line, "Hello, I'm a PC" -- with its engineer saying "Hello, I'm a PC, and I've been made into a stereotype."

LMFAO! The Macs weren't even running Windows! What is that all about, eh Microsoft?

[Paul Chapel @ Sep 19th 2008 2:03AM]

Hi, I'm a PC and I love Windows Geniune Advantage.

Hi, I'm a PC and I just bit torrented Windows for the twelve time because I'm too cheap to pay for it.

Hi, I'm a PC and I have turned the Anti-Virus vendors into Multi-Millionaires. Thanks Microsoft.

[Josh @ Sep 19th 2008 2:04AM]

I'm a Mac and a PC (and occasionally a linux). I enjoy the best of both worlds and respect Microsoft for putting out a genuinely entertaining and effective ad.

Why all the fighting? Use what you want and don't hit people over the head with it. That said, I should probably change my icon :)

[tpadekar @ Sep 19th 2008 2:05AM]

@ who?

You obviously didn't read/comprehend ROBERTO's comment........

[Harvey @ Sep 19th 2008 2:13AM]

Even though there are some people who love this ad (the same ones who loved the failed Seinfeld/Gates ads) there are two points about it that seem to escape them:

1) It makes PC people look even less exciting than John Hodgman, who plays PC in the Apple commercials, and

2) Microsoft doesn't make PCs! It makes Vista. But Microsoft's ad, which only harps on "I'm a PC" doesn't mention Vista because they can't refute the unfavorable points about Vista presented in Apple's ads. The absence of any denial of the negative points brought forward about Vista only substantiates Apple's advertising, and makes Microsoft look less defensible than if they had not run any ads at all.

[Nick Stropko @ Sep 19th 2008 2:08AM]

I like it a lot. Hell, I'd say I'm pretty unbiased (I use Ubuntu and Vista on a daily basis, as well as using Macs frequently), and, from an advertising standpoint, it's pretty good. It does a great job of breaking the whole stigma that PC's can't be used by cool people...

Now if only we could get some Ubuntu ads XD

[muchu @ Sep 19th 2008 2:13AM]

@alberto

If this was a standalone ad, then yes, that would work. However, I don't know if you've seen them, but there are these Mac ads out there.. this is meant to combat them, which is why this ad uses the term PC as well. Get it?

:rolleyes:

[BananaBoat @ Sep 19th 2008 2:35AM]

Nah, they just tried to make it seem as if owning a mac was about being part of some youth culture, hipster movement from Cupertino instead of what it really is...paying a Steve Jobs tax for proprietary hardware that loses every price/performance test you throw at it. As for stability of the operating system, multiple Kevin Rose on-air mac crashes go pretty far toward proving that computers are inherently unstable.

OSX is a great operating system. It's just not enough to make me either buy a goofy PC-in-a-monitor with limited upgrade paths, a laptop with a base price over a thousand dollars, or a ridiculously expensive desktop tower that is double the cost of it's windows equivalent.


Give me OSX on cheap (yet higher performance) hardware from any vendor I choose, and I'll switch to OSX today. Steve realizes this, but he'd rather lock people into high priced hardware rather than directly compete with Microsoft where it counts. Apple's market share would go through the roof if you could get a Dell with OSX, but then again, wouldn't that make all the hipster douches cry?

[BananaBoat @ Sep 19th 2008 2:37AM]

One too many "rather" 's...


I tried. Sleep tiem nao.

[alberto @ Sep 19th 2008 2:46AM]

@muchu

Yeah jerk, I have seen the mac commercials. Yet Microsoft doesn't make hardware they make software solutions.

Anyways, why combat them...it's very childish thing to do. Yet why not be smarter and show that Microsoft is more clever then Apple.

You know am just wasting my time and a great idea. I use mainly Mac anyways, I just think that Microsoft has more potential to do wonders and the ad makes it so generic.

Go ahead and low rank me engadgeteers, but I made a good point.

[Johan S @ Sep 19th 2008 3:22AM]

This ad is epic mega BSOD level Fail.

Here are the reasons why:

1) It didn't tell me what was so bad about Mac. (fair enough they want a positive campaign or remind the Apple brand)

2) It didn't tell me what the features of Vista are, or why I should get it. It didn't show me Vista in use. Is Vista any better than XP? What about the instability and annoying UAC warnings crap I heard about it?


All of the Apple ads, or 90% of ads for anything from coke to cars do is one of those two things. This ad fails miserably. And it will be a $300 million dollar mistake if they continue on this track. The ads may be entertaining or funny .. but they won't get any customers from it.


If they think these ads will get people to upgrade to Vista, they are mistaken. If they think this will slow the tide of people switching to macs, they are nuts. If they think it would cause people to switch from Mac to Windows .. they are plain hallucinating.

[nohone @ Sep 19th 2008 3:49AM]

Hi, I am Paul Chapel. I claim to be a avid Windows lover, but in reality I am an Apple lover who makes stuff up to make myself seem impartial and takes swipes at Microsoft every chance I get.

[WixosTrix @ Sep 19th 2008 3:49AM]

i don't see why people complain about saying Macs and PC's when its pretty much gotten to those being the only 2 options. yes there are other OS's out there but to the average users theres what is know as pcs (windows) and macs. its not neccessarily being correct to the root its about explaining it in a way people are going to understand.

i like this commercial, i'm glad Microsoft didn't bad mouth Apple or anything. i really respected the fact that they let those "get a mac" adds go on for so long without retaliating. you can say all you want about how bad their marketing is but we all know Microsoft does, what it wants, when it wants, and they can find a way to sell almost anything.

[alexignatiou @ Sep 19th 2008 3:49AM]

I Love the way the 90% is actually feeling scared of the 8%.

I'm a Mac and I got nothing to worry about. And I also wear glasses! I love my computer, I love my glasses.

