Apple Apologizes for 'Crush' iPad Pro Ad, Won't Put It on TV

[ric22]

When introducing the new M4 iPad Pro models, Apple showed a video of a hydraulic press crushing all manner of creative tools, including musical instruments, electronic equipment, arcade games, paint and brushes, computers, cameras, and more, with the aim of demonstrating how the iPad represents all of the tools condensed into a single device.

The ad was a play on the popular hydraulic press videos that are popular across social media sites, but creatives found the concept to be in poor taste. Actor Hugh Grant referred to the ad as the "destruction of the human experience," director Reed Morano told Apple to "read the room" and called it "actually psychotic," and Basecamp CTO David Heinemeier Hansson said it "symbolizes everything everyone has ever hated about digitization."

The upset over the Crush ad led Apple to issue an apology. In a statement to Ad Age, Apple marketing vice president Tor Myhren said that the video ultimately "missed the mark."Apple left the Crush video on its YouTube channel, but the ad won't be running on television.

Article Link: Apple Apologizes for 'Crush' iPad Pro Ad, Won't Put It on TV

Unfortunate that the horrid advert is all that the European media are talking about, and not the new iPads or fancy new M4 chip...

 

[AndyUnderscoreR]

I've just waded through 14 pages of bickering to make sure nobody had beaten me to posting the Scot Squad video, and nobody has, so here goes:

 

[dmr727]

Again, we get the point of the ad. The problem is that it’s a bad ad. It sends the opposite message than what was intended.

Yep - it blows my mind that it got approved. I'm not a creative and I wasn't bothered by the ad in the least, but anyone with a couple of brain cells to rub together could have predicted this response. I think they're going to be talking about this SNAFU in advertising classes for a long time. Apple almost *never* apologizes - that says something.

 

[FineWoven]

Steve Jobs wouldn't have let that video get out of the rough stage, let alone get ready to put it into the advertising channel.

Since we're bickering over SJ hypotheticals, he also wouldn't have ever let a stylus be made for his beloved iPad product line either. In what is now a famous moment in Apple history, he damn near vomited at the idea of such a thing when discussing it during his keynote.

 

[GtrDude]

Apple has lost all it used to have.
Timmey has done so many un-Apple things it’s crazy.
Jobs is turning in his grave with regret

 

[Jim Lahey]

I wouldn't mind betting the Apple big wigs are sitting around smoking cigars laughing at all this. Mission accomplished attracting mainstream news publicity for a declining product category. It's not even beyond the wit of man to imagine them chucking a few bob to an actor or two in return for some counterfeit Twitter rage.

 

[beanbaguk]

I've just waded through 14 pages of bickering to make sure nobody had beaten me to posting the Scot Squad video, and nobody has, so here goes:

You've pretty much summarised the entire thread.

I applaud you!

 

[jimbobb24]

The “don’t be so sensitive” replies here are so weird. It’s not about being “offended,” it’s that this is a genuinely terrible ad. Bleak, dystopian, just downright depressing.

Apple need not *apologize* for it, but they’re certainly right not to air it, as it’s a terrible look for their brand.

The man said he was... "checks notes" psychotic. People have used words like horrific. Someone said represents everything everyones HATES.

The sensitivity is the mind that uses strong language for an ad. If you think it's a terrible ad....who cares. No one. People can disagree. What is sensitive and pathetic is the point of view of others is using such excessive hyperbole to describe their emotional reaction to an ad. There are horrible and pschotic things in this world that generate hate. Ads....ads are just corporate propaganda and not worth ....well not worthy my typ

 

[Surf Monkey]

Since we're bickering over SJ hypotheticals, he also wouldn't have ever let a stylus be made for his beloved iPad product line either. In what is now a famous moment in Apple history, he damn near vomited at the idea of such a thing when discussing it during his keynote.

The Apple Pencil isn’t a stylus in that sense. Jobs’ objection was over using a stylus for operating the whole UI. Apple Pencil isn’t intended for that use. It’s a paintbrush, basically. Please go ahead and try to argue that Jobs would have rejected a digital paintbrush.

 

[Surf Monkey]

I wouldn't mind betting the Apple big wigs are sitting around smoking cigars laughing at all this. Mission accomplished attracting mainstream news publicity for a declining product category. It's not even beyond the wit of man to imagine them chucking a few bob to an actor or two in return for some counterfeit Twitter rage.

