Apple’s “One More Thing” event revolved around the Mac and Apple’s in-house chips. But it also included a blast from the past with a cameo by John Hodgman, who reprised his “I’m a PC” persona from the mid-2000s TV commercials.
The throwback video capped Tuesday’s event, during which Apple unveiled its M1 chip and designs for the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac Mini.
Hodgman comes back as the hapless “PC guy” to troll the Mac updates, including longer battery life and getting rid of those noisy computer fans. His character appears in a suit and tie in front of the same stark white backdrop from the earlier campaign.
“I’m a PC. Is there time for questions?” Hodgman asks in the video. “Because I have one. Why make all these advancements? What’s the point?
“Oh, you’re so quiet now. Look, I’m a machine. I’m proud of it,” he says imitating the loud and humming sounds of a computer fan.
“Longer battery life — plug it in! Where are you going? Just plug it in,” he continues.
The earlier “Get a Mac” ad campaign debuted in 2006, with Hodgman humanizing the PC and actor Justin Long playing the Mac. The two bantered over their various features — the nerdy PC inevitably not measuring up to the cool, artsy Mac.
Adweek called the series the best advertising campaign of the decade for 2001-2010. It’s unclear whether Hodgman’s appearance was just a one-off for Tuesday’s event or whether he’ll be back for a new campaign.
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