When Apple Inc. wanted to bring its series of “Mac vs. PC” ads to international markets, it faced a difficult issue: What’s funny in one culture can seem ill-mannered in another.
Here’s the shorter version of the WSJ article on how Apple’s adapted their “I’m a Mac…” ads for other countries:
People in Britain and Japan are different than they are here in America. In America, the Mac Guy is called “smug,” while in Britain, he’s called a “tosser.”
On the other hand, people in Britain and Japan are the same as they are here in America; there’s always some loudmouth who thinks I care about the fact that he doesn’t like the Mac Guy in the commercials.
While you were reading the Journal article, Apple sold another 160 iPods.