The 3D chess argument? Come on now.

 

[palmguyactual]

I loved the ad and thought it was creative.

 

[verniesgarden]

That's honestly sad to hear. I feel crushed.

really pressed your button didn't it?

 

[maxoakland]

Is it possible to be any softer than these people complaining. How pathetic of apple to cave.

Easy. You just have to be outraged that people are offended and mad at Apple for complaining. You’re doing great!

 

[Eriamjh1138@DAN]

I've just waded through 14 pages of bickering to make sure nobody had beaten me to posting the Scot Squad video, and nobody has, so here goes:

This calls for the non-apology apology.

"I'm sorry you feel that way. It was not my intent."

I think this applies to Apple in this case. I'm sorry, if you don't like it.

 

[truthsteve]

You are proving my point. Thank you.

recap:
You: "people's inability to see other people's points of view"
Me: "You can see other people's points of view"
You: "You proved my point.

lol 🤣

thanks for the laughs.

going to move on.

 

[Jim Lahey]

The 3D chess argument? Come on now.

No argument from me, but nothing would surprise me anymore. Fifteen pages of bickering says it's worked in their favor no matter what. Absolutely no chance Apple didn't see what a lot of others are seeing in the video. They can't not have known it would attract controversy so why apologise after the fact? Just saying 👍

 

[acader]

That Piano death traumatized me...

Do you have a damn good lawyer?

 

[sracer]

Soon we will have to appologize on TV for sneezing in public.
What a world we live in.

You don't like the commercial and the company, don't buy their products.

Let's make the world world bubble protected because I am afraid to get out of the house.

That's exactly what Apple has a reputation of doing (protecting adults from adult things). That is in part why some found the ad offensive.

I wasn't bothered by it. Tech has already replaced much of analog... it won't stop until it is complete. Even an ancient caveman like myself can see it.

 

[CySU]

“People get upset way too easily these days!” — says the consensus of a 15 page thread on the topic. 😆

 

[rp2011]

Imagine Microsoft making an ad that thumbs its nose at business professionals.

Apple did no such thing. Faux outrage. People love faux outrage, To combat it everyone needs to ignore it, not feed the trolls.

 

[WilliamG]

I absolutely hated this ad, and generally love all Apple's ads. There was nothing clever about it. It's just a violent deconstruction of art and creativity, and emblematic of what we've become as a species. I'm glad Apple apologized.

 

[beanbaguk]

I loved the ad and thought it was creative.

Note how the same people who laughed at your point of view, are the same for criticise the ad and try and are the same that are in favour of cancelling anything that offends them.

 

[H. Flower]

I wouldn't mind betting the Apple big wigs are sitting around smoking cigars laughing at all this. Mission accomplished attracting mainstream news publicity for a declining product category. It's not even beyond the wit of man to imagine them chucking a few bob to an actor or two in return for some counterfeit Twitter rage.

I salute your cynicism, but the iPad market is increasing, not decreasing.

 

[truthsteve]

I feel like people here are raging against people who were “offended” but I really haven’t seen anyone who was? People just didn’t like it. They understood the intended message, but didn’t think it was executed well and unintentionally sent a different, bleaker message.

If people think a movie is poorly made, and have critiques of it, it doesn’t automatically mean they were “offended” by it.

Yeah, its a strawman argument.

Nobody is "outraged."

did you even reed Reed's post? tell me again how that's not outrage.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1788298509780685261

 

[stinksroundhere]

Well, the advertisement makes sense. Apple
Does tend to crush everything these days and take the soul right out of it, especially that of the art world. Strange how Apple would promote being “Artsy” when they are the first to apologize for anything remotely resembling freedom of expression and differing opinions.

Overall, the advertisement isn’t anything to even get in a hissy over, anyways. If people are offended over this, I can’t even imagine if they saw the Nintendo advertisements from the 90s for their game boy. A woman seductively tied to the bed waiting for fun but the guy is just standing there playing the game boy because it’s that much funner. Yes, that’s a Nintendo ad.

But, hey…let’s moan about a hydraulic press 😂

History is full of controversial ads that made people gasp and laugh at the same time.

All ads are cringe anyway.

Ads should go away and we should be able to just point and click at product placement in movies, as long as the actor's done say 'Hmmmmm this Starbucks Frappomochacinospicelatte is awesome!'