Article: Apple Needs to Advertise
At any given time, an iPod advertisement will grace the airwaves. The Pepsi/iTunes promotion has also kicked into high gear, so the Apple logo can be seen in a lot of places. With all this buzz about Apple’s digital music division, I find something missing.
The Mac Mini is being ignored. Quite frankly, the computer that could easily boost Apple’s market share is still unknown to many. Sure, it has been mentioned in many newspapers and magazines, but many people still don’t know what makes it better than a Dell or Gateway. The Mac Mini needs to be advertised on TV obnoxiously, similar to how U2’s “Vertigo” has become almost synonymous with an iPod commercial.
I’m not suggesting Apple brings back the Switch campaign. I think that the Mac Mini needs to have a simple advertising focusing on its simplicity and low price (but state that it actually comes with better components than your $500 PC). Many people have stopped caring about specs, since most computers are good enough for most things. Apple needs to focus on what makes the Mac experience better – no spyware/adware, no viruses, a better operating system.
I had a friend who is looking for a new computer. At work, he has an older Gateway desktop and a 15″ PowerBook. He asked me my recommendation, and for his needs, the Mac Mini was perfect, so I suggested it. Unaware that such an inexpensive, yet full-featured computer existed, he wanted more information. Had Apple advertised, I wouldn’t have had to, and I’m sure there are others blindly buying Dells because they don’t know anything else exists.
My suggestion for a Mac Mini ad? Simple. Show a Mac Mini with the usual white background on other Apple commercials. The voiceover could say “The new Mac Mini – for $500, say goodbye to adware, spyware, and viruses and say hello to an improved experience with your home movies, pictures, and music.” Of course, I’m not one of the advertising geniuses that works on the Apple commercials, but hopefully they will come up with something soon. The word needs to be spread.