June 20, 2006

Preach It, Seth

I realize how strange it is to read reviews of advertisements regularly (thank you, Kenny, for introducing me to Ad Report Card and getting me hooked), but I really enjoy Seth Stevenson's column over at Slate. I don't watch much TV, so most of the ads he reviews are ads I've never seen, but his latest column on the detestable new Mac ads hits home in a special place. This is a series of ads that I am familiar with and which drive me absolutely crazy.

I won't provide much independent criticism of the ads, since I agree with almost everything that Stevenson says. Especially the thing about the digital camera. (I mean, really, who the hell has trouble using a digital camera with a PC? If somewhere there's a digital camera and a PC that aren't talking to each other I guarantee you it's the camera's fault, and that camera couldn't talk to a Mac either.) And I love his point about the nerdy guy being more likable than the hipster. In fact, I think what really bothers me about the ads isn't the smug, recycled, and increasingly inaccurate party line about Macs being easier to use than PCs, but the fact that John Hodgman, who I always enjoy on The Daily Show, has sullied himself by participating in them. Boo, John Hodgman.

Posted by hb at June 20, 2006 10:14 PM

Comments

Wow, you, Sean and Ryan all happened to link me in your posts. It's like a bloggerversary present.

I read that column, too, even though I haven't read ad report card for awhile. Everyone keeps on going on about the John Hodgman affection they have from the Daily Show. But I never saw him on Daily Show until after the commercials started, and the one bit I saw him in wasn't that good. Meanwhile, Justin Long was in Herbie, so he's the one I latched onto.

The commercials didn't annoy me greatly, but they always felt kind of unfair.

Posted by: Kenny on June 20, 2006 11:09 PM

Maybe Hodgman is secretly striking a blow for nerdy guys everywhere. He looked at his co-star and said "I can be more likable then that guy."

Posted by: Kevin! on June 21, 2006 07:14 AM

as an unhealthily loyal mac user, i have to say that i totally agree with you on the mac ads. totally f-ing obnixous. and don't think for a second mac is any less nerdy than PC. it's just a differnet kind of nerd.

for a reason that i can't quite put my finger on, those ads remind me of those beyond stupid "don't be fooled by imitations" ads for the new(ish) mini cooper.

nice product, bad ad, i guess.

Posted by: Noah on June 21, 2006 03:48 PM

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