Apple: apologizes for “destroying” musical instruments

Amid intense criticism and backlash, Apple has apologized for an ad that showed musical instruments, art tools and toys being crushed by a giant hydraulic press.

Apple CEO Tim Cook released a one-minute video to support the iPad news, marking the first time the US technology group has overhauled its tablet lineup in two years as it tries to boost sales.

The campaign – which was released on the soundtrack of Sonny and Cher’s 1971 hit All I Ever Need Is You – is designed to show how well Apple has crammed into the thinnest device. According to reports, the ad was created internally by Apple’s creative team.

The one-minute ad received a wave of outrage, with social media users responding to Cook’s

According to the Financial Times, advertising industry executives argued that the ad represents a misstep for the Silicon Valley company, which won praise under its late founder Steve Jobs for its ability to capture the attention of consumers.

Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever made, and the incredible power of the M4 chip. Just imagine all the things that will be used to create it. pic.twitter.com/6PeGXNoKgG

– Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 7, 2024

Apple’s vice president of marketing communications, Tor Mehren, said Thursday that the company “missed the point” of the video, in a statement he first provided to Ad Age. Apple will then no longer broadcast the ad on TV.

“Creativity is part of our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us that we design products that empower creators around the world,” Myhren said. “Our goal is to always celebrate the countless ways to express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad.”

He said: “We missed the point of this video and we are sorry.”

Actor Hugh Grant blamed Apple Inc. X for “destroying the human experience.”

The other point of view

But Richard Exon, founder of marketing company Joint, said: “The most important question is: Is the ad doing its job? “It’s memorable, it’s special, and now I know there’s more to the new iPad, but it’s thinner than ever.”

Consumer intelligence platform Zappi conducted consumer research on the ad, which found that the idea of ​​crushing works of art with a hydraulic press was divisive.

He said the ad performed poorly on commonly desired emotions such as happiness and laughter and outperformed traditional negative emotions such as shock and confusion, with older consumers more likely to have a negative response than younger consumers.

“Is Apple’s iPad ad a work of genius or a sign of dystopian times? It really depends on your age,” said Natalie Kelly, marketing director at Zappi. “The shock value is the strength of this ad, and it’s controversial by design, so the fact that people are talking It’s a win for him.

source: after that