The next phase of Microsoft’s new advertising campaign launches today, and the company is taking some shots at Apple’s ubiquitous “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” tv spots. The New York Times says that the new campaign will feature interesting, exciting people (like the dude in the shark cage above) embracing their “PCness.”

One new Microsoft commercial even begins with a company engineer who resembles John Hodgman, the comedian portraying the loser PC character in the Apple campaign. “Hello, I’m a PC,” the engineer says, echoing Mr. Hodgman’s recurring line, “and I’ve been made into a stereotype.”

The commercials are the work of Crispin Porter & Bogusky, the ad agency behind such familiar oddities as the creepy Burger “King.” The spots will feature celebrities, too: “actress Eva Longoria, the author Deepak Chopra and the singer Pharrell Williams,” are expected to appear.

How exciting. It’s just like the “Cola Wars”… only nerdier.

Echoing the Campaign of a Rival, Microsoft Aims to Redefine ‘I’m a PC’ [NYT]

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