Apple users are people who are willing to pay for added-value (and as some may point out, “Can afford to.”). I view Dell as the Chevy of computers. It will get you from point A to point B. Nobody buys a Chevy with the expectation that it is anything more than that. It is a known statistic that people who live in areas with longer commute times spend more or their automobiles. LA being the highest. Several years ago I had an interesting conversation over dinner at a meeting in LA. A New Yorker was (light-heartedly) teasing a Los Angeleno about the city’s car culture, and how much money he spent on his car. To rebut, the Los Angeleno explained that, between his morning and evening commute alone, he spent three hours in his car everyday, and even more if he went out in the evening. If he was going to spend that much time in his car, he wanted to be comfortable. Many days he spent more waking hours in his car than he did in his home. I see a direct analogy to Mac users. I spend at least 10 hours a day at my computer. It isn’t just a point A to point B exercise. It’s a quality-of-life issue. I send a LOT of time here, and the experience of using my machine matters. Dell, Gateway, HP sell cheap injection molded plastic boxes produced by the lowest bidder, running a commodity operating system. It’s a WalMart style price war, race to the bottom. Sony builds more value into their hardware, and charges a premium over their competitors, but still runs a commodity OS.

Apple sells higher end computers to people who are willing to pay for the added value the same way owners of a BMW are willing to pay more than people who buy a Chevy. The Chevy owner still looks at the BMW driver and says, “What a fancy pants, with his fancy expensive car. He doesn’t need to spend that kind of money on a car.”

The way I read the Dell ads is, they reflect the way Dell users (or Dell marketing managers) views Mac users. It’s just a fancy accessory for pretty people. Which tells me they don’t get it.

As for any accusation of copying Apple, I think that could be said much more of the manufacturing process. Laser cut aluminum shell is a manufacturing process that Apple has pioneered. The Adamo is the first Dell model to use such a manufacturing process, and Dell is touting it in the marketing.

Marketing materials aside, on a purely aesthetic level, I think the Adamo is a handsome looking machine. It is slightly too “decorated” for my liking, but it has very nice lines. And the minimal modern Apple styling is probably too sophisticated for the market Dell is targeting.

They aren’t going to steal any sales from Apple. But they are likely to make a dent in Sony’s sales.

Dell – made by machines in an artificial environment designed for high fashion people who live in a rarified word. This is conveyed by the animation, techno music and over the top models, who aren’t actually using the computers. The commercial/marketing distances the audience from the product.

Apple – everything in the commercial is tactile and human. The use of a hand gives the viewer a P.O.V. experience that allows them to imagine themselves opening the envelope and using the computer. The music is some they may find themselves humming after watching the ad. The marking draws the viewer in and helps them relate to the product.

Apple (as usual) wins.

Anyway, I think in terms of comparing the marketing done by both companies. Apple has always taken the stance of offering a fair alternative to PC-based systems elegantly succinct without being cheesy. PC systems have Apple and other fellow PC systems to contend with, I would think due to that point, marketing their systems would not be as straightforward as they would like to be.

xoxoxo

As for the macbook air, the advertisement speaks for itself. It is very ‘apple-like’ and familiar. It is the same approach apple takes on all of their advertisements, which is good. Apple has always been about simplicity and using white space effectively to market their products.

I think both companies are advertising their products accordingly to their identity. Apple always tries to advertise their products in an easy-to-use and simple way. Almost in a way that makes you forget you are purchasing a piece of technology. while dell has always been one for showing a more technical approach. I think their way of displaying ’style’ works well. They are hitting more audiences then people who buy computers because they ‘look pretty.’ They are also drawing in PC users who appreciate PC’s from a technical stand point.