6 ms·

On Apple's new ads

77 points by fratis 14y ago

ebzlo 14y ago
I feel like I wasn't delivered the train wrecks I was promised. I didn't think these were so bad.
- fratis 14y ago
  I have a hard time agreeing. I want to like them, but everything about them – with the exception of one or two gags – is "good enough," not excellent, as Apple's been for so long.
  - jpdoctor 14y ago
    I'm in agreement with your hard time agreeing. New ads imply stupidity on the part of users. I do not remember that happening in any other apple ad.
    - CamperBob2 14y ago
      Inability to work with computers is not seen as 'stupidity' by members of the intended audience. It is viewed sympathetically. Imagine if the product being sold were math courses on DVD, instead of computers.
- deleted 14y ago
  [deleted]
- wdewind 14y ago
  Here's why I didn't like them: 1) There was zero indication the commercials were for Apple except for the genius and sparse product placement. Compare and contrast this to the obvious visual feel and genre that previous ad campaigns ad: the white silhouettes for iPods, the Apple vs. PC guy, etc. You knew these were Apple ads. 2) Gone are the broad, crisp, clear claims, gone are the simple stories. The 2 examples I have above tell two pretty distinct stories: 1) Apple is really into music, and 2) Apple computers are just so much better than PCs it's a joke, respectively. What is the new story being told? That iMovie will save you time? That the geniuses are really good at tech support? That celebrities use Macs? I didn't hear one "this is the best X ever." The ads have every bold edge smoothed off them until they are unrecognizable and meaningless (see: Orwell's Politics and the English Language). 3) Finally, simply put these just aren't entertaining. They aren't aesthetically pleasing. They aren't distinctive in anyway. I don't expect to like advertising, and while I don't think Jobs was a god, one thing he definitely had was good taste. He wanted each ad to be a cultural piece in and of itself. This is just bland crap that makes me feel like they are just trying to reinforce a brand perception (which is exactly what they are trying to do, which is exactly why it feels like bland crap: they have no legitimate reason to be talking to me right now.) I agree they aren't train wrecks, they are just the subway: the shit you take every day. It mostly works but it sure as hell isn't exciting.
  - RandallBrown 14y ago
    The first few times I saw one of these ads I thought they were an ad for the Apple section of Best Buy. I couldn't believe that Apple was making a commercial that was so... average.
jsz0 14y ago
I think they're fine. I'm not sure how else Apple could advertise the Genius Bar / Apple Store which is clearly what these ads are for. Any approach to that is going to be a bit exhausted. They could have a Genius stand there and explain the service, they could do consumer testimonials, they could do fake celebrity testimonials, they could do some mock in-store experience thing, but what else? There is no tangible product to show off. People are kind of missing the more interesting story here which is Apple deciding to advertise for the Apple Store and services. They've never done that before. It is a big competitive advantage so I think the message is important. If someone can come up with a better ad for the Genius Bar / Apple Store I will concede they are bad ads. Otherwise I think the message of the ads is more important than the style.
- CoffeeDregs 14y ago
  I suspect a key demographic for these commercials is parents who're afraid to ask their kids for help. I can imagine loads of commercials where a parent heads out of their noisy, busy house and heads over to the Apple store for a relaxing session at the Genius Bar. I think my parents would be turned off by the relative chaos and difficulty implied by the commercials.* Additionally, I don't think that younger target costumers will be engaged by a spastic know-it-all with the job title "Genius". * I saw the commercials last night and don't recall them that well, but was left with this impression. And my wife and I turned to each other and mouthed "WTF?" after the commercials ended.
- ericdykstra 14y ago
  Just because you can't think of a better ad doesn't mean these ones aren't bad. Maybe there could have been the same setup and a much better script. Maybe TV ads aren't the right place to advertise the Genius Bar / Apple Store. Maybe they could have advertised how great the service is without being condescending to the target audience. I don't know, but I think it's a cheap excuse to say that you, personally, can't think of anything better.
- jmillikin 14y ago
  They could show the product in use. An older man in a business suit walks in with a visibly old Apple laptop -- say, a G4 iBook or similar vintage. He explains to the tech that it's a great computer, but it can't go very long without being plugged in any more. The tech checks it out for a moment, comes back with a new battery, installs it, "all set sir, anything else I can help with ... (etc)". Cut to the customer on a plane the next day, smiling as he uses it for something. A young woman walks in to an Apple store holding an iPhone. She bought it a few months ago, and this morning, it wouldn't turn on. The tech checks it out for a moment, apologizes for the problem, copies everything over to a new iPhone, and hands it to the customer, "anything else ...". Cut to her using some personalized feature, like browsing photos, which people are often afraid of losing during computer upgrades. Swap in genders and ethnicities as desired. The point is to have something that happens to real people ("my computer doesn't work as well as it used to", "my phone isn't working"), and then demonstrate how the product solves their problem.
