Brief Summary
Apple’s “Get a Mac” advertising campaign from 2006 to 2009 personified Mac and PC in witty TV spots that highlighted ease of use, security, and simplicity.
The work quickly boosted Apple’s image and Mac sales, with Apple reporting 1.3 million Macs sold in the July 2006 quarter and a 39 percent sales increase for the fiscal year.
Microsoft later replied with the “I am a PC” effort, but Apple had already framed the narrative of Mac as the modern and friendly choice.
Company Involved
Apple created the campaign with TBWA Media Arts Lab. Justin Long portrayed Mac and John Hodgman portrayed PC in a minimalist white set that kept the focus on the comparison.
Marketing Topic
- Advertising
- Branding
- Product Positioning
Public Reaction or Consequences
The ads became a cultural reference point, widely shared and parodied. Apple credited the period following launch with substantial sales momentum, including an additional two hundred thousand Macs sold after the campaign began and a 39 percent full year sales increase in 2006. The campaign won major industry awards and helped reposition Mac as approachable and cool. Some commentators criticized the tone as smug, which shows the risk inherent in comparative advertising. Microsoft pivoted with “I am a PC” to rebuild pride and shift attention away from Vista’s issues.
Why It Matters Today
It demonstrates how challenger storytelling can redefine a category, how tone in comparative advertising can help or hurt, why speed of response matters in narrative control, and how product truth must support the claim or the market will reject the message.
3 Takeaways
1. Make technical benefits human. Personify differences so everyday users grasp the value without specs.
2. Control the narrative before your rival does. Slow reactions cede cultural ground that is hard to win back.
3. Back claims with product reality. Advertising accelerates momentum only when it aligns with real experience.
Notable Quotes and Data
One month after launch Apple saw an increase of two hundred thousand Macs sold, and by July 2006 Apple reported 1.3 million Macs sold with a 39 percent sales increase for the fiscal year. Source: Wikipedia: Get a Mac.
Adweek later called “Get a Mac” the best advertising campaign of the decade. Source: Adweek: Apple’s Get a Mac, the Complete Campaign.
Critique on tone: “Smug superiority can be off putting as a brand strategy.” Source: Slate: Mac Attack.
Full Case Narrative
In 2006 Apple needed a broader Mac audience in a market where Windows dominated. The answer was a simple stage with two characters. “Hello, I am a Mac.” “And I am a PC.” Each spot humorously surfaced a single comparison such as virus resistance, ease of setup, or fewer interruptions. When Windows Vista arrived to mixed reviews, Apple leaned into cultural truth about intrusive prompts and compatibility headaches. The format made technical points memorable and shareable.
Results followed quickly. Apple’s reported unit lift and the 39 percent 2006 sales increase aligned with the campaign’s early momentum. Recognition arrived as well, including top effectiveness honors and later Adweek’s campaign of the decade. The work spread through parodies and became shorthand in pop culture for a product comparison that felt human and clear.
Microsoft initially tested abstract celebrity work, then pivoted to “I am a PC” with real users to reclaim identity and pride. The response improved tone but did not directly address Vista concerns, which Apple satirized with spots about spending on advertising rather than fixing the product. The eventual Windows 7 launch reset the product story, while Apple retired the series after more than three years and over sixty ads.
The lesson is that advertising can set the frame, but the product must carry it. Apple’s claims resonated because they lined up with lived experience. Microsoft improved outcomes once the underlying product improved. Timing and tone shaped how each message landed during a period when technology brands were defining their identities for mainstream consumers.
Timeline
May 2006: Apple launches the first “Get a Mac” commercials.
January 2007: Windows Vista launches and Apple releases new comparative spots that reflect user frustrations.
September 2008: Microsoft launches “I am a PC” to counter Apple’s framing.
October 2009: Windows 7 launches to positive reviews and Apple winds down the campaign.
What Happened Next?
Apple shifted away from direct comparison and focused future creative on product benefits and ecosystem stories. Microsoft moved forward with Windows 7 messaging that highlighted listening to customers and value narratives like “Laptop Hunters.” The rivalry informed later brand storytelling across the industry, where personality and clarity continued to outperform feature lists.
One Sentence Takeaway
A simple and human story can reframe a category, but the message only endures when the product reality supports it and when rivals respond with speed and substance.
Sources and Citations
Adweek: Apple’s Get a Mac, the Complete Campaign
The New York Times: Hey, PC, Who Taught You to Fight Back
CIO: Apple vs. Microsoft Vista: Who is Winning the Ad Battle