I Am Not A PC…Anymore

My eyes have been opened and I can see the world in all it’s beautiful splendor. I have been born-again and I don’t care if my friends in the corporate world who sit in their cubicles know that I have found a higher calling. My new outlook on life will probably upset some, especially those who capitalize on capitalism. At least that is what I thought when I came home with my iMac the other night.

I have been glued to this sleek beauty for the past 48 hours trying out new things and keeping myself warm off the 20 inch LCD glow. But, as I sat and played around with my new toy, I realized that no matter how much Microsoft tries to rebrand themselves as the not-so-evil empire, they fall into the same trap as many corporate identities: they cannot reach the hearts and minds of people. They can push and peddle their product to the masses, but they cannot reach those who don’t see life in black and white. And it is amazing to see life in color. The problem with this is that Apple is exactly the same as Microsoft…they are a corporate entity. However, they have been exceptionally great at reaching “Joe Cabernet” and turning their brand into the “It” brand. It’s kind of like Obama is Apple as McCain is to Microsoft. Both offer decent products, but only one has the brand.

When Apple started reinventing itself to come across as that agent of change, way back in 1984, they focused on ‘revolution’. Their iconic commercial was the first in a long line of branded messages that dismantled and deconstructed how we see the world. 20 years later, they did it again with their hipster-infused iPod commercials. The bottom line is that message of change; change we can believe in. Microsoft is currently undergoing a facelift and the verdict is still out if they are succeeding. That said, their “I’m a PC” campaign seems a little late to define what that is.

I think there is a lot to say about corporate branding and perception (of which I will attempt to tackle at a later date). Especially in this new age where messages are both enhanced and diluted simultaneously. In the meantime, I just want to play on this computer.

I’m a long time PC user and surprisingly to me, after quitting cold-turkey, I have found that my addiction now lies with Apple. I voted for change and you can too.