Metrop0218 14y ago
They're not terrible by themselves, but relative to Apple's older ad campaigns, they're awful.
forrestthewoods 14y ago
"Apple, are you serious with this commercial? We’re in trouble." Is anyone else bothered by usage of "we" here? I suppose it's not unlike a sports fan referring to their team as "we". There's just something disturbing about someone saying "we're in trouble" because a corporation they are a fan of produced a slightly less than stellar advertisement.
- fratis 14y ago
  That's fair. Though I do have an explanation. I was, many years ago, an Apple retail employee. After that, I worked as an Apple Certified Technical Consultant. Referring to Apple as "we" is a old habit that manifested itself in a moment of surprise.
- untog 14y ago
  I've often thought this. Not specifically to do with Apple, but it is often the case. Apple does not need you to defend them against their detractors on the internet. Neither does Samsung. I can't wrap my head around why people distract themselves with it.
  - jessedhillon 14y ago
    Is it really so alien to you that people are invested in the brands they buy? People who buy Apple products need, on some level, for Apple to continue making great products. I have a self-interest in the iPhone and the Mac continuing in their tradition, and not deviating along a path I find less than promising. Samsung buyers are maybe not in the same exact position, since you could buy a very similar phone from .e.g., HTC. Don't construe this as a defense of fanboy-ism though. Buying a Mac or an iPhone is, for me, a decision that accommodates my preferences as a user. It's not an afront to me if someone thinks that Apple sucks as a company, I don't take that to mean my preferences are dumb.
    - iuguy 14y ago
      > Is it really so alien to you that people are invested in the brands they buy? Words cannot express how terrifying that sentence is to me. At the end of the day, we're talking about stuff. Physical things. Things that you buy. If you're investing in a brand, what is the return on that? If you're being loyal to a brand, does that mean that the brand owns you? Before people invest in brands, they should invest in themselves and in each other.
taligent 14y ago
As we have said before in the previous post: 1) You are not the target audience for this ad. Nobody cares whether you like it or not. We want to know what your parents and grandparents think of them. And AFAIK this is the first time Apple has deliberately targeted an older audience. 2) Steve Jobs personally said that he was involved in 2-3 years worth of products. So you can skip that whole "Steve Jobs is gone. Apple is going to die." rhetoric.
- MBlume 14y ago
  > The product pipeline will take years to screw up. But the ad pipeline can be screwed up in no time. Did you read the post you're commenting on?
- BlackNapoleon 14y ago
  >2) Steve Jobs personally said that he was involved in 2-3 years worth of products. So you can skip that whole "Steve Jobs is gone. Apple is going to die." rhetoric. Disagree completely. At some point or another Jobs' forecast won't matter. Just because they think "that far ahead" doesn't mean that those "ideas" were concrete 2-3 years later. Apple WILL change, but we can't predict what it will do.
veritas9 14y ago
Since when did TV commercials dictate a company's success? While I agree, the ad is pretty crumby, at the end of the day the most important thing is that Apple keeps the same level of quality in it's product pipeline. Besides, last time I checked, Apple sources out their ads through an agency, specifically - TBWA Media Arts Labs http://www.mediaartslab.com http://www.mediaartslab.com. If anything, someone in marketing screwed up and approved a lame ad. Not a determining factor in their continued innovation or actual products.
andrewfelix 14y ago
These ads will move product. Let me explain why; There is a large segment of the market that isn't tech savvy. Computers scare them, they know they're not very good with machines, and they know they'll need help. Now imagine this consumer presented with two potential options; 1) A laptop with paid phone support. 2) A laptop with face to face human support. Apple is attempting to communicate the human support they offer with their products. These ads look bad to you and I because they're not marketed to you and I. We don't need a 'Genius', we don't need to be condescended, we know how a Macbook works. We will make purchase decisions completely outside of what these new ads communicate. There will be and are other marketing techniques used to appeal to our market.
- fratis 14y ago
  I understand where you're coming from, but I feel as though you might be evaluating the ad's concept and not its execution. The Apple Store is clearly an awesome value add (I even hesitate to reduce it to merely that), but I don't think these ads do a great job communicating that. They're simply not focused: the schtick muddles their message, and dropping the names of various pieces of Apple-specific software (Keynote, iMovie, Garageband) makes them even harder to follow for folks who don't use Macs already (and probably for some who do). Add in the (according to some people, though I don't see it myself) subtly condescending Genius, and I think you've lost both the audience you're looking to reach in addition to the one you already have.
- tesseractive 14y ago
