Do TV Ads Sell Macs? Can TV Ads Help Sell PCs?

Who among us would not argue that a little competition is good for the soul and for customers? Apple competes against Microsoft and PC makers.

Highly visible in the US are Apple’s now famous, “Hi, I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” television commercials. The result of this multi-year campaign is that Mac sales are on fire and market share is exploding. How did Microsoft respond?

For years, the Windows maker didn’t respond. Recently the company introduced a few television commercials starring long-time Mac user Jerry Seinfeld, the master of nothing, and Microsoft honcho Bill Gates.

The TV commercials were about nothing, certainly not Windows or PCs. Some thought the first commercial, about Gates buying shoes, was a little too gay.

Microsoft’s new round of commercials, part of a $300-million campaign to pump air into Windows Vista, are more attractive, yet a direct counter to Apple’s highly successful “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” commercials.

In fact, each commercial starts off with a white screen background and a frumpy “I’m a PC” John Hodgeman look alike who says, “I’m a PC.” The commercials then have self introductions from dozens of PC users, all proclaiming, “I’m a PC.”

This round of commercials is well done and appears to be a good, though non-comedic, come back to Apple’s television commercials. PC users will certainly be able to identify with the varied PC users, and relate the “I’m a PC” monicker to Apple’s successful ads.

The question remains the same. Do Apple’s television commercials work? Do they ultimately sell more ads? Or, are the ads merely entertaining?

It’s hard to argue with Apple’s Mac successes recently. Mac market share is up substantially, now pushing double digits and just a few points away from Apple’s all time high market share from the early 1990s.

Even more impressive is Apple’s market share for Macs in the $1,000 and above category, since Apple only sells the Mac mini in the sub-$1,000 segment.

Will Microsoft’s new “I’m a PC” television commercials help blunt Apple’s attacks against the PC? Will they sell more Windows, or simply polish up Vista’s already tarnished reputation as the biggest Microsoft dud since Windows ME?

What do you think? Will these commercials help Microsoft to stop Apple’s gains? Take a look at one of Microsoft’s television commercials below, and share your perspective in the Comments section.