creative riff

In what could go down as one of the lamest attempt at corporate backlash, Apple apparently tried to get the latest Microsoft ads pulled from TV. Apple cited a recent “price drop” of $100 across their computer line that rendered the “too expensive” statements in the ads as slander.

Microsoft’s response:

Kevin Turner, Microsoft’s chief operating officer said,

And so we’ve been running these PC value ads. Just giving people saying, hey, what are you looking to spend? “Oh, I’m looking to spend less than $1,000.” Well we’ll give you $1,000. Go in and look and see what you can buy. And they come out and they just show them. Those are completely unscripted commercials.

And you know why I know they’re working? Because two weeks ago we got a call from the Apple legal department saying, hey — this is a true story — saying, “Hey, you need to stop running those ads, we lowered our prices.” They took like $100 off or something. It was the greatest single phone call in the history that I’ve ever taken in business. (Applause.)

I did cartwheels down the hallway. At first I said, “Is this a joke? Who are you?” Not understanding what an opportunity. And so we’re just going to keep running them and running them and running them.

Good on Microsoft for handling the situation like the responsible company they are. Don’t get me wrong, I like my Touch but the snobbery just hit an all time high. Hey Apple, next time it is better to not inadvertently tell your competition they are doing a damn good job. It’s kinda soul crushing when you read this story online the next day.

Now, if only we can erase those recent Bill Gates and Jerry Seinfeld ads from our memories.

Source: Microsoft: Apple wanted ‘Laptop Hunters’ ads pulled [cnet]