  The most devastating critique I saw of these ads is that it seems like they could easily have been Best Buy ads for Geek Squad. You and I might be able to think of a hundred reasons why it might be more sensible to entrust your computer problems to an Apple Genius than to a member of the Geek Squad, but if the target is indeed people without any of this knowledge, how well do you think that Apple communicated that the value they provide is leagues beyond Best Buy?
  - jopt 14y ago
    They probably didn't. I don't think that was their focus.
CoffeeDregs 14y ago
At the end of the airplane ad: gotta go to aisle 2 to help with a Keynote issue! 1) Why was the first guy having so many issues? 2) To the average user, WTF is a keynote? 3) I thought that Macs were easy to use? Why do we need a "genius" to help use them? In hindsight, I have no recollection of the nature of the issues the Genius solved. I just remember that lots of Macs were being used and lots of problems were occurring, leading the genius to have to run around the plane. Or something. This is in stark contrast to Apple ads of the past: * Rainbow colored people dancing around with iPods. Music + simple + fun = iPod. Got it. * I'm a Mac. Funny, non-threatening, laid-back hipster versus clumsy, goofy, sweaty guy. Macs are simple, smart, cool. Got it. * Old iPhone ads. Lots of swiping, cool effects, plenty of brands, easy to use. Pick up an iPhone, noodle with it and I'll get it. Got it.
- taligent 14y ago
  So let me see if I have this right. What you remember is that "If you are having problems with your Mac (no matter how dumb) then an Apple genius is available who is willing to do anything to help you." Sounds to me like Apple achieved the purpose of the ads.
  - pizza 14y ago
    The ad implies it's not easy.
    - jopt 14y ago
      Which would be a problem if the ad targeted people who expect it to be easy. Apple are trying to sell Macs to people who are afraid of clicking unfamiliar icons, people who don't read dialogue boxes. The Mac users in their commercials are full of energy, and although (as we can see from the Genius' reaction) they don't know much, they're pushing forward without fear of failure.
      - pizza 14y ago
        > Apple are trying to sell Macs to people who are afraid of clicking unfamiliar icons, people who don't read dialogue boxes. That means they want an easy experience, no?
mladenkovacevic 14y ago
I guess on the plus side the ads present the friendly, cheery, non-threatening genius as a contrast to some grumpy, over caffeinated helpdesk guy you might have working at your office or a sleazy, lazy Best Buy customer service rep who just wants to sell you another warranty. What's odd though is that every ad shows exactly the situations where you wouldn't have access to a genius :S Here is everybody analyzing these ads like they are a long-lost Kubrick reel so I guess it still works on some level among the Apple faithful.
vegashacker 14y ago
I like the one called Mayday (http://www.apple.com/mac/videos/#tv-ads-mayday http://www.apple.com/mac/videos/#tv-ads-mayday). The awkward delivery of "I'm a genius" comes off as sincere modesty, in contrast to the condescenion of Justin Long's "I'm a Mac" character. This is actually charming. The task in the commercial (creating a video from lots of raw footage) is something a non computer pro wouldn't expect to be easy. Being able to do that in "27 minutes" sounds impressive. And the fact that a Genius could show you how to do this in that short amount of time is appealing. This isn't portraying Macs as having lots of problems--it's showing that mere mortals can do impressive things with them. Finally, the guy the Genius helps first actually gets up with the Genius to go help the guy in 21F. The commercial ends with him saying, "Let's do this." The Genius gave someone such confidence in their Mac skills that he feels ready to become a Genius-like helper himself. The other two suck though.
rglover 14y ago
I shared similar sentiments about the airplane ad that started popping up recently. It really does feel like a watered down, misdirected version of Apple. My initial reaction was an audible "huh?"
radley 14y ago
Apple used to demonstrate effulgence and creativity. These were Lifestyle-channel ads. I couldn't watch after the first one.
Johngibb 14y ago
I think that people are way overreacting to these ads. They're not great - I don't like them. I didn't like Mac vs. PC ads either. Apple has made mistakes while Steve Jobs was there too. Think of the cube, of antennagate, of all the cracks and discoloring and recalls of early MacBooks. Think of Ping, and MobileMe. Not every misstep is a signal that Apple is in decline without Steve Jobs; I'm not even convinced that these ads wouldn't have come out with if Jobs was still with us.
ruethewhirled 14y ago
I find that American style ad's have an underlining fakeness to them, its hard to put my finger on it. I'm assuming its just a cultural difference being from New Zealand but some ad's from the States just grate me the wrong way. These Apple ad's are particularly bad in this respect.
- ronaldj 14y ago
  That's how I feel when I see ads from other countries other than the US. These ads reminds me a little bit of them.
- grecy 14y ago
  It's because they're actors with pearl-perfect teeth, perfectly styled hair, perfect professional makeup and they are in a Hollywood perfect world where everything is spotless and organized 'just so'. It kind of makes things feel like a dream. The reality of life in the US is a hilarious smack in the face compared to the Hollywood advertised US we see on TV/Movies
