Qu'est-ce que c'est? Do I see a mistake in Grey Carter's usually immaculate posts?Grey Carter said:
Critical Miss: The Douche King
- Thread starter The Wooster
- Start date
THANK YOU. I'm glad someone finally said this. The point about brand management is especially valid - Apple products are luxuries. No, not everyone can afford luxuries. If we could we'd all be driving around jaguars and wouldn't need fords. The reason Apple's entire focus has been on design is to maintain the idea of Apple as a very chic, high-class luxury product enjoyed by young individuals who are either successful or have considerable disposable income. I can understand it's frustrating to see marketing implying and directed to people who are "above" you financially, but it's downright childish to brandish them all as "douchebags" for the fact. Considering how bitter it's made people outside its target demographic, i can only assume it is a testament to the effectiveness of the advert in question and that it has an equally strong impact on those who are Apple's key consumer base. Yeah, it's an unrealistic world that's being portrayed. Yeah, it's depressing to know you don't have the money and success to be able to afford such products. But that doesn't mean you're given a free card to ***** about it. At the risk of devolving into 4chan; deal with it.jpegPlasticTree said:
Oh. It's good to see Critical Miss' commitment to a nonexistant plotline and focus on personal gripes and memetic material. Then again, given the mess of the car crash plotline, i can hardly blame the authors at this point for just abandoning all pretense.
You know, I don't mind that there are people that don't like Apple products and choose not to buy them. That's their choice. What I do have a problem with is the constant conceited, unfounded, judgmental ad hominem attacks against those of us who do buy and use Apple products. What pisses me off the most is that these attacks are often baseless and hypocritical.
We do not think we are better than others simply because of our choice of a particular product or device. That's you guys making that assertion that we do, and, further, you guys are the ones who are actually making such a judgement by declaring that anyone who purchases an Apple product must be an idiot or a douche-bag.
We do not uphold Steve Jobs as any sort of god. He was an ordinary, if eccentric(like most, if not all, of us), human being who was CEO of a company. It's always been you guys who have been asserting that we some how hold him up as a god/saint/hero based on no information at all.
I have yet to see a single Apple-user go around waving their iPod, iPhone, Mac, or Macbook in other people's faces saying "See! See! Lookit what I got! I'm better than you!" The idea that we are somehow trying to push our "superiority" on the basis of a device purchase into other people's faces is an assertion that you guys have made and does not occur in reality.
Most Apple users did not make their buying decision based on the ads, because we know that, like most ads, they really say little to nothing about the product. It's always been you guys who have asserted this must be the case.
As for the advertisements themselves, what company doesn't want to sell their product as cool or sexy? Why does this rage not occur against makers of certain cars, for instance? Because they are not Apple. That's all. It's a completely irrational hatred that is exclusive to a single company. But, as I said, it is not the hatred directed at this company that is galling, it's the attacks those of us who choose the products, for our own reasons.
Also, the nature of the ad is to highlight and emphasize the feature of Siri as a unique selling point. You can't really do that without being a little "in-your-face" about it. EVERY does this for ANY product. But, because it's an Apple ad, people just become pissed off. Do lipstick ads piss you off in the same way? What about jeans ads? How about car ads? What about those Monster-truck ads? How about the ads for football? Just any non-Apple ad that gets all "in-your-face" or tries to say, "If you buy our product, you'll be cool and sexy, too!" Do those kind of ads piss you off? They should, if your reasoning is rational and unbiased. But, if they don't, then consider that you are being pissed off by the ad for no other reason than the fact it's an Apple ad, and you simply have a heightened sensitivity toward a negative reaction to anything related to Apple.
We are often called idiots and iSheep, that we must somehow be unintelligent. I'd like to see any of you come over here to the University of Maryland and tell to the faces of the 50% or so of Ph.D's in the physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, biology, chemistry, and space sciences departments that they are all idiots simply because they made a product choice that you don't agree with. I'd like you guys to find the numerous scientists of the world who use Apple machines(and there are quite a few) that they are idiots and morons simply because of a choice of device purchase. Many of these people whom you guys are calling idiots have probably forgotten more in the past couple of days than some of you have learned in your entire life.
It's the total hypocrisy in it all that really irks me. The constant hypocritical message seems to be that choice is good as long as no one chooses Apple, and competition is good as long as Apple is not among the competitors. I'm not saying you have to like the products or buy them. It's your choice what you want to do or buy; you have your own reasons, and no one can expect any one thing to fit everyone's needs or preferences. However, this constant harassment to invalidate the choice of others on the basis of such conceited imaginings is absolutely reprehensible. This is made worse by the outright gall to then assert that it is those of us using Apple products that are the ones acting smug and superior, when the observable reality is completely contrary. 100% hypocrisy.
