Microsoft and Apple have been competing head to head in the tech industry since time immemorial. Their advertisements over the years have highly contributed to their professional dislike towards each other. Who can forget those "Hi, I'm Mac. Hi I'm PC" television commercials from 2006? The series of ads from the 'Get a Mac' campaign of Apple shows a young and hip Justin Long as 'Mac', and older, uptight John Hodgman as PC. Microsoft answered back with their "I'm a PC, and I'm not alone" commercials, which show a man that resembles Apple's PC guy, jumping from one person to another. This symbolizes the PC users are not limited to older, uncool people, but also people of different demographics all over the world.
This Christmas season, however, Microsoft takes a break from the usual advertisement brawl, and releases a commercial showing some love to its longtime nemesis.The video takes places on Fifth Avenue plaza, outside Apple's famous glass cube store. It begins with a group of Microsoft crew walking out of their newly opened store in Manhattan. According to the ad, their goal is to 'deliver a special message to some old friends.' People were baffled as the Microsoft people paraded in front of the Cupertino store; spectators were expecting some kind of commotion between the two companies. Then unexpectedly, a children's choir gently sings an emotional 'Let There Be Peace on Earth.' The scene was magical and the Christmas lights and decors all over fifth avenue contributed to the unexpected spectacle. Crew members from Apple started going out of their store, and the staff from the tech giants started giving each other sincere hugs. The Christmas ad ends with a suitable tagline, 'Spread harmony.'
According to AdvertisingAge, Microsoft sought for Apple's go signal before filming on the store's plaza. Microsoft's corporate VP for global advertising Kathleen Hall said their rival company knew that they were going to film something, but they had no idea what it was for.