In this AdForum exercise, you’ll evaluate some comparison ads by Apple and Microsoft. Apple, with its “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” campaign made significant headway in the personal computing business, both in raising awareness of the Mac operating system and hardware, and in gaining market share from Windows.

Part 1:
Look over the four Mac ads and answer the following questions:
1. Why are these ads effective?
2. How does Apple criticize Microsoft without seeming harsh or mean?
3. How does Apple position the Mac in its advertising?
Part 2:
Microsoft, as many market leaders often do, simply ignored the Mac ads for a while. However, eventually they realized they would have to respond, since the Mac ads were so good. But how? Their first campaign, crafted by creative giant Crispin Porter + Bogusky, is represented in the fifth and sixth ads, titled “I’m a PC.” This campaign was ultimately not as successful as Microsoft hoped, so the company worked with Crispin to develop a second campaign. The ads from the second attempt are titled “Lisa and Jackson,” and “Lauren and Mom.” Critics believe this second approach has been devastatingly effective.
1. Why did the first campaign (“I’m a PC”) underperform?
2. What are the reasons for the success of the second campaign?
3. How do the “Lisa” and “Lauren” ads turn an Apple strength into a weakness?