- slurgfest 14y ago
  As an American I don't find this feeling foreign at all. I would be interested to find out whether this was more of a personality or a nationality thing (and whether it couldn't be controlled by using different accents with the same script, etc.)
brudgers 14y ago
The commercials make geniuses seem analogous to crapware. Buying a sleek computer without one who acts in the way depicted in the commercials might be seen as a feature.
gojomo 14y ago
I like the new genius-centered ads, such as the ones with a genius helping a plane passenger or an expectant father. They're gently absurd situations. The genius is helpful above-and-beyond what would be reasonable, emphasizing an important Apple advantage. And, specific product benefits get worked into the dialogue. I always thought the 'genius bar' naming was a bit pretentious, but clearly it's worked as a brand differentiator for Apple for years. And while I've got nothing against Justin Long, the Mac-vs-PC ads featuring him were far more elitist/patronizing/snooty. In these ads, the genius is more amiable. Let's not forget the generation of 'Switcher' ads that had Ellen "beep, beep, beep" Feiss. Apple ads have varied in tone and focus from year-to-year: you can't feature archetypes against a white background forever, as any look will get dated over time. (Maybe some of the future genius-helping-outside-the-store ads can feature cameos of previous ad actors... Feiss, Hodgeman, Dreyfuss getting direct genius help?)
Aloha 14y ago
I like it. From where I sit it pokes fun at the stereotypical "living in the land of unrealistic expectations" Apple Macintosh user. Maybe that's why some of the folks are so offended at it. Like it or not, even the Mac is a complex combination of hardware and software, and while much of this is obvious to those of us who spend 8+ hours in front of a computer, its not obvious those everyone else. While perhaps poorly executed, I think the ads do point out the difference between Apple and Everyone Else; When you buy a Mac, there is ALWAYS an expert standing by to help you solve your problems, someone who knows everything about your hardware and software, this is something the PC world does not have.
dbecker 14y ago
Is Apple trying to change their brand image from "It just works" to "Using our software is stressful and requires special knowledge. Expect to work with tech support for day-to-day usage."
snowwrestler 14y ago
When Apple announced their plans to open retail stores, there was a general reaction something like "what a huge mistake." The most recent experiences in branded computer retail had been the Gateway stores, and we all know how they turned out. This was before Steve Jobs was (apparently) universally acknowledged as an infallible business leader. Think about what we might know about Tim Cook 7 years from now. I think the ads are fine, but I can see how others might not like them. Either way I think it's a pretty big stretch to extrapolate these into a general decline for the company.
wisty 14y ago
They don't show the products. It's almost like a satire of a Linux fanboy: "I want to back up my hard drive every day." "It's simple - one command and it's in your crontab!" "Wow. And ... I'm looking for a file I was working on. I can't remember the name, all I know is it's got a phone number somewhere near the top." "OK, what format was the phone number in? I can grep that in no time!" "Wait, it's on my home competer! I'll never be able to access it" "HA! That's what you think. Let's see if your SSH is up ..."
- slurgfest 14y ago
  Sadly, that would leave a better impression than current Linux marketing efforts, of which there are effectively none...
- Tichy 14y ago
  You make those sound like a bad thing. How do you search for a document with a phone number on OS X? Is the appropriate (socially acceptable) response for these problems to clap your hands together over your head and shout "oh dear"?
  - wisty 14y ago
    grep? OSX has a UNIX terminal. Apple is popular because it's user friendly, not because it has features. Advertising features isn't going to wow people. Demonstrating how user-friendly features are (even if you fake it a bit with expert users, and cherry-picking use cases) works, not simply telling the users that the features are there (and worse, arrogantly saying they are easy to use).
    - Tichy 14y ago
      Yes but grep is not allowed for this task, it is not socially acceptable. So how would you do it in an Apple way (cool, stylish, hipsterish) without freaking people out?
  - alexdias 14y ago
    You either use grep or Spotlight.
lis 14y ago
There is actually another point to consider: employee satisfaction and recognition. These ads are stressing the importance of the geniuses for apple. Kind of like intels "our rockstars aren't your rockstars" campaign, which emphasizes the fact that the researchers and engineers are really important for intels success. I used to work as a researcher for another big software company and I would have loved such a spot, just to feel recognized. Our rockstars were definitely the sales people.
hk_kh 14y ago
Oh.. excuse a company for trying to target a wider audience. Now, if the discussion is about these ads involving a decay on the quality of the end product, wait at least two years. Right now, some people is pissed off because these ads "do not represent" them at all. Well, Apple marketing execs do not care. They already got you on the bandwagon.
extension 14y ago
For comparison: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oAB83Z1ydE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oAB83Z1ydE