Honestly, sometimes I wonder if all the hate is simply people imitating what they read on the web. They don't have a real reason for all the hate; they're just hating because their other internet compatriots are hating.
We do not think we are better than others simply because of our choice of a particular product or device. That's you guys making that assertion that we do, and, further, you guys are the ones who are actually making such a judgement by declaring that anyone who purchases an Apple product must be an idiot or a douche-bag.
We do not uphold Steve Jobs as any sort of god. He was an ordinary, if eccentric(like most, if not all, of us), human being who was CEO of a company. It's always been you guys who have been asserting that we some how hold him up as a god/saint/hero based on no information at all.
I have yet to see a single Apple-user go around waving their iPod, iPhone, Mac, or Macbook in other people's faces saying "See! See! Lookit what I got! I'm better than you!" The idea that we are somehow trying to push our "superiority" on the basis of a device purchase into other people's faces is an assertion that you guys have made and does not occur in reality.
Most Apple users did not make their buying decision based on the ads, because we know that, like most ads, they really say little to nothing about the product. It's always been you guys who have asserted this must be the case.
As for the advertisements themselves, what company doesn't want to sell their product as cool or sexy? Why does this rage not occur against makers of certain cars, for instance? Because they are not Apple. That's all. It's a completely irrational hatred that is exclusive to a single company. But, as I said, it is not the hatred directed at this company that is galling, it's the attacks those of us who choose the products, for our own reasons.
Also, the nature of the ad is to highlight and emphasize the feature of Siri as a unique selling point. You can't really do that without being a little "in-your-face" about it. EVERY does this for ANY product. But, because it's an Apple ad, people just become pissed off. Do lipstick ads piss you off in the same way? What about jeans ads? How about car ads? What about those Monster-truck ads? How about the ads for football? Just any non-Apple ad that gets all "in-your-face" or tries to say, "If you buy our product, you'll be cool and sexy, too!" Do those kind of ads piss you off? They should, if your reasoning is rational and unbiased. But, if they don't, then consider that you are being pissed off by the ad for no other reason than the fact it's an Apple ad, and you simply have a heightened sensitivity toward a negative reaction to anything related to Apple.
We are often called idiots and iSheep, that we must somehow be unintelligent. I'd like to see any of you come over here to the University of Maryland and tell to the faces of the 50% or so of Ph.D's in the physics, mathematics, computer science, engineering, biology, chemistry, and space sciences departments that they are all idiots simply because they made a product choice that you don't agree with. I'd like you guys to find the numerous scientists of the world who use Apple machines(and there are quite a few) that they are idiots and morons simply because of a choice of device purchase. Many of these people whom you guys are calling idiots have probably forgotten more in the past couple of days than some of you have learned in your entire life.
It's the total hypocrisy in it all that really irks me. The constant hypocritical message seems to be that choice is good as long as no one chooses Apple, and competition is good as long as Apple is not among the competitors. I'm not saying you have to like the products or buy them. It's your choice what you want to do or buy; you have your own reasons, and no one can expect any one thing to fit everyone's needs or preferences. However, this constant harassment to invalidate the choice of others on the basis of such conceited imaginings is absolutely reprehensible. This is made worse by the outright gall to then assert that it is those of us using Apple products that are the ones acting smug and superior, when the observable reality is completely contrary. 100% hypocrisy.
Honestly, sometimes I wonder if all the hate is simply people imitating what they read on the web. They don't have a real reason for all the hate; they're just hating because their other internet compatriots are hating.
Yes, we hate you all because you make more money than us, not because you are smug douchebags basing your day to day activities on images created by a marketing departments to peddle their shit.
We all see idiot Hip Hop styled people buying flashy shit and showing it off every chance they get. Most of us can accept that it is a stupid practice and that they are just buying into marketing in an attempt to conform to an image.
Yet for some reason, Apple users who go to a coffee shop and pull out their Macbooks to check their email, when they clearly have a fucking iPhone are not trying to live out an apple ad.
Douchebags All!
We all see idiot Hip Hop styled people buying flashy shit and showing it off every chance they get. Most of us can accept that it is a stupid practice and that they are just buying into marketing in an attempt to conform to an image.
