Apple has been scoring well in the streaming TV realm with several hit series and films (including a Godzilla-focused show and a Scorsese movie), but the promotional approach for their latest hardware innovation isn’t gaining many points. Actually, many responses to the ad are downright negative because people seem to grasp what Apple was aiming to communicate, but they are taking umbrage with the mechanisms (and probably unintentional symbolism) used to deliver that message.
To get right to the point here: Apple will soon (next week) begin shipping its newest iPad Pro model. CEO Tim Cook thusly tweeted an ad, in which he promises, “[T]he thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever produced, with the incredible power of the M4 chip.” He then added, “Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create.”
Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever produced, with the incredible power of the M4 chip. Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create. pic.twitter.com/6PeGXNoKgG
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 7, 2024
The intent here, presumably, was to suggest that the results of these creative mechanisms and instruments could fit into an extremely thin iPad Pro and into the storage capacities involved with the M4 chip. Yet visually speaking, this happens in the ad at the expense of these tools of creativity. The “Crush” title of the ad is meant literally, which means using an industrial crusher to flatten and destroy instruments, books, cameras, and other beloved creative symbols. Not to mention what happened to this poor little critter:
The iPad itself is a groundbreaking innovation and useful to millions of people (myself included) on a daily basis. However, let’s just say that even loyal Apple users are not impressed with “a heartbreaking, uncomfortable, and egotistic advertisement.” The term “demonic inversion” has also popped into the mix as well as a response directly to Tim Cook: “Your predecessors showed us their dreams, you showed us our nightmares.”
It is a heartbreaking, uncomfortable, and egotistic advertisement. When I see this result, I'm ashamed to buy Apple products since nineteen years.
— Hiroki Akiyama (@akiroom) May 7, 2024
In addition to destroying musical instruments and cameras, Apple's videos feature several scenes that involve the destruction of objects with 'human-like qualities'. pic.twitter.com/wNIv4dF8Oh
— NISHIO Hirokazu (@nishio) May 8, 2024
Demonic inversion
You say "Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to CREATE"
But the video shows a thousand beautiful things being DESTROYED pic.twitter.com/RnLFqtXVVB
— Jash Dholani (@oldbooksguy) May 8, 2024
I'm a creator, a traditional artist, a macintosh user of many years, yet I never even understand why would I need an iPad, and this destruction is extremely distasteful and would never convince me but otherwise.
— Michael Vokabre (@Vokabre) May 7, 2024
Many craftsmen value their tools.
Musicians value their instruments, architects value their rulers, painters value their brushes and painting materials more than life itself. The video you presented “all in one”, but it will only disgust them. They may never want to engage with…— 高杉＠沼を駆けだすエンジニア (@takasugi_mbsjk) May 7, 2024
“Crushing obsolete creativity”
Is that really the message you want to pass on? Seriously?
— 💫T.Katsumi📢 #FreePalestine 🇵🇸 (@tkatsumi06j) May 8, 2024
Who approve this creative? Who create this? Everyone in the studio was excited to see everything destroyed?
Definitely this is the good case study the world big tech company lost brand equity instantly.
Promise to prevent my kids to watch this video.
— Mizuto Kato (@miz0521) May 7, 2024
I understand the concept of compressing everything into a new thin iPad. But watching it didn’t make me inspired.
Pretty much the opposite. More like sad and wonder what happened to Apple….
Too bad!— Elad Inbar (@Inbarium) May 8, 2024
I can't relate to this video at all. It lacks any respect for creative equipment and mocks the creators.
— うさ夫(うさマガ) (@usaotoday) May 7, 2024
I understand the concept of compressing everything into a new thin iPad. But watching it didn’t make me inspired.
Pretty much the opposite. More like sad and wonder what happened to Apple….
Too bad!— Elad Inbar (@Inbarium) May 8, 2024
I’m not sure ‘wanton destruction of all the good and beautiful things is this world’ was really the vibe you were trying for.
— Judd Baroff (@JuddBaroff) May 7, 2024
I just don't get it. A video about crushing beautifully crafted instruments beloved by creators?????
— MRO💥 (@officalmro) May 7, 2024
Jobs would never have approved this. It conveys contempt for tools and the arts. Don't doubt it's unintentional but it's in bad taste.
— Macroblock (@sainimatic) May 7, 2024
However, this ad is racking up views on YouTube like wildfire, so the product visibility is certainly there. We’ll see what people think when the model is released into the world.