On Apple's new ads

77 points by fratis 14y ago

ebzlo 14y ago

I feel like I wasn't delivered the train wrecks I was promised. I didn't think these were so bad.

fratis 14y ago
I have a hard time agreeing. I want to like them, but everything about them – with the exception of one or two gags – is "good enough," not excellent, as Apple's been for so long.
- jpdoctor 14y ago
  I'm in agreement with your hard time agreeing. New ads imply stupidity on the part of users. I do not remember that happening in any other apple ad.
  - CamperBob2 14y ago
    Inability to work with computers is not seen as 'stupidity' by members of the intended audience. It is viewed sympathetically. Imagine if the product being sold were math courses on DVD, instead of computers.
deleted 14y ago
[deleted]
wdewind 14y ago
Here's why I didn't like them: 1) There was zero indication the commercials were for Apple except for the genius and sparse product placement. Compare and contrast this to the obvious visual feel and genre that previous ad campaigns ad: the white silhouettes for iPods, the Apple vs. PC guy, etc. You knew these were Apple ads. 2) Gone are the broad, crisp, clear claims, gone are the simple stories. The 2 examples I have above tell two pretty distinct stories: 1) Apple is really into music, and 2) Apple computers are just so much better than PCs it's a joke, respectively. What is the new story being told? That iMovie will save you time? That the geniuses are really good at tech support? That celebrities use Macs? I didn't hear one "this is the best X ever." The ads have every bold edge smoothed off them until they are unrecognizable and meaningless (see: Orwell's Politics and the English Language). 3) Finally, simply put these just aren't entertaining. They aren't aesthetically pleasing. They aren't distinctive in anyway. I don't expect to like advertising, and while I don't think Jobs was a god, one thing he definitely had was good taste. He wanted each ad to be a cultural piece in and of itself. This is just bland crap that makes me feel like they are just trying to reinforce a brand perception (which is exactly what they are trying to do, which is exactly why it feels like bland crap: they have no legitimate reason to be talking to me right now.) I agree they aren't train wrecks, they are just the subway: the shit you take every day. It mostly works but it sure as hell isn't exciting.
- RandallBrown 14y ago
  The first few times I saw one of these ads I thought they were an ad for the Apple section of Best Buy. I couldn't believe that Apple was making a commercial that was so... average.

jsz0 14y ago

I think they're fine. I'm not sure how else Apple could advertise the Genius Bar / Apple Store which is clearly what these ads are for. Any approach to that is going to be a bit exhausted. They could have a Genius stand there and explain the service, they could do consumer testimonials, they could do fake celebrity testimonials, they could do some mock in-store experience thing, but what else? There is no tangible product to show off. People are kind of missing the more interesting story here which is Apple deciding to advertise for the Apple Store and services. They've never done that before. It is a big competitive advantage so I think the message is important. If someone can come up with a better ad for the Genius Bar / Apple Store I will concede they are bad ads. Otherwise I think the message of the ads is more important than the style.

CoffeeDregs 14y ago
I suspect a key demographic for these commercials is parents who're afraid to ask their kids for help. I can imagine loads of commercials where a parent heads out of their noisy, busy house and heads over to the Apple store for a relaxing session at the Genius Bar. I think my parents would be turned off by the relative chaos and difficulty implied by the commercials.* Additionally, I don't think that younger target costumers will be engaged by a spastic know-it-all with the job title "Genius". * I saw the commercials last night and don't recall them that well, but was left with this impression. And my wife and I turned to each other and mouthed "WTF?" after the commercials ended.
ericdykstra 14y ago
Just because you can't think of a better ad doesn't mean these ones aren't bad. Maybe there could have been the same setup and a much better script. Maybe TV ads aren't the right place to advertise the Genius Bar / Apple Store. Maybe they could have advertised how great the service is without being condescending to the target audience. I don't know, but I think it's a cheap excuse to say that you, personally, can't think of anything better.
jmillikin 14y ago
They could show the product in use. An older man in a business suit walks in with a visibly old Apple laptop -- say, a G4 iBook or similar vintage. He explains to the tech that it's a great computer, but it can't go very long without being plugged in any more. The tech checks it out for a moment, comes back with a new battery, installs it, "all set sir, anything else I can help with ... (etc)". Cut to the customer on a plane the next day, smiling as he uses it for something. A young woman walks in to an Apple store holding an iPhone. She bought it a few months ago, and this morning, it wouldn't turn on. The tech checks it out for a moment, apologizes for the problem, copies everything over to a new iPhone, and hands it to the customer, "anything else ...". Cut to her using some personalized feature, like browsing photos, which people are often afraid of losing during computer upgrades. Swap in genders and ethnicities as desired. The point is to have something that happens to real people ("my computer doesn't work as well as it used to", "my phone isn't working"), and then demonstrate how the product solves their problem.

