Microsoft's new advertising campaign, which showcases everyday people looking for new computers at retail stores, is starting to have an impact. According to a report in Advertising Age, Microsoft's "value perception" has increased substantially among the key demographic group of 18-to-34 year olds and has even surpassed Apple's long-time stranglehold among that age group.

Apple's value score has dropped from a high of 70 to 12.4. Meanwhile, Microsoft's value score -- which measures whether people get a good value for their money on products --  increased from zero to 46.2, according to research from BrandIndex.

"Apple had a pretty big advantage, historically, when we look at our data," said BrandIndex executive Ted Marzilli in the Advertising Age report. "Apple did a great job of putting Microsoft on the defensive. It made them look old, stodgy, complicated to use and unhip. But Microsoft has started to hit back, and younger folks are more cost- or value-focused."

Microsoft's new ad campaign -- dubbed "Laptop Hunters" -- followed a rather odd series of TV spots featuring comedian Jerry Seinfeld and billionaire Bill Gates.

Perhaps Microsoft has learned that ordinary folks do a better job of pushing products than celebs, with the software giant noting last month that the new ad campaign had led to a 10 percent jump in preference for Windows machines.

[Hat tip to Mark Watanabe]