Apple apologizes for its “Crush” iPad Pro ad and scraps plan to run it on TV; Apple's VP of marketing communications Tor Myhren says “we missed the mark”

The company says its ‘Crush’ spot fell short of its goal of empowering and celebrating creatives

Ad Age 2024-05-10 Tim Nudd

Discussion

@martinsfp @martinsfp on threads
By apologising via a paywalled ad industry site, I assume they hope to control the storm a little more than if they flung the apology out to everyone. It'll still get reported but without it looking like they're apologising to everyone. Subtle tactic, but very Apple.
@daveleebbg Dave Lee on threads
The second par here! Crazy level of pettiness — why not email the statement?! (They didn't respond to my repeated request either) [..."A company spokeswoman confirmed the veracity of the statement made to Ad Age but declined to provide it to The Wall Street Journal."]
@anildash Anil Dash on threads
It's interesting what a misfire this was. Literally the same concept with (e.g.) a magnet pulling in all those things towards an iPad instead of crushing them would have won people over. Apple having folks who don't realize how much people love their musical instruments and the…
@asallen Andy Allen on x
LG phone ad from 2008 (BBH London) [video]
@joannastern Joanna Stern on x
Apple crushes its new ad https://www.wsj.com/...
@katienotopoulos Katie Notopoulos on x
idk personally i find the weird backlash to the apple ad kind of silly. i could imagine if it was like, OpenAI doing to suggest that it could replace human creativity or whatever, that would feel “off”. But this is a freaking iPad, its for kids to watch blippi on a plane
@briancollins1 Brian Collins on x
What's worse it not, not, not that the new Apple ad is a musical horror show of a commercial, but that it is a heartless, humorless, bloodless ripoff of an idea that wasn't half bad that was turned into musical horror show of a commercial,
@protosphinx @protosphinx on x
If Apple is now copying ads, then times must be bleak. Talent has taken back seat. It's all performative political nonsense.
@adage @adage on x
On the backlash to the “Crush” iPad ad, Apple's Tor Myhren tells @adage: “Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it's incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world. Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express...
@katienotopoulos Katie Notopoulos on x
fwiw I'm less likely to believe that Apple's ad was “copied” from a 14. year old ad, but rather that the metaphor is so obvious, dull, and straightforward that two separate ad teams thought it up indepdently
@nudd Tim Nudd on x
Apple's Tor Myhren on this week's iPad ad: “We missed the mark with this video, and we're sorry.” My scoop @adage: https://adage.com/... [image]
@mattswider Matt Swider on x
🍎Which do you agree with? Apple just pulled its iPad Pro ‘Crush’ ad & apologized saying it “missed the mark.” There are two ways of looking at this: 1.👍 Apple is squeezing all sorts of creativity tools into the thinnest iPad ever, an all-in-one device for mobile artistry 2.👎 Ap…
@waitbutwhy Tim Urban on x
I like the iPad ad. I find it thrilling how many things I can do with a little slab of glass.
@that_guymike @that_guymike on x
This really should be a showcase on how current climates can totally change an intended message. In 2008 everyone was excited for new tech and smartphones were still rapidly innovating. In 2024 creatives have watched their work become datapoints and regurgitated for profit.
@kantrowitz Alex Kantrowitz on x
Apple should keep the TV ad buy, and run the ad in reverse. Stick the landing.
@patrickcoffee Patrick Coffee on x
Scoop from @nudd: Apple has apologized for that ad and scrapped plans to run it on TV. There was never any paid media. Apple's chief creative Tor Myhren said, “We missed the mark with this video, and we're sorry.” https://adage.com/...
@waitbutwhy Tim Urban on x
@AJamesMcCarthy I agree with everyone that the reversed ad is better, but I think they ultimately make the same point. And the thing is, people can still buy all the things in the ad! But now you can also access all those things a second (cheaper) way as well and take them all in…
@sdw Sebastiaan de With on x
@neilcybart Pretty rare for Apple to walk it back like that. Good way to handle it though.
@neilcybart Neil Cybart on x
Apple apologizes for its iPad “Crush” ad. It will not be shown on TV or receive any paid media. The ad remains up on Apple's YouTube channel and I assume will remain in iPad event replies. Apple came up with the ad internally. https://adage.com/... [image]
@neilcybart Neil Cybart on x
I wouldn't be surprised if Apple seeked input about the ad from its own creative teams. Apple has significant in-house talent in those verticals. They then decided it wasn't worth losing or risking any built-up goodwill with the creative community over an iPad ad.
@michae1becker Michael Becker on x
turns out the Apple ad is emblematic of GenAI not just in that “crush creators and their tools” spirit but in the literal sense of being wholly derivative of someone else's intellectual property
@snazzylabs @snazzylabs on x
Rule #1: you do not apologize to Hugh Grant ever
@waitwhatwhy212 @waitwhatwhy212 on x
I literally loved this ad, as did my partner. The internet is unhinged. It's a normal ad demonstrating how much creative stuff you can do with an iPad & how thin it now is. The hate as if it's some declaration against analog human tools is BONKERS.
@markgurman Mark Gurman on x
If Apple is already apologizing for stuff they should add the new iPad Air colors to their list. [image]
@teroterotero Tero Kuittinen on x
Cook is so thin-skinned he has already put together a team of creatives to draft a “heartfelt” apology that is going to be dramatically performative and aimed at the LinkedIn degenerates. It's going to be syrupy and robotic at the same time.
r/technology r on reddit
Apple apologizes for ‘Crush’ iPad Pro ad that sparked controversy
r/ipad r on reddit
Apple apologizes for iPad ‘Crush’ ad that ‘missed the mark’
r/atlanticdiscussions r on reddit
Apple doesn't understand why you use technology

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Apple apologizes for its “Crush” iPad Pro ad and scraps plan to run it on TV; Apple's VP of marketing communications Tor Myhren says “we missed the mark”

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