Metrop0218 14y ago

They're not terrible by themselves, but relative to Apple's older ad campaigns, they're awful.

forrestthewoods 14y ago

"Apple, are you serious with this commercial? We’re in trouble." Is anyone else bothered by usage of "we" here? I suppose it's not unlike a sports fan referring to their team as "we". There's just something disturbing about someone saying "we're in trouble" because a corporation they are a fan of produced a slightly less than stellar advertisement.

fratis 14y ago
That's fair. Though I do have an explanation. I was, many years ago, an Apple retail employee. After that, I worked as an Apple Certified Technical Consultant. Referring to Apple as "we" is a old habit that manifested itself in a moment of surprise.
untog 14y ago
I've often thought this. Not specifically to do with Apple, but it is often the case. Apple does not need you to defend them against their detractors on the internet. Neither does Samsung. I can't wrap my head around why people distract themselves with it.
- jessedhillon 14y ago
  Is it really so alien to you that people are invested in the brands they buy? People who buy Apple products need, on some level, for Apple to continue making great products. I have a self-interest in the iPhone and the Mac continuing in their tradition, and not deviating along a path I find less than promising. Samsung buyers are maybe not in the same exact position, since you could buy a very similar phone from .e.g., HTC. Don't construe this as a defense of fanboy-ism though. Buying a Mac or an iPhone is, for me, a decision that accommodates my preferences as a user. It's not an afront to me if someone thinks that Apple sucks as a company, I don't take that to mean my preferences are dumb.
  - iuguy 14y ago
    > Is it really so alien to you that people are invested in the brands they buy? Words cannot express how terrifying that sentence is to me. At the end of the day, we're talking about stuff. Physical things. Things that you buy. If you're investing in a brand, what is the return on that? If you're being loyal to a brand, does that mean that the brand owns you? Before people invest in brands, they should invest in themselves and in each other.

taligent 14y ago

As we have said before in the previous post: 1) You are not the target audience for this ad. Nobody cares whether you like it or not. We want to know what your parents and grandparents think of them. And AFAIK this is the first time Apple has deliberately targeted an older audience. 2) Steve Jobs personally said that he was involved in 2-3 years worth of products. So you can skip that whole "Steve Jobs is gone. Apple is going to die." rhetoric.

MBlume 14y ago
> The product pipeline will take years to screw up. But the ad pipeline can be screwed up in no time. Did you read the post you're commenting on?
BlackNapoleon 14y ago
>2) Steve Jobs personally said that he was involved in 2-3 years worth of products. So you can skip that whole "Steve Jobs is gone. Apple is going to die." rhetoric. Disagree completely. At some point or another Jobs' forecast won't matter. Just because they think "that far ahead" doesn't mean that those "ideas" were concrete 2-3 years later. Apple WILL change, but we can't predict what it will do.

veritas9 14y ago

Since when did TV commercials dictate a company's success? While I agree, the ad is pretty crumby, at the end of the day the most important thing is that Apple keeps the same level of quality in it's product pipeline. Besides, last time I checked, Apple sources out their ads through an agency, specifically - TBWA Media Arts Labs http://www.mediaartslab.com http://www.mediaartslab.com. If anything, someone in marketing screwed up and approved a lame ad. Not a determining factor in their continued innovation or actual products.

andrewfelix 14y ago

These ads will move product. Let me explain why; There is a large segment of the market that isn't tech savvy. Computers scare them, they know they're not very good with machines, and they know they'll need help. Now imagine this consumer presented with two potential options; 1) A laptop with paid phone support. 2) A laptop with face to face human support. Apple is attempting to communicate the human support they offer with their products. These ads look bad to you and I because they're not marketed to you and I. We don't need a 'Genius', we don't need to be condescended, we know how a Macbook works. We will make purchase decisions completely outside of what these new ads communicate. There will be and are other marketing techniques used to appeal to our market.

fratis 14y ago
I understand where you're coming from, but I feel as though you might be evaluating the ad's concept and not its execution. The Apple Store is clearly an awesome value add (I even hesitate to reduce it to merely that), but I don't think these ads do a great job communicating that. They're simply not focused: the schtick muddles their message, and dropping the names of various pieces of Apple-specific software (Keynote, iMovie, Garageband) makes them even harder to follow for folks who don't use Macs already (and probably for some who do). Add in the (according to some people, though I don't see it myself) subtly condescending Genius, and I think you've lost both the audience you're looking to reach in addition to the one you already have.
tesseractive 14y ago
The most devastating critique I saw of these ads is that it seems like they could easily have been Best Buy ads for Geek Squad. You and I might be able to think of a hundred reasons why it might be more sensible to entrust your computer problems to an Apple Genius than to a member of the Geek Squad, but if the target is indeed people without any of this knowledge, how well do you think that Apple communicated that the value they provide is leagues beyond Best Buy?
- jopt 14y ago
  They probably didn't. I don't think that was their focus.

