Steve Jobs could sell. He did it in person, he did it on stage, and he did it on television—in the form of advertising campaigns that were often the envy of the business. Among the most beloved was the long-running "Get a Mac" series with John Hodgman and Justin Long as the bumbling PC and the hip, unflappable Mac—an odd couple who would entertain viewers for years with their quips, barbs, sight gags, and one-liners. In 2010, Adweek declared "Get a Mac" to be the best advertising campaign of the first decade of the new century. Below are all 66 TV spots (plus the long version of 2008's "Sad Song") that aired during the campaign's run, from May 2006 to October 2009. All 66 ads were directed by Phil Morrison of Epoch Films for TBWA Media Arts Lab.
- Better
Click to view.May 2006. Mac admits PC is good at business stuff like spreadsheets, while he's better at "life" stuff like photos, music, and movies. PC doltishly asks Mac what he means by "better." Hodgman trips up a little on his second line—an amateurish moment that wouldn't be repeated.
- iLife
Click to view.May 2006. PC is seen rocking out to an iPod and praising iTunes. Mac replies that the rest of the iLife suite works just as well and comes on every Mac. PC defensively responds by listing the cool apps that he comes with, but can only identify Calculator and Clock.
- Network
Click to view.May 2006. Mac and PC, holding hands to demonstrate their ability to network with each other, are joined by a Japanese woman who represents a new digital camera. Mac and the camera speak to each other fluently, but PC, lacking the proper driver, is utterly confused and unable to communicate.
- Restarting
Click to view.May 2006. Mac and PC explain how they both have a lot in common, like running Microsoft Office, but their discussion is hampered by PC's unfortunate habit of freezing and restarting.
- Viruses
Click to view.May 2006. PC has caught a virus and is clearly under the weather. He warns Mac to stay away from him, citing 114,000 known viruses that infect PCs. But Mac isn't worried, as viruses don't affect him. PC then announces that he's going to crash and falls backward onto the floor.
- Wall Street Journal
Click to view.May 2006. Mac is reading a favorable review of himself by Walt Mossberg in The Wall Street Journal. PC then claims that he also received a great review but is flummoxed when Mac asks for details. PC says the review came from the esteemed Awesome Computer Review Weekly.
- Out of the Box
Click to view.June 2006. Mac and PC, still in their boxes, talk about what they'll do when they get unpacked. Mac says he'll get started right away, but PC, who's doing exercises, is held up by tedious startup tasks. Mac hops away, leaving PC waiting for other parts of himself that are in other boxes.
- Touché
Click to view.June 2006. Mac tells PC that he can run both OS X and Windows, making him the only computer you'll ever need. "Oh … touché," PC says. Mac says PC is using the word "touché" the wrong way. PC listens intently, then moronically misuses the word again.
- Work vs. Home
Click to view.June 2006. Mac says he enjoys doing fun stuff like podcasts and movies. PC says he also does fun stuff, like spreadsheets and pie charts. Mac thinks it might be difficult to capture a family vacation on a pie chart. "Not true," says PC, who shows off just such a chart.
- Accident
Click to view.August 2006. PC, who's all banged up, explains that he fell off his desk when someone tripped over his power cord. Mac says his magnetic power cord allows it to simply pop off. PC then recalls seeing his life flash before his eyes, which Mac recognizes as the Windows wallpaper.
- Angel/Devil
Click to view.August 2006. Mac gives an iPhoto picture book to PC to inspect. Angel and devil versions of PC appear behind him. The angel tells PC to compliment Mac, while the devil prods him to destroy the book. In the end, PC says the book is nice, but he's clearly haunted by the apparitions.
- Trust Mac
Click to view.August 2006. Trying to hide from spyware, PC is seen wearing a trench coat, a fedora, dark glasses, and a false mustache. He offers Mac a disguise, but Mac declines, saying he doesn't have to worry about such things with OS X. Hodgman is clearly cracking Long up in this spot.
- Better Results
Click to view.October 2006. The campaign gets a dose of celebrity, as supermodel Gisele Bündchen is called on to represent a home movie made on a Mac. PC's movie, meanwhile, is represented by dude in a blond wig and a dress like Bündchen's. PC says his movie is a work in progress.
- Counselor
Click to view.October 2006. PC and Mac visit a therapist. Mac finds it easy to compliment PC ("You are a wizard with numbers, and you dress like a gentleman"), but PC's resentment gets the better of him. The therapist would return 18 months later in the "Breakthrough" spot.
- Self-Pity
Click to view.October 2006. Mac is seen wearing a suit for a change, and he explains that he does work stuff, too, and has been running Microsoft Office for years. Upon hearing this, PC becomes despondent and collapses on the floor, begging to be left alone to depreciate.
- Gift Exchange
Click to view.November 2006. Mac and PC exchange gifts for the holidays. PC, who is hoping for a C++ GUI programming guide, is disappointed to receive an iPhoto album of images from previous "Get a Mac" ads. Meanwhile, PC gives Mac the C++ GUI programming guide, and Mac is just as disappointed.
- Meant for Work
Click to view.November 2006. Haggard and covered in stickers, PC complains that he's being worn out by kids trying to use him to make movies and blogs, when he's really made for balancing checkbooks. He says he cries himself to sleep mode every night. He then trudges off to listen to some emo.
- Sales Pitch
Click to view.November 2006. "Hello, I'm a Mac," says Mac. "And BUY a PC," says PC, who explains that he has to be more forceful with his marketing, now that Mac is getting more popular. PC is reduced to spouting infomercial clichés and holding up signs that read "Amazing!" and "Totally cool!"
- Goodwill
Click to view.December 2006. Wrapping up their first year together, Mac and PC agree to put aside their differences for the holiday season. But PC slips and says Mac wastes his time with "frivolous pursuits." Mac is the bigger man, though, and suggests that they "pull it into hug harbor."
