PC makers struggle to gain from “PC Does What”, a campaign in vain

Microsoft, Intel, HP, Lenovo and Dell are coming together for the first time on a joint advertising campaign themed “PC Does What?” to showcase the exciting innovation in today’s newest personal computers (PCs).

“ The combination of Intel’s best processors ever – 6th Generation Intel Core processors – Microsoft’s latest Windows operating system – Windows 10 – and some of the thinnest and most innovative designs ever from Dell, HP and Lenovo was the driving force for these companies to align around an aspirational and educational message for the PC category”, the press release read.

The six-week campaign, starting Oct. 19 in the U.S. and China, will run across TV, digital and social elements, complemented by native advertising, to reinforce the advanced capabilities of the modern PC.

The obvious question that comes to mind is that whether these efforts by the leaders of the PC industry will succeed in producing the intended results, which is of course boosting the flagging PC sales.

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 73.7 million units in the third quarter of 2015, a 7.7 percent decline from the third quarter of 2014, according to preliminary results by Gartner, Inc. According to an IDC report published in August, global PC sales are expected to fall by more than 8 percent in 2015 and not stabilize until 2017.

These statistics compels one to think that what argument could the PC makers possibly put forward to induce people to consider a PC instead of a tablet or a smartphone.

The press release lists the “significant advancements” of modern PC over older systems:

• Leave the power cord behind: The latest PCs offer true wireless flexibility with battery power that lets you work uninterrupted for hours on end
• Immerse yourself in the game: With higher resolution, better details and faster frame rates, these new PCs deliver amazing gaming experiences with up to 30 times better graphics versus a 5-year-old system
• Smile and log in: No need to remember a password when you can log in to the PC with your face using facial recognition
• Don’t waste time waiting: Get tablet-like responsiveness in the latest 2 in 1 PCs that power on instantly with the touch of a button.

Although the advantages listed above are in fact interesting when compared to outdated systems still used by people, the fact of the matter is they are not that spectacular when compared to latest tablets and smartphones. It all boils down to whether any person looking to upgrade from his/her 5-year old outdated system will go for a PC or a tablet, and the answer is quite obvious.