[ethan @ Sep 19th 2008 4:44AM]

am I the only one that caught, "Life without walls" at the end? What a kick in the groin!

[James @ Sep 19th 2008 6:02AM]

I'm a pc. Well, my workstation is a pc that I built, and my macbook has Vista on it, but my mac is still great for surfing the web & playing Full Tilt Poker on the couch

[Nineset @ Sep 19th 2008 7:06AM]

Hi, I'm a tri-boot Hackintosh. Whoops! I do what you do, but much cheaper.

[Runo @ Sep 19th 2008 8:26AM]

@Tino: "I am a PC and I like life without walls."

In a life without walls, where do you put windows ans gates?

[John @ Sep 19th 2008 8:45AM]

While I'm glad this ad was so touching for so many of you, the whole tone of the ad seems like a Microsoft charity case. The "come on, guys, it's not bad to be a PC! let's stand together and defend ourselves against the big bad Mac bullies!" approach is okay, but the ad makes it seem like Microsoft is some kind of victim, which it's not. The ad also doesn't seem very targeted to the younger generation, which is what the Mac ads do a pretty good job of aiming for.

Seriously, look at those "I wanna be one less" HPV commercials. This ad was done in the same style, and while it's one of those classic design by committee ads, I think Microsoft has the money and the resources to make an ad that's much edgier and more appropriate for their target audience (which should be the younger generation, as older folks have pretty much made up their mind about what OS they're going to use).

[Russell @ Sep 19th 2008 10:05AM]

I'm a PC and Macs are gay.

[Ian Spikes @ Sep 19th 2008 10:14AM]

Hello I'm a Mac. And quite frankly, I can't stand all these "new" Mac
people. The club is now very, very crowded. Now Apple spends all of
its time creating products to buoy its stock price and appeal to
yuppies who are more than happy to part with their money any chance
they get. Hello Apple! Do not forget those of who provided you the
solid base from which to grow! Do not forget those of who evangelized
on our behalf and converted all these lost Windows souls to OS X! Am
sick of all you! Go back to Windows and let us have our joy! Start
making products for your core group of users again! You found all
this time to make some cute devices, how about you do something for
those of us that actually get work done on our Macs. Why did you
terminate the iSight?!!? Why! Why does the Apple mouse suck so bad!
Mighty mouse?! Are you kidding me?! Here is some advice, goto
www.logitech.com and looking for Revolution MX and VX, those are what
we call mice! I converted at least 10 people last year to OS X. Guess
what!? This year, no more! Am sick of it Apple, you have left us high
and dry. Get back to making proper tools and equipment for
professionals! You have done enough for the Windys! Let them blow in
the wind! Sheeez!

[VampireHunter Z @ Sep 19th 2008 11:04AM]

Everyone saying Microsoft doesn't sell hardware is dumb. If you go in a store and buy a PC it's going to come with Windows regardless of who made the hadware. There is no need to sell anyone on the software. MSFT can take the position as a PC. I thought this would be obvious.

[Cherub @ Sep 21st 2008 10:44AM]

I'm a PC and I'm a Canadian, But i will not be voting PC because i don't trust Harper of the Progressive Conservatives.

[Engadgetier @ Sep 19th 2008 1:02PM]

hmmm, they should consider investing in this guy......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id_kGL3M5Cg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-22EpQOm8c

[Tom Stieger @ Sep 19th 2008 3:23PM]

I'm a PC and I SELL FISH!

LMAO!

I love fish. Thank GOD for PC's or we would have no fish!! You would never be able to sell fish if you had a MAC! :-)
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[Tom @ Sep 19th 2008 4:16PM]

I'm a PC and I'm cheating on my wife.

[yup @ Sep 19th 2008 10:47PM]

I am a PC and I think most of the Mac users are those black silhouettes, like in the istuff commercials, just use istuff because they are "cool"

it's not cool

[Russell @ Sep 19th 2008 11:18PM]

I'm a PC and anyone who makes fun of me will get their ass kicked.

[WickedEast @ Sep 20th 2008 12:48AM]

@who: Bootcam is the sincerest form of flattery.

[Gabe @ Sep 23rd 2008 11:00AM]

At first, I was amused by the cool guy vs dork positioning of the two systems. I think Apple took it a little too far when the Mac was scoring with the babe over the dweeb PC. Like some kind of political war of ads, MS had to do something and they finally did. I have been a UNIX and a PC user, not a UNIX or a PC, per se, as the two actors represent in the Mac commercial, so I take no personal offense at the Mac commercial, as the marketers, Microsoft, or Gates himself seem to be taking now, but I don't blame them. PC's have gotten much better with XP but you have to admit the were pretty clugey before that. Now, you can beat the price/value and Macs are a little too proprietary for my liking if something goes awry with the hardware. PC's are cheaper to maintain and I like them for that.

[Zinger314 @ Sep 18th 2008 11:05PM]

Hello, I'm creativity. I'm dead.

[JR @ Sep 18th 2008 11:11PM]

I thought it was a decent ad, and it actually dovetails well with the Gates/Seinfeld campaign.

[who? @ Sep 19th 2008 12:20AM]

Ok, just a thought here- isn't everyone who uses a personal computer a PC user?

The brand of the PC doesn't change the fact that it is a personal computer. Technically, that commercial was just advertising for every computer being sold on the market for personal use. Neato.

[msalivar @ Sep 19th 2008 12:29AM]

Do explain how it dovetails with the Seinfeld/Gates ads, because I'm just not seeing it.

[jupiterthunder @ Sep 19th 2008 1:01AM]

@Khris

I'm a PC and Microsoft just spent $300 million on a new ad campaign which still won't change the way people look at Vista with an unspeakable loathing just to show Apple they (MS) got it like that.