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PC guy outlasts Mac guy, isn't it ironic?

Posted on November 8, 2006 by Jeremy Toeman

I read today that “Mac guy” (aka Justin Long) from the recent Apple commercials is not invited back to the next round of advertising.

A rep for Long confirms that his days as an Apple pitchman are over: “Every ad you see Justin in is for that previous time period only,” she tells Radar. “There’s no long-term deal with him.” She adds (somewhat implausibly, perhaps), “Justin’s a movie star, not a commercial guy.”

It seems that people didn’t really care for Mac guy. I like this theory over at AdJab:

Hey, maybe they’ll make HIM the new Mac guy (JT: him?), and show how a PC guy can become a Mac guy? (there it is)

Both TUAW and Gizmodo are polling readers to find new Mac guy. I’m with Angela and picked Zach Braff, but I think it’d be funnier if they picked that albino dude from Firewall (which was not only a poor movie, but had nothing to do with firewalls of any kind).

I myself am not “a” Mac guy (not even close to “the” Mac guy), but I do think there’s a bit of irony that he’s getting sacked.  Even if the campaign was unbelievably alienating to us PC folks, you’d think they’d just kill it entirely and start fresh. 

While consulting with a company this week, we got into a long discussion of the Mac/Apple brand and personality.  The iPod brand, for example, is cold. Its better than us.  You are, in fact, priveleged that you are permitted to buy an iPod.

I think of the Mac brand with terms like excellence, perfection, and detail-oriented.  As a person, Mac is not, in my opinion, unshaven and mocking. I like my Vaio, but why couldn’t Sony add an automatic light-up keyboard like the Macbook?  I recognize that many of the Mac faithful through the years includes the design/arts community, but I don’t see a shiny new Macbook Pro and think of a struggling artist.  To me, the Mac itself is the art they are creating (I just don’t want one as my computer, personally).

At the end of the day, Mac guy was smug, and smug is not cool or popular.  Smug gets punched in the face, or, like today, fired.

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5 thoughts on “PC guy outlasts Mac guy, isn't it ironic?”

  1. The Ugly American says:
    November 8, 2006 at 8:09 pm

    This is kinda wierd. I am about as anti-mac as it gets. These commercials made me seriously reconsider my long held belief that Apple’s days were numbered.

    I thought it was one of the best commercials on TV perfectly balancing humor and effectively communicating the real differences between MAC’s and PCs.

    ah well.

    Reply
  2. Jeremy Toeman says:
    November 8, 2006 at 8:31 pm

    That’s an interesting point. For me, the commercials just made me feel like Apple really knew how to (1) market to their own customers and (2) get a cheap laugh. Didn’t make me feel like I should buy a Mac. Didn’t create an image I wanted to personally associate with. Didn’t make me understand why a computer had to be so expensive.

    But they did make me laugh.

    Reply
  3. Pingback: The Blogging Times » Apple Says Adios To That Smug Mac Guy

  4. sMoRTy71 says:
    November 9, 2006 at 8:32 am

    Apple is a luxury brand. Despite the view of many Apple lovers that they are anti-establishment or part of the cool kids club by choosing the “little guy”, they are actually using the Lexus or Mercedes-Benz of computers, not the 1960’s VW bus or the hybrid of computers.

    Their price is all about their brand positioning, not about the cost of making the machine.

    So while Apple users think they’re sticking it to the man, Apple is actually sticking it to them.

    And, in terms of the commercials, I think they were designed to alienate some people. After all, if everyone drove a Mercedes, they wouldn’t be that special anymore.

    Reply
  5. Digidave says:
    November 9, 2006 at 10:39 pm

    I have actually met Justin (mac guy) a few times. He used to date my roomate. Nice guy. I wanted to interview him about the Mac commercials — but Apple, of course, said no.

    He is more of a movie star than a commercial actor. My guess — he doesn’t mind that he isn’t in the next round of commercials.

    And to be honest I think they should find someone else. Justin’s a funny character actor — aka Dodgball. I feel like when he is playing the everyday average joe — he stil has to sell me on it.

    Reply

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About

Jeremy Toeman is a seasoned Product leader with over 20 years experience in the convergence of digital media, mobile entertainment, social entertainment, smart TV and consumer technology. Prior ventures and projects include CNET, Viggle/Dijit/Nextguide, Sling Media, VUDU, Clicker, DivX, Rovi, Mediabolic, Boxee, and many other consumer technology companies. This blog represents his personal opinion and outlook on things.

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