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The World Famous staff on Chromebook: No deal

scroogled.com

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Re: The World Famous staff on Chromebook: No deal

#61

Post by nl »

http://www.scroogled.com/Home says "stop Google reading your email". The same page links to http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-live/microsoft-se..., which says, in part:

we may occasionally use automated means to isolate information from email, chats, or photos in order to help detect and protect against spam and malware, or to improve the services with new features that makes them easier to use. When processing your content, Microsoft takes steps to help preserve your privacy.

That document links to http://privacy.microsoft.com/en-us/default.mspx, which says:

We use the information we collect to provide the services you request. Our services may include the display of personalized content and advertising.

Pot. Kettle. Black.

Re: The World Famous staff on Chromebook: No deal

#62

Post by klipt »

hankcharles wrote: post #57

I got to Scroogled.com and thought it was some anti-google site cobbled together by a cranky blogger out looking for some corporate interest representing 'the man' to pick on. I can't believe it was assembled by the marketing department of one of the most recognizable brands in the world. I think the actual ad is at least a bit clever, but this 'scroogled!' catchword and in particular this absurd website they came up…

> I got to Scroogled.com and thought it was some anti-google site cobbled together by a cranky blogger out looking for some corporate interest representing 'the man' to pick on.

Funny you should say that ... There used to be a site called scroogle.org which was kind of like that, allowing "anonymous" searches by scraping Google while advertising gold and libertarianism on the side.

Re: The World Famous staff on Chromebook: No deal

#63

Post by bunderbunder »

_delirium wrote: post #39
zmmmmm wrote: post #17

Has there ever been such a low ball PR campaign by such a large company? It's seriously hard to think of any major company that's come out with such sleazy tactics as this against a direct competitor. Can you ever imagine Google or Apple running direct to consumer ads referring to Microsoft as "Microshaft" or some other slogan? Even on Reddit, things such as "M$" usually result in a torrent of down votes. It's a fasc…

It didn't use a silly name for their competitor, but Apple's "I'm a PC" ads are one recent example of pointed negative advertising targeting a specific competitor (and using kind of silly stereotyping of "PC users" to do so): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfv6Ah_MVJU

There's a huge difference, though, which is that Apple pulled it off. The "I'm a PC" ads might have been barbed, but they were also funny, and managed to keep it upbeat. Whereas this "Scroogled" campaign just comes across as sullen and petulant.

Scalzi's Law: The failure mode of "clever" is "asshole".

Re: The World Famous staff on Chromebook: No deal

#65

Post by vacri »

rpedroso wrote: post #51
kenjackson wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple had a whole TV campaign with Justin Long mocking Microsoft. It was pretty successful I recall.

I tend to agree with you, but there are some differences: A) Most of the "Mac vs PC" ads focused on showcasing ways Apple products were superior to Microsoft ones [1]. This isn't universally true though [2]. Regardless, that strategy is better than showing people break dance with your tablets. B) The "Scroogled" campaign has a different, more aggressive tone to it. The whimsical background music in the Apple ads don'…

"If you use Microsoft, then you're a clueless dork" is just as aggressive as this campaign. It did at least use a bit more whimsy, though.

Re: The World Famous staff on Chromebook: No deal

#66

Post by vacri »

azakai wrote: post #45
kenjackson wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Apple had a whole TV campaign with Justin Long mocking Microsoft. It was pretty successful I recall.

This is a matter of taste of course, but I found those Apple ads somewhat playful and amusing. Perhaps I didn't see them all and some were harsher? But this Microsoft campaign just feels like a political attack ad, bitter and cynical. I'm disappointed in Microsoft for doing it, and I think it's just going to help Google by making Microsoft look bad.

Also, the Apple ads weren't pretending to be an independent party - it was clear to any naif who was footing the bills for the ad.

Re: The World Famous staff on Chromebook: No deal

#67

Post by _delirium »

bunderbunder wrote: post #63
_delirium wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It didn't use a silly name for their competitor, but Apple's "I'm a PC" ads are one recent example of pointed negative advertising targeting a specific competitor (and using kind of silly stereotyping of "PC users" to do so): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfv6Ah_MVJU

There's a huge difference, though, which is that Apple pulled it off. The "I'm a PC" ads might have been barbed, but they were also funny, and managed to keep it upbeat. Whereas this "Scroogled" campaign just comes across as sullen and petulant. Scalzi's Law: The failure mode of "clever" is "asshole".

That I definitely agree with.

Another of Apple's very-negative ads, the famous "1984" anti-IBM ad, is a good example of that. Analogizing your competitor to a dystopian totalitarian regime risks coming across as shrill and over-the-top, but Apple managed to pull it off.

Re: The World Famous staff on Chromebook: No deal

#68

Post by tedmiston »

teraflop wrote: post #49
recuter wrote: post #13

Just a heads up: Google is basically subsidizing Chromebooks at this point. An Acer C720 costs as much as a Kindle and is very close to some sort of price floor ($199), yet it comes with $120 worth of Drive storage (100GB @ $5 x 24 months) and some other stuff. You can blow away ChromeOS and use these as a regular PC laptop. 1/5 the price of an 11" Macbook Air yet comparable in many ways. I feel like they are giving…

> 1/5 the price of an 11" Macbook Air yet comparable in many ways. Comparable in some ways, yeah, but from the specs, it looks to me like there are more differences than similarities: the C270 is a bit thicker and heavier, the CPU is way slower, you get 16GB of storage instead of 128GB, 2GB of RAM instead of 4GB, the display is lackluster (according to reviews), the camera is lower resolution, there's no keyboard bac…

> the display is lackluster

This is putting it very nicely. It has low contrast, and really poor viewing angles in terms of legibility and color. It's plenty bright enough though. Now if only I could get f.lux on it...

Re: The World Famous staff on Chromebook: No deal

#70

Post by chasing »

gkoberger wrote: post #38
chasing wrote: post #24

What the fuck is wrong with Microsoft's marketing departments? I'm to understand that Pawn Shops won't exchange the used Chromebook you bought for your mom but then decided to, what, steal back so you could put it in hock in order to scrape together enough cash to get a bus to Hollywood where you'll wait tables for six years whilst failing audition after audition before finally being shat out the butt end of the porn…

The ad says she got it "as a gift from my mom", but your point still stands.

Ah. She kind of swallowed the "from." Thought she said "for my mom."
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