CoffeeDregs 14y ago

At the end of the airplane ad: gotta go to aisle 2 to help with a Keynote issue! 1) Why was the first guy having so many issues? 2) To the average user, WTF is a keynote? 3) I thought that Macs were easy to use? Why do we need a "genius" to help use them? In hindsight, I have no recollection of the nature of the issues the Genius solved. I just remember that lots of Macs were being used and lots of problems were occurring, leading the genius to have to run around the plane. Or something. This is in stark contrast to Apple ads of the past: * Rainbow colored people dancing around with iPods. Music + simple + fun = iPod. Got it. * I'm a Mac. Funny, non-threatening, laid-back hipster versus clumsy, goofy, sweaty guy. Macs are simple, smart, cool. Got it. * Old iPhone ads. Lots of swiping, cool effects, plenty of brands, easy to use. Pick up an iPhone, noodle with it and I'll get it. Got it.

taligent 14y ago
So let me see if I have this right. What you remember is that "If you are having problems with your Mac (no matter how dumb) then an Apple genius is available who is willing to do anything to help you." Sounds to me like Apple achieved the purpose of the ads.
- pizza 14y ago
  The ad implies it's not easy.
  - jopt 14y ago
    Which would be a problem if the ad targeted people who expect it to be easy. Apple are trying to sell Macs to people who are afraid of clicking unfamiliar icons, people who don't read dialogue boxes. The Mac users in their commercials are full of energy, and although (as we can see from the Genius' reaction) they don't know much, they're pushing forward without fear of failure.
    - pizza 14y ago
      > Apple are trying to sell Macs to people who are afraid of clicking unfamiliar icons, people who don't read dialogue boxes. That means they want an easy experience, no?

mladenkovacevic 14y ago

I guess on the plus side the ads present the friendly, cheery, non-threatening genius as a contrast to some grumpy, over caffeinated helpdesk guy you might have working at your office or a sleazy, lazy Best Buy customer service rep who just wants to sell you another warranty. What's odd though is that every ad shows exactly the situations where you wouldn't have access to a genius :S Here is everybody analyzing these ads like they are a long-lost Kubrick reel so I guess it still works on some level among the Apple faithful.

vegashacker 14y ago

I like the one called Mayday (http://www.apple.com/mac/videos/#tv-ads-mayday http://www.apple.com/mac/videos/#tv-ads-mayday). The awkward delivery of "I'm a genius" comes off as sincere modesty, in contrast to the condescenion of Justin Long's "I'm a Mac" character. This is actually charming. The task in the commercial (creating a video from lots of raw footage) is something a non computer pro wouldn't expect to be easy. Being able to do that in "27 minutes" sounds impressive. And the fact that a Genius could show you how to do this in that short amount of time is appealing. This isn't portraying Macs as having lots of problems--it's showing that mere mortals can do impressive things with them. Finally, the guy the Genius helps first actually gets up with the Genius to go help the guy in 21F. The commercial ends with him saying, "Let's do this." The Genius gave someone such confidence in their Mac skills that he feels ready to become a Genius-like helper himself. The other two suck though.

rglover 14y ago

I shared similar sentiments about the airplane ad that started popping up recently. It really does feel like a watered down, misdirected version of Apple. My initial reaction was an audible "huh?"

radley 14y ago

Apple used to demonstrate effulgence and creativity. These were Lifestyle-channel ads. I couldn't watch after the first one.

Johngibb 14y ago

I think that people are way overreacting to these ads. They're not great - I don't like them. I didn't like Mac vs. PC ads either. Apple has made mistakes while Steve Jobs was there too. Think of the cube, of antennagate, of all the cracks and discoloring and recalls of early MacBooks. Think of Ping, and MobileMe. Not every misstep is a signal that Apple is in decline without Steve Jobs; I'm not even convinced that these ads wouldn't have come out with if Jobs was still with us.

ruethewhirled 14y ago

I find that American style ad's have an underlining fakeness to them, its hard to put my finger on it. I'm assuming its just a cultural difference being from New Zealand but some ad's from the States just grate me the wrong way. These Apple ad's are particularly bad in this respect.

ronaldj 14y ago
That's how I feel when I see ads from other countries other than the US. These ads reminds me a little bit of them.
grecy 14y ago
It's because they're actors with pearl-perfect teeth, perfectly styled hair, perfect professional makeup and they are in a Hollywood perfect world where everything is spotless and organized 'just so'. It kind of makes things feel like a dream. The reality of life in the US is a hilarious smack in the face compared to the Hollywood advertised US we see on TV/Movies
slurgfest 14y ago
As an American I don't find this feeling foreign at all. I would be interested to find out whether this was more of a personality or a nationality thing (and whether it couldn't be controlled by using different accents with the same script, etc.)

