Microsoft changes Laptop Hunter ad

27 July 2009 12:52 GMT / By Amy-Mae Elliott

We brought you news that Apple was reported to have got in contact with Microsoft complaining about the latter's current "Laptop Hunters" ad campaign, and AdAge now reveals that Microsoft has changed at least one ad to bow to Apple's requests.

Kevin Turner, Microsoft's chief operating officer, was the exec to bring news of Apple's unhappiness with the campaign. At a Microsoft event, Turner said: "And so we've been running these PC value ads. Just giving people saying, hey, what are you looking to spend? 'Oh, I'm looking to spend less than $1000'. Well we'll give you $1000. Go in and look and see what you can buy. And they come out and they just show them. Those are completely unscripted commercials".

"And you know why I know they're working? Because two weeks ago we got a call from the Apple legal department saying, hey - this is a true story - saying, 'Hey, you need to stop running those ads, we lowered our prices'. They took like $100 off or something. It was the greatest single phone call in the history that I've ever taken in business".

Microsoft has continued with the ads, however, not without changes. In one of the more recent adverts, "Lauren and Sue", the ad has been pulled in its previous form and the dialogue has now been edited to reflect the current price of Apple's MacBooks in the States.

In the original advert "Lauren" said of a Apple laptop: "This Mac is $2000, and that's before adding anything". Now, no price is mentioned, although the character does add: "It seems like you're paying a lot for the brand".

A Microsoft spokesperson told AdAge: "We slightly adjusted the ads to reflect the updated pricing of the Mac laptop shown in the TV advertisement. This does not change the focus of the campaign, which is to showcase the value and choice of the PC".

Via: adage.com

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Biz, Microsoft, Apple, Advertising