Apple unveiled the iPad Pro through an advertisement that creatively depicted the transformation from various creative objects into the ultra-thin iPad. However, the advertisement faced significant criticism on social media.
While Apple is renowned for its impactful and innovative advertisements, this particular campaign backfired, eliciting criticism on social media. Many users expressed disapproval of the iPhone maker’s portrayal of the destruction of various creative objects. Notably, actor Hugh Grant and filmmaker Justine Bateman also commented on the advertisement.
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
What was the advertisement?
Apple’s advertisement titled “Crush,” shared by CEO Tim Cook on Tuesday following the company’s tablet announcement event, depicts a sequence of destruction. The ad begins with a trumpet being squished, followed by an industrial compressor flattening a line of paint cans, buckling a piano, and seemingly destroying a marble bust. The final act of destruction involves popping the eyes out of a ball-shaped yellow emoji.
As the compressor rises, it unveils Apple’s latest offering: the updated iPad Pro.
The most recent advertisement features a giant industrial press crushing a variety of creative instruments such as pianos, old-model TVs, guitars, toys, and more. Ultimately, viewers witness the transformation of these objects into Apple’s ultra-thin iPad. The advertisement video was shared by Apple CEO Tim Cook on Wednesday.
In his post unveiling the new iPad Pro, Tim Cook emphasized its remarkable attributes, describing it as the thinnest product ever created by Apple, boasting the most advanced display they’ve ever produced, powered by the formidable M4 chip. He expressed anticipation for the myriad of creative possibilities the device would enable.
However, the advertisement triggered a robust debate on social media about the relevance of traditional instruments in an era dominated by cutting-edge technology. Many users, like Kiaran Ritchie, questioned the symbolism of destroying these beautiful and time-honored creative tools. They found it to be a poignant commentary on the evolution of creativity in the digital age.
Reactions to the ad
Actor Hugh Grant weighed in with a critique, suggesting that the destruction depicted in the advertisement symbolized the erosion of the human experience, attributing it to the influence of Silicon Valley. His comment echoed concerns about the potential loss of traditional artistry and craftsmanship in a world increasingly driven by technological innovation.
Justification for the advertisement that crushes various forms of artistic expression, tweeted by Justine Bateman, questions Apple’s motives. Bateman suggests that the promotion, emblematic of technological advancement and artificial intelligence (AI), signals a disregard for the arts and society as a whole. She argues that such endeavors are not aimed at improving the world but rather enriching a select few, leading to the polarization of wealth and detriment to society at large. Bateman concludes by invoking a biblical quote, “The love of money is the root of all evil” (1 Timothy 6:10), implying that the pursuit of profit may lead to ethical and moral compromises.
Another social media user offered criticism of the advertisement, expressing disapproval of the destruction of symbols representing human creativity and cultural accomplishments as a means to appeal to professional creators. They sarcastically suggested that Apple could take a similarly insensitive approach with their next product, the Apple Watch Pro, by depicting the destruction of sports equipment and showcasing a robot outrunning a human, followed by a provocative declaration implying the death of traditional values.
Following the release of the advertisement, some users on social media proposed that it would have been more effective if it had been presented in reverse, presumably meaning to show the creation or resurrection of the destroyed objects instead.
User ‘kepano’ suggested that the advertisement would have been more effective if it had been reversed. They proposed that instead of depicting the destruction of various objects being crushed into the iPad, the objects should expand out of the iPad, symbolizing creation and innovation. ‘Kepano’ also shared an edited version of the advertisement, created in just five minutes using iMovie.
