Funmurphys: the Blog

Microsoft Pulls Switch Ad

The internet supposedly has this libertarian live-and-let-live sensibility to it. This is quite often true, but when it comes to what computer you use, that sensibility goes right out the window for a lot of people. Instead, use my choice or you’re an ignorant goober seems to be the sensibility. I happen to love Macintosh -- it has its weaknesses, and Windows and Linux have their strengths. If you make a different choice, I figure its right for you. Still, I do get a chuckle out of Microsoft, when I'm not getting steamed that is. Luckily, this time it's a chuckle. In keeping with Microsoft's long history of Apple flattery, they decided to imitate Apple's new Switch ads which feature real people who've switched from Windows to Macintosh. But they did it in Microsoft's typical ham-handed fashion. Eagle eyed members of the Slashdot community noticed that the picture of the woman in the ad was actually a stock photograph. AP then went further and tracked the woman down based upon information imbedded within the files that accompanied the ads, and discovered that's she's an employee of the PR firm that originated the ad. She insists she really did switch, but Microsoft pulled the ad. You might say that's the difference between Apple and Microsoft in a nutshell - Apple worries about the substance, Microsoft only the form. Sure, they could have found someone independent who switched and identified them, but all you really need is to claim someone did -- that's good enough.