The Get a Mac commercials are more than just cute, and they're more than just stereotypes of Mac users and PC users. These commericals present substantive critiques of PCs and with Windows specifically, including:

• the degree to which PCs come pre-loaded with trial software
• the prevalence of viruses on PCs
• the ease with which Mac users can create and publish Web content
• Windows Vista's security concerns

These are all critiques that are "arguable" in that they present an argument. Apple argues that the implementation of Windows Vista's User Account Control presents security problems. It is now Microsoft's responsibility to respond.

Or, at least, that's how it should be.

Microsoft has, through its "I'm a PC" commercials, decided not to address the arguable parts of Apple's Get a Mac ads at all. Instead, Microsoft will address the non-arguable part of the ads; namely, the stereotypes of the PC users.

Yes, certainly we understand that the Get a Mac commercial, with its young and hip Mac constantly trying to understand the old and stodgy PC, dabbles in stereotypes. Microsoft wishes to fire back, suggesting that not all PC users are stodgy; indeed, many of them are just as hip -- if not more so -- than Mac users.

But that's not the point. Will this really convince potential Apple customers not to switch to a Mac? No one buys a Mac because he or she thinks it will make him or her "hip." People switch to Macs for all the reasons outlined above: Macs are perceived as easier to use and more secure. Regardless of whether or not this is the case (and that's a discussion for another day), this is the perception of Macs in the general public. If Microsoft really wants to tear customers away from Apple, it will need to address the arguable issues, not the inarguable ones. And it is these arguable issues that matter to consumers; indeed, it's the point behind advertising. Does Diet Dr. Pepper really have the same taste as regular Dr. Pepper? That is at issue, and the advertising tries to persuade the consumer that, yes, they taste the same. This will induce the consumer to buy Diet Dr. Pepper.

In the same way, Microsoft would be better served hiring an ad agency whose campaign addresses the arguable issues. Does Windows Vista have security problems? Is a Mac really easier to use than a PC? The recent election showed us that unarguable issues don't really matter to voters: to call Barack Obama a "socialist" means nothing. To suggest that he'll raise your taxes? Now that's arguable!

The public perception of Microsoft has nothing to do with its hipness and everything to do with Windows' own problems: viruses, stability, security, compatibility. Microsoft could, for example, counter Apple's campaigns by pointing out that there are far more applications (and games!) designed for Windows than there are designed for Macs. Microsoft either doesn't recognize that this is its problem, or it doesn't want to recognize that this is its problem. It appears that Microsoft would rather deflect the substantive issues altogether and change the subject. Unfortunately, consumers who are thinking about whether to buy a Mac or a PC have the substantive issues very much in their minds, and those issues won't be lured away by a funny commercial about how everyone can be a PC.