Could Microsoft's Apple-Jabbing Ads Backfire?

Microsoft dusted off one of its favorite Apple arguments this week, rolling out new television and Web ads which claim that PCs are cheaper than Macs and offer a broader range of configuration options.

Microsoft's channel partners love the ads -- and, as it turns out, so do many Apple partners, albeit for different reasons.

To summarize, the television ad shows a young woman who's flummoxed by the lack of sub-$1000 computers on offer at her local Apple Store, but who finds an inspiring plenitude of much cheaper Windows-based PC options at her local retailer.

The Web ad invites visitors to spin a slot machine wheel that shows different combinations for what a certain amount of money will get you, once again to show that PCs are cheaper than Macs.

Microsoft has been pounding home the 'PCs are cheaper' point for years, and the economic situation certainly has more consumers paying attention to price when buying computers. But while it's hardly surprising that Apple partners think the Microsoft ads are pretty hokey, several told Channelweb.com they believe the ads will actually benefit Apple more than they will Microsoft.

"It certainly looks like a lazy campaign in which the primary focus is on price instead of value," said Brian Georges, co-owner of MacMedia, an Avondale, Ariz.-based Apple reseller. "Despite the challenging economy, consumers want value, and that's where Microsoft could be hurt in this."

"Many PC users have fallen for the 'big spec sheet, low price' trap, and these ads totally bring Apple into the conversation when computer users are making their purchasing decision," said John Strikwerda, retail manager at Carbon Computing, a Kitchener, Ontario-based Apple reseller.

In Strikwerda's view, Microsoft's message is full of obtuse reasoning and relies on apples-to-oranges comparisons. "The ironic thing is that Microsoft doesn't even make computers," he said. "And if they want to talk about price, how about comparing the price of Microsoft Office to Apple's iWork, or the complete version of Windows versus OS X?"

Michael Oh, founder and president of Tech Superpowers, a Boston-based Apple partner, likens the television ad to taking someone to a BMW dealer and asking them to find a car for under $20,000. "Microsoft is drawing out this comparison, but what ends up happening is the ads highlight the value that Macs bring to the table even more," he said.

NEXT: What Microsoft partners think...