Apple Issues Apology After 'Destructive' iPad Ad Was Widely Criticized
Apple's destructive commercial for its new iPad wasn't exactly a hit with the creatives it was trying to target, and the company has now issued a rare apology for the clip in a statement to AdAge.
During a press event this week for the new iPad Pro, CEO Tim Cook shared a commercial that centered around creative implements being crushed by a hydraulic press into the shape of an iPad Pro. It was meant to signify that the vast capabilities of the device.
Unfortunately for the company, many creatives took offense to these images, calling them wasteful or disrespectful to art at a time when AI threatens to upend the creative industry. Japanese viewers, in particular, found the commercial distasteful, as Japanese culture holds great respect for creative tools and musical instruments.
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
On Thursday, Apple's VP of Marketing Communications Tor Myhren issued an apology. “Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world,” Myhren told AdAge. “Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad,” Myhren added. “We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.”
The commercial will no longer be airing on TV as a result, although it's still available online.
The new iPad Pro is being billed as Apple's thinnest product ever. It is available for pre-order now.