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Originality Is Overrated (6/7/01)
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Over the past couple of months, we've received dozens of messages from viewers pointing out that Intel's marketing campaign for the Pentium 4 is resoundingly familiar to anyone reasonably well-versed in the finer points of Stevenote history, but up 'til now, we've chosen not to make too much of that fact. Granted, Intel's "The Center Of Your Digital World" is indeed terribly evocative of Steve's "hub of your digital lifestyle," but hey, coincidences happen, right? Besides, we certainly can't expect Intel to choose a slogan that's more appropriate, like "The Only Processor Endorsed By Shiny Blue Freaks!™" (Or, more accurately, "Mac-Using Shiny Blue Freaks.")
But recently, faithful viewer Anthony Hunt tipped us off to an Intel ad that perhaps goes just a little too far: you can see the full-page ad at TheMacMind.com, in all its allegedly derivative glory. There you'll find a typically awful-looking beige PC (ostensibly outfitted with one of those lovely P4s) surrounded by six digital gadgets that you obviously can't use without buying Intel's latest chip: a digital camera, a DV camcorder, a color PDA, a portable MP3 player, etc. Does that look familiar? Well, try this: go to Apple's home page and reload until you see the overhead view of Apple's new iBook-- surrounded by six gadgets including a digital camera, a DV camcorder, a color PDA, and a portable MP3 player. What a staggering coincidence!
In fact, we might even go so far as to suggest that Intel's ad and slogan may actually be-- dare we say it?-- inspired by Apple's own marketing and vision. The only reason we're still willing to give Intel the benefit of the doubt is that its ad actually shows those digital devices orbiting the PC. Given the Pentium 4's sheer size and weight, we wouldn't be surprised if that sort of thing really happens on a day-to-day basis; it's probably got enough mass to generate a pretty hefty gravitational pull.
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SceneLink (3102)
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And Now For A Word From Our Sponsors |
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 | | The above scene was taken from the 6/7/01 episode: June 7, 2001: Apple beats Dell at a school district contract by cutting one seriously aggressive deal; evidently Steve really wants his crown back. Meanwhile, computer sales are poised to get worse before they get better, and a recent Intel ad triggers a sense of familiarity that goes far beyond a simple slogan...
Other scenes from that episode: 3100: An Offer You Can't Refuse (6/7/01) Lip service? Ha! Steve said Apple was serious about retargeting the education market, and evidently he wasn't kidding. If you weren't swayed by earlier corrective moves such as the rehiring of Cheryl Vedoe, the purchase of PowerSchool, and the launch of the Apple Teacher Institutes, maybe the details of Apple's latest education success will finally convince you that the company is going for the throat... 3101: External Circumstances 101 (6/7/01) Looks like the economy might get worse before it gets better-- at least from a computer industry perspective. According to a press release linked to by The Register, the propellerheads at IDC have just revised their estimates for personal computer shipments in 2001, and the numbers aren't good...
Or view the entire episode as originally broadcast... | |  |
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