Mac Ads Honored as Most Effective

The Effie Awards honor the most significant achievements in the business of marketing communications, and the 39th annual Effie Awards gala was held on Thursday night. Apple’s “Get a Mac” ad campaign won the Grand Effie, the biggest award of the evening.

The “Get a Mac” campaign features actors John Hodgman and Justin Long as PC and Macintosh computers, respectively, in a series of 30-second television spots. Their banter distinguishes Macs from PCs as easier to use, less prone to virus or malware attacks, and including a rich assortment of software. The ads have engendered heated debate in some discussion forums on the Internet and elsewhere, but it’s hard to deny their effectiveness. The Grand Effie that the ad campaign received in part applauds the results: Increased product market share, heightened consumer awareness and more cultural influence.

“After much spirited discussion, the jury unanimously awarded Apple the Grand Effie for its portrayal of the Mac/PC rivalry. They managed to do it with humor, class, and honesty without falling into the trap of overtly negative competitive advertising,” said Grand Effie jury chair John Butler.

The ad campaign was created by Media Arts Labs\TBWA, which was honored with the grand Effie. Other finalists included American Express’ “My Life. My Card” campaign, “Got Milk?” from the California Milk Processor Board, “Not Even Once” from the Montana Meth Project, “Pedigree Adoption Drive” from Pedigree, and “Bodygroom” from Philips Norelco.