Apple has long been a master of creative advertising videos. Its first Super Bowl commercial aired in 1984 was aptly titled “1984” and illustrated how Apple wanted its users to break free of dogma and routine by having an actor throw a sledgehammer through a screen – analogous to a threat from the “Big Brother” threat in the book “1984”. This in turn led to the “Think Different” campaign and the “Get a Mac” commercials comparing the creative Macs with the corporate PCs.
But now, the newest Apple ad for its latest iPad Pro has met with controversy. The ad shows a mechanical compressor crushing various creative tools, and lifting to show a thinner iPad – intended to support the creative process. But rather than being viewed as supportive of creative folks, it’s been seen as a metaphor for how creative work gets crushed by big technology companies. Ouch.
The timing of the ad is seen as wrong as many people today fear having their work replaced by technologies such as artificial intelligence, robots, and other tech advances. While Apple’s intention was to show how multiple tools can be replaced by its iPad, viewers have not seen it that way.
Sales of iPad dropped 17% last year and Apple is trying to revive demand and increase sales. The iPad tablets account for only 6% of the company’s sales.
Since the ad’s debut, Apple’s head of advertising has apologized to customers and will no longer air the ad on TV. Quite a turnaround.
What do you think?
Group Activities and Discussion Questions:
- Poll students: What is their general opinion of Apple and its advertising?
- Show the current “Crush” ad: https://youtu.be/ntjkwIXWtrc?si=r1O4eehes-qZseR–
- What are the students’ reactions?
- Show news reactions to the ads: https://youtu.be/cKYaxnx5Vrw?si=dNs60CTWsyJ0cMLs
- Divide students into teams.
- Have teams research previous Apple ad campaigns online.
- Have teams create a storyboard for an alternative new campaign for the iPad Pro.
- What are its key messages?
Source: Grantham-Philips, W. (10 May 2024). Critics crush new Apple ad. Associated Press; Kieffer, B. (9 May 2024). After liberating creativity in ‘1984,’ Apple is crushing it, and the Internet hates it. Ad Week; Mickle, T. (8 May 2024). Apple’s new iPad ad leaves its creative audience feeling… flat. New York Times.
