Justin Long, the face from Apple’s “Get a Mac” commercials, is back in the spotlight, this time promoting Windows on ARM PCs for Qualcomm. The 30-second skit features Long being bombarded by macOS notifications and pop-up windows, leading him to search for a Snapdragon-powered PC for relief.
This ad talks about Qualcomm’s entry into Windows on ARM. Microsoft has recently showcased benchmarks and battery life claims about Windows on ARM’s potential to rival the popular MacBook Air, especially on newly unveiled Copilot+ PCs.
A bit of history about these ads, it all started in 2006 with Apple’s “Get a Mac” campaign. The commercials featured actors Justin Long as the Mac guy – young, cool, and creative – and John Hodgman as the PC guy – older, slightly nerdy, and overwhelmed by technical issues.
These commercials played on stereotypes. The Mac guy was effortlessly stylish, navigating tasks with ease, while the PC guy constantly struggled with viruses, compatibility problems, and a lack of user-friendliness.
Getting back to the topic, the ad’s approach of showing macOS filled with notifications has struck a nerve with some Apple users. Reddit has seen comments pointing out the irony of the situation.
Many users argue that Windows 11 itself can be a culprit of notification overload, with reminders about antivirus updates, firewall security, and even the lack of threats detected by Windows Defender.
Truly a marketing campaign with zero basis in user research. I have never talked to a single person who didn’t like macOS because there were “too many notifications” lol.
“The audacity to go for that angle with how annoying Windows 11 is all around,” reads one comment.
Another user added their experience:
This marketing campaign is another chapter in the long-standing rivalry between Apple and Windows PC makers.