brudgers 14y ago

The commercials make geniuses seem analogous to crapware. Buying a sleek computer without one who acts in the way depicted in the commercials might be seen as a feature.

gojomo 14y ago

I like the new genius-centered ads, such as the ones with a genius helping a plane passenger or an expectant father. They're gently absurd situations. The genius is helpful above-and-beyond what would be reasonable, emphasizing an important Apple advantage. And, specific product benefits get worked into the dialogue. I always thought the 'genius bar' naming was a bit pretentious, but clearly it's worked as a brand differentiator for Apple for years. And while I've got nothing against Justin Long, the Mac-vs-PC ads featuring him were far more elitist/patronizing/snooty. In these ads, the genius is more amiable. Let's not forget the generation of 'Switcher' ads that had Ellen "beep, beep, beep" Feiss. Apple ads have varied in tone and focus from year-to-year: you can't feature archetypes against a white background forever, as any look will get dated over time. (Maybe some of the future genius-helping-outside-the-store ads can feature cameos of previous ad actors... Feiss, Hodgeman, Dreyfuss getting direct genius help?)

Aloha 14y ago

I like it. From where I sit it pokes fun at the stereotypical "living in the land of unrealistic expectations" Apple Macintosh user. Maybe that's why some of the folks are so offended at it. Like it or not, even the Mac is a complex combination of hardware and software, and while much of this is obvious to those of us who spend 8+ hours in front of a computer, its not obvious those everyone else. While perhaps poorly executed, I think the ads do point out the difference between Apple and Everyone Else; When you buy a Mac, there is ALWAYS an expert standing by to help you solve your problems, someone who knows everything about your hardware and software, this is something the PC world does not have.

dbecker 14y ago

Is Apple trying to change their brand image from "It just works" to "Using our software is stressful and requires special knowledge. Expect to work with tech support for day-to-day usage."

snowwrestler 14y ago

When Apple announced their plans to open retail stores, there was a general reaction something like "what a huge mistake." The most recent experiences in branded computer retail had been the Gateway stores, and we all know how they turned out. This was before Steve Jobs was (apparently) universally acknowledged as an infallible business leader. Think about what we might know about Tim Cook 7 years from now. I think the ads are fine, but I can see how others might not like them. Either way I think it's a pretty big stretch to extrapolate these into a general decline for the company.

wisty 14y ago

They don't show the products. It's almost like a satire of a Linux fanboy: "I want to back up my hard drive every day." "It's simple - one command and it's in your crontab!" "Wow. And ... I'm looking for a file I was working on. I can't remember the name, all I know is it's got a phone number somewhere near the top." "OK, what format was the phone number in? I can grep that in no time!" "Wait, it's on my home competer! I'll never be able to access it" "HA! That's what you think. Let's see if your SSH is up ..."

slurgfest 14y ago
Sadly, that would leave a better impression than current Linux marketing efforts, of which there are effectively none...
Tichy 14y ago
You make those sound like a bad thing. How do you search for a document with a phone number on OS X? Is the appropriate (socially acceptable) response for these problems to clap your hands together over your head and shout "oh dear"?
- wisty 14y ago
  grep? OSX has a UNIX terminal. Apple is popular because it's user friendly, not because it has features. Advertising features isn't going to wow people. Demonstrating how user-friendly features are (even if you fake it a bit with expert users, and cherry-picking use cases) works, not simply telling the users that the features are there (and worse, arrogantly saying they are easy to use).
  - Tichy 14y ago
    Yes but grep is not allowed for this task, it is not socially acceptable. So how would you do it in an Apple way (cool, stylish, hipsterish) without freaking people out?
- alexdias 14y ago
  You either use grep or Spotlight.

lis 14y ago

There is actually another point to consider: employee satisfaction and recognition. These ads are stressing the importance of the geniuses for apple. Kind of like intels "our rockstars aren't your rockstars" campaign, which emphasizes the fact that the researchers and engineers are really important for intels success. I used to work as a researcher for another big software company and I would have loved such a spot, just to feel recognized. Our rockstars were definitely the sales people.

hk_kh 14y ago

Oh.. excuse a company for trying to target a wider audience. Now, if the discussion is about these ads involving a decay on the quality of the end product, wait at least two years. Right now, some people is pissed off because these ads "do not represent" them at all. Well, Apple marketing execs do not care. They already got you on the bandwagon.

extension 14y ago

For comparison: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oAB83Z1ydE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oAB83Z1ydE