Yet for some reason, Apple users who go to a coffee shop and pull out their Macbooks to check their email, when they clearly have a fucking iPhone are not trying to live out an apple ad.
Douchebags All!
I did hate the I'm a mac commercials, but i was expecting a lot worse after reading your rant. It seemed completely normal, reminded me of a few DS game commercials, like the one that teaches how to cook.
In other words, am I the only one that didn't think it was douche-like at all? Seemed just like a normal commercial to me.
In other words, am I the only one that didn't think it was douche-like at all? Seemed just like a normal commercial to me.
The use of good looking 30 somethings that lead interesting and varied lives is a rather hackneyed advertising trope lacking in any kind of creativity. Honestly, these marketing types must think we are all suckers who think that buying something instantly means we have the lifestyle depicted. It's not unique to Apple though, they are all at it. I really despise people in advertising - especially those that describe themselves as 'creatives' - those wankers can fuck right off.
I cannot wait for the hacks that change it's dialogue. "How cold is it outside?" "Go fuck yourself, you lazy asshole." But anyways, yeah, pretentious commercial sells itself to those looking for it.
This argument comes up every time I take the piss out of things people like. "There's other obnoxious ads, why don't I attack ALL OF THE ADS?" Simple, because I have roughly 8 panels and 400 words a week in which to do my job. So I pick whatever's bugged me recently and, most importantly, I pick something the audience will recognize.geizr said:
Trust me, I could write pages on the Ferrero Roche ads or, rant about this this [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DvbO6-k_SM], and why everyone involved in its creation deserves to be shipped off to a gulag somewhere, but people can only take so much vitriol before it gets tiresome.
Funny you should bring up Jeans ads though. Levis has had some fantastic ads through the years.
Hate the company? Fine. Hate how they conduct their business? Fine. Hate the advertisement campaign they use? Fine. Hate the products and think they're overpriced crap? Fine. These are all perfectly fine and reasonable and to the choice of the individual. My specific problem is with those that engage in personal attacks against those who have chosen to purchase and use Apple products in a conceited attempt to invalidate our choice(and, yet, many of these same people will stand on the soap-box of choice and competition). It's a bloody device used to do work or be at play. Nothing more.Mr.Tea said:
As for the ads, yes, they are bogus crap, but so is every other ad out there. There's nothing special about Apple's ads other than it's Apple, and so, people have an extra sensitivity to it. Personally, I've never known of anyone who bought an Apple product based solely on the ads. They've always had significant additional reasons related to their experiences with other products and wanting to find something that was a better fit with their needs and preferences. Perhaps your experience is different.
Honestly, it's the fanboism, on both sides, that is just stupidly ridiculous to me. It's no different than the PS3 vs. Xbox360 vs Wii and "hardcore" vs "casual" crap. People are superficially judging each other based on no information at all other than a difference in personal preferences. But, what has me most sensitive on this particular issue is just the constancy of these derisive attacks from one side of the fence that evinces precisely the behavior of which those of us using Apple products are accused. It's throwing stones in glass houses.
We all use different products for various different reasons. There is no single product that is mathematically and universally superior to all others in all situations. We choose what best fits our lifestyle, habits, ways of working, ways of playing, and specific needs and desires.
ADDENDUM: Also, I've come across just as many PC users as Mac users who clearly have no idea how to use a computer. It happens on both sides, but there is always this insinuation that this situation is almost exclusive to Mac users.
Wow, just, wow. I just don't get all the hate on this. I'm no iPhone fan, but at least this ad is mostly a product demo, not some touchy-feely bullshit that simultaneously creates a hole in your emotional wall and offers to stuff it with their product:
http://602communications.com/site/2011/06/marketing-without-words-the-power-of-emotional-attachment-branding/
It's not like apple hasn't done that kind of ad before as well, but this one doesn't try to do that.
Are you going to call the blind woman that can easily have SMS conversations with friends a "pulsating scrotom" or "protohuman"?
And Ray Charles is elevator music?! Fucking seriously!?
http://602communications.com/site/2011/06/marketing-without-words-the-power-of-emotional-attachment-branding/
It's not like apple hasn't done that kind of ad before as well, but this one doesn't try to do that.
Are you going to call the blind woman that can easily have SMS conversations with friends a "pulsating scrotom" or "protohuman"?
And Ray Charles is elevator music?! Fucking seriously!?
My buddy had a mod on Wow that played that song every time he leveled up
NO ONES EVER GUNNA KEEP YOU DOWN!
NO ONES EVER GUNNA KEEP YOU DOWN!