I'm a PC

Sean Siler, an actual Microsoft employee featured in the ad campaign

"I'm a PC" is the title for a television advertising campaign created for Microsoft by ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky (CPB) in mid-September, 2008 in order to "revamp" the reputation of the Windows Vista computer operating system. The campaign replaces a series of commercials featuring the pairing of Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates, which failed to find an audience.

The $300 million dollar advertising campaign was designed to challenge Apple's "elitist Mac user vibe" "Mac Vs. PC" campaign by showing everyday PC users, such as scientists and teachers, noting the virtues of their platform of choice. It also featured prominent and popular individuals saying "I'm a PC" and had appearances by personalities such as medical doctor and writer Deepak Chopra, actor Eva Longoria, photographer Geoff Green and singer Pharrell Williams.

The campaign has been lampooned since it's commercials were revealed to have been created largely on Apple computers, and some of the endorsers are notable supporters of various Apple products. an embarrassment compounded by Microsoft's responding by purposely scrubbing Apple-specific "metadata" from images of the commercials.

Campaign

"Meaghan" identifying himself as a PC user while underwater in a shark cage.

The "I'm a PC" advertising campaign was created by the CPB advertising agency and exhibited normal PC users to be found everywhere. It was the second phase of Microsoft's 2008 efforts to displace the ubiquity of Apple's "Mac Vs. PC" ads, which portrayed the Mac as "cool and intuitive" and the PC as "boring and clunky". The Microsoft spots typically opened with an image of Sean Siler, a Microsoft employee claiming "I'm a PC, and I've been made into a stereotype".

The composition was made to be similar to that of Apple's campaign, as Siler bears a resemblance to John Hodgman, the "PC" counterpart to Justin Long as a Mac in the Apple commercials. The campaign ads also feature common international users as well as noted celebrities like Deepak Chopra, Geoff Green, Eva Longoria and Pharrell Williams, all noting "I'm a PC".

The advertisements are also interspersed with various non-famous users who proclaim "I'm a PC" from a variety of places and in a number of methods. One such is user "Meaghan", displaying the words written on a whiteboard while underwater in a shark cage. When the shark bumps the cage, Meaghan flips the whiteboard over to display the additional, humorous message, "and I'm afraid". The intent is to demonstrate how PC users are ordinary people, contrasting the "Mac Vs. PC" campaign's negative portrayal of Windows users.

Criticism

Departing from what has been negatively deemed "enigmatic teaser" commercials featuring comedian Jerry Seinfeld and Microsoft founder Bill Gates, the new advertisements directly challenge the "Mac Vs. PC" campaign by Apple in what New York Times reporter Stuart Elliott notes as a typical CPB counterstrike campaign.

Advertising industry insiders noted how the aggressive new campaign is reminiscent of the response by Hertz to Avis' "We're Number 2" ad campaign with the "Not Exactly" campaign, responding to the challenger brand by pointing out that while Avis was proud of being in second place, Hertz wanted to point out why it was number one.

As noted earlier, it was revealed that the entire series of "I'm a PC" commercials were created on Apple's Macintosh computers, using the Adobe graphics editing program, Photoshop CS3. Initially discovered by a Flickr user who noted traces of Apple's OSX and Adobe's CS3 graphics editing programs embedded within press-released images of the commercials. Computerworld magazine concurs, noting that when the file properties of the campaign images made available on the Microsoft press site are examined, the designation "Adobe Photoshop C3 Macintosh" can be seen. After the discovery began circulating, Microsoft responded overnight by digitally scrubbing the Apple-related metadata from the images. which ballooned the image file size from 272 KB to 852 KB.

In an official press release, Microsoft stated "As is common in almost all campaign workflow, agencies and production houses use a wide variety of software and hardware to create, edit and distribute content, including both Macs and PCs." John Paczkowski of Digital Daily notes that "(t)he irony is enough to make your head explode. The latest evolution of Microsoft’s (MSFT) new ad campaign–the one designed to seize back control of the Windows PC image that Apple has so mercilessly tarred and feathered–wasn’t even made on a PC."

Though considering the statement a "non-denial denial", Tim Beyers of Motley Fool notes that the campaign initially appears to have achieved its goals. Conversely, Jack Loftus of Gizmodo noted that if Apple were smart, they would have another Hodgman/Long spot making fun of this oversight "produced and in the can yesterday". Zach Epstein of BoyGenius Report also points out that the irony of the discovery is detrimental to Microsoft's efforts.

Further criticism notes the choice of spokespeople used in the "I'm a PC" campaign. Jerry Seinfeld, Deepak Chopra, Eva Longoria and Pharrell Williams are all notably vocal Macintosh owners and fans. Seinfeld's eponymous character from Seinfeld uses a Macintosh, and Longoria personally uses a MacBook Pro. Chopra uses one as well, and Williams uses a Macintosh in his recording studio.

External links

• Microsoft's PressPass gallery, displaying the images
• Flickr page noting the Apple OS and Adobe CS3 metadata