News.com reports that Apple is readying a sets of ads that target Windows users. This comes on the heels of reports last week that Apple was considering putting Windows PCs on display in its Apple Stores for side by side comparisons to the Mac OS. From News.com:

The "Real People" ads, which will start appearing this week, are directed by documentary filmmaker Errol Morris, director of "The Thin Blue Line."

In an interview, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the overall campaign will be directed at demonstrating to consumers that they wonit get stranded on a technology island if they switch to Apple.

Apple has placed a growing emphasis on targeting PC users over the past year. When it debuted its retail stores just over a year ago, Apple said it was targeting the 95 percent of computer users that are not using a Mac. It has used the tagline "5 down, 95 to go" on occasions since then.

The News.com article titled Appleis "Real People" ad seeks PC crowd, by Ian Fried, points out that Apple has devoted space on their Web site with information aimed at helping PC folks decide to buy a Mac. From the article:

Appleis ads, which will run in Time and Newsweek as well as cable and network television, will point to a part of Appleis Web site that will be devoted to giving information to would-be Mac converts.

In the television ads, the actual Mac owner explains why they gave up the PC. Jobs said the ads are unlike any other, featuring people speaking in their own words without any sets or props. "Theyire real people," Jobs said. "We didnit tell them what to say."

The New York Times also ran a piece on this on Sunday, including some rather interesting quotes.

"The most important thing for us is that viewers are smart about advertising," [Apple CEO Steve Jobs] said. "Weive all had too many tobacco companies tell us theyire good guys to believe advertising. We let these people speak for themselves."

He also said he did not think the ads would offend Microsoft, a company that has a relatively fragile relationship with Apple.

"Our relationship with Microsoft is really pretty good," Mr. Jobs said. "Whatis a few market-share points between friends? It wouldnit matter to them, and we would be eternally grateful."

He said the new campaign would be Appleis largest since the companyis "Think Different" campaign, which began in 1998.

You can read the full article in the New York Times, which requires a free subscription. Join in on the discussion of this in our forums.