Microsoft is up to its old tricks again, and just in time for the holidays. The latest ad out of Redmond pits its Surface Pro 3 against the MacBook Air, and with all the holiday cheer and spirit you’d expect in mid-November.
Going over all the same features we see listed in every Surface Pro 3 ad, Microsoft talks about the touchscreen and the pen and the detachable keyboard, all the tune of “Walking In A Winter Wonderland.”
How festive!
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Microsoft come after Apple’s MacBook Air in commercials. The Surface Pro 3, which starts at $799, has a much easier argument going up against an expensive ultra-thin, premium laptop from Apple than it does against a less expensive iPad Air, or worse, Android tablets that can often go at even cheaper price points.
But Microsoft isn’t just competing with Apple on behalf of the Surface Pro. The company is fighting its southern nemesis in the software space, too, with earlier ads pinning Cortana against Siri.
And, of course, it’s not like Apple is entirely innocent.
But Microsoft is not only undercutting a price point by throwing these two products together, but it is boosting the Surface Pro 3′s brand mindshare by lopping it in with the ultra popular MacBook Air.
Whether or not this strategy will prove fruitful is unclear, but in the meantime, check out the new ad: