Microsoft Alters "Laptop Hunters" Ads in Wake of Apple Price Cuts

Advertising Age reports that Microsoft has quietly altered at least one of its "Laptop Hunters" television commercials to remove reference to the price of a MacBook Pro after recent price cuts to Apple's notebook line rendered the reference inaccurate. The move comes just a week after Microsoft's Chief Operating Officer seemingly gloated over Apple's lawyers having contacted Microsoft to request that the company address the inaccuracy.

In the 60-second spot, called "Lauren and Sue," we watch as law student Lauren shops around with the help of her Mom in the hopes of finding a computer under $1,700.

In the original version, Lauren at one point comes upon an Apple computer and declares: "This Mac is $2,000, and that's before adding anything."

"Why would you pay twice the price?" asks Lauren's mom. "I wouldn't," says Lauren, who ends up leaving with a $972 Dell laptop.

In the latest version of the ad, that portion has been edited out. The original ad has been removed from YouTube and other sites by Microsoft, and replaced with a version in which Lauren doesn't talk about how much the Mac costs, but she does say: "It seems like you're paying a lot for the brand."

Microsoft is quick to point out that the focus of the ad remains unchanged.

"We slightly adjusted the ads to reflect the updated pricing of the Mac laptop shown in the TV advertisement," a Microsoft spokeswoman said in a statement. "This does not change the focus of the campaign, which is to showcase the value and choice of the PC."