I see London, I see...

I've noticed that both Nintendo and Playstation's newest batch of ads are just targeting kids and teens. I noticed it first with the Nintendo DS ads advertising all of the brain exercising games available. This along with their ads showing grandparents swinging Wii controllers in the air is an obvious display of product use..."for the WHOLE family."

3 points for pulling in new users, giving them a reason to investigate and experience your product.


Playstation seems to be fostering an "unapologetic gamer" tribe which gives gamers not only pride in their hobby, but also permission to play their games...a lot. The VO is heard saying "us" and "will be my brother" repeatedly. This defense angle is very interesting.

Playstation isn't advertising a game, they're advertising gaming as a whole. Keep in mind what Prof. Earl Cox (Strategy Don) said about John Q. Public. "You shop with the brands you like. People aren't rational, they're emotional." So as Playstation is the brand defending gaming, they're banking cool points with John Q. 4 points for Playstation for presenting itself as the system for gamers.

Magical Mac

I'm not sick of this campaign yet. Honestly, I think it's getting more clever as time passes. I get excited when I hear the music and see it's a new one.

Apple's strategy is genius. Their approach, impeccable.

Strategy: Tout Mac's superiority in an approachable way. Mac hits this nail on the head every time. Their executions are perfect. I have yet to see a Mac ad that villianizes PCs or is overtly arrogant.

I applaud the strategist and brand managers who've monitored this brand. They used humor and smart, unthreatning wit to invite the public to investigate their products. They have kept a steady stream of new Mac vs. PC ads so not to bore people by keeping the same spots running. Important to brand as Mac is constantly innovating products, it'd be off-brand if their ads were'nt doing the same.

The packaging is neat, clean and simple...for every Mac product...Just like the products. The public knows what to expect from this brand, and for that I just can't think of anything negative to say about Mac.

Professor O'Keefe taught us that every interaction with a brand is either a positive or negative deposit into the consumer's mind. Apple takes such care to make sure that these interactions are not only positive, but pleasant.

So whats more, I don't want to say anything bad about Mac.