Apple May Part Ways With Ad Agency TBWA, Plans to Tap Beats' Jimmy Iovine for Marketing Revamp

[MACelmore]

The comments section is always gold. When the "wall huggers" ad from Samsung came out, everyone called fowl, saying Samsung was attacking Apple USERS (which is true). But EVERYTHING Beats-related gets attacked on this board. The headphones may not be for you, but for people who listen to hip-hop/rap/EDM, and other bass-heavy genres, there is no competition. The new Bose headphones are amazing, and $30 cheaper than Beats, but they can't hold a candle to Beats for the music that I listen to. People aren't paying $200 for an inferior product, they're paying $200 because they sound good.

And how can you not like that ad?!?! I think we can all agree that Nike has had years upon years of successful advertising, and this ad felt very Nike-ish. It ran before the World Cup began, right at fever pitch as the world waited for the tournament to begin, and they released it at the perfect time. It captured everyone's excitement for the game.

I can understand that you may not be the target audience. But Apple needs to market to younger people. Adults make sensible buying choices with their financial state in mind. People 25 and under tend to impulse buy... That's the market that Beats has captured, and that's the market that Apple needs to tap into. I'm 28, and over the past few years, my text messages have been going from mostly blue to mostly green. Young people relate to Samsung; Apple needs to do something about it.

 

[mangonights]

That Beats 'Game Before the Game' ad is pretty damn good. Slap an Apple logo on it and Samsung would be deader than dead. If that is what Apple starts putting out, it's got my vote.

 

[dvoros]

marketing

Apple trouble is that its very sloooow to release any new products. Competitors are putting out products every month. Apple is still stuck in the time warp of only releasing in the Sept/Oct. timeframe which is so "old school".

 

[filiale]

Putting famous soccer players in your ads is almost as desperate as putting dogs in them to gain attention. Almost, not quite.

 

[Jayomat]

Was I supposed to recognize anyone in that ad? Just wondering because I didn't, not in the slightest.

you obviously have no clue at all about "soccer" then

 

[Baumi]

I can see how that Beats ad might be very successful in football-crazy nations (i.e. most of the world) but I can equally imagine that it might have fallen flat in the US, because the game still isn't that big of a deal there (in spite of the record audiences at this year's World Cup).

To have a comparable ad for the US, you'd probably need to bring together the top players from the NFL, MLB, and NBA. That would get US-Americans talking, but it probably wouldn't do so well in the rest of the world (except for NBA players – everyone seems to know US basketball).

 

[mangonights]

For those hating on the Beats hardware, sound quality, etc. That's pretty short sighted. The first thing Apple is going to do is leverage their engineering talent and manufacturing base to make the Beats hardware the best on the market. With Apple's economies of scale, they can improve the hardware while maintaining or reducing prices. The next generation of Beats products will be an entirely different thing.

 

[sixrom]

that Beats ad is AWFUL, from the unnecessary opening that so self-centeredly and conspicuously mentions "Beats by Dr. Dre Presents" to the slow, monotonous, melodramatic conversation urging the athlete to "run like a crazy man". That conversation was so unnatural. Who the hell do they think they are with this ad??? Jesus christ, give me a ***** break. A long 5-minute ad that tries WAY too hard to communicate the oh-so-subtle concept of "buy these headphones". I much prefer Apple's more subtle ads, although maybe that's not what works anymore. I really hope they don't lose sight of who they are, or feel like they need to change.

This entire Beats acquisition is a poor choice on Apples part. Reeking of desperation with its hip hop / gangsta vibe this is so unlike Apple it tarnishes what class Apple had. Yet if seeking that demographic of drug laced urban culture is the New Apple then they've nailed it.

Jobs is turning in his grave.

 

[Kwill]

Samsung the truth

"The next big thing is already here." The truth hurts. But is that a reason to fire your agency?

 

[elev8d]

Exactly... and this is the genius of Beats - they convinced a whole generation that huge ass headphones are cool to wear at any time - you see folks bopping in the subway without a worry on how they look.

Actually huge ass headphones have been cool since the 80s, because they have always been the choice of professional musicians and DJs.
You can't try to convince me IEMS serve the same purpose, because a 53mm driver will kill that any day. Beats just mainstreamed the underground culture.

 

[winston1236]

Just yesterday I was commenting to my friend regarding the weak recent Apple ads. The final straw for me was the most annoying "Chicken Fat' iPad ad.
Chiat Day is a shadow of it's former self. Good riddance, if true.

Yea the "chicken fat" ad is awful. "Look at all this extra stuff you have to buy to use our product!" is an awkward message.

 

[elev8d]

This entire Beats acquisition is a poor choice on Apples part. Reeking of desperation with its hip hop / gangsta vibe this is so unlike Apple it tarnishes what class Apple had. Yet if seeking that demographic of drug laced urban culture is the New Apple then they've nailed it.

Jobs is turning in his grave.

I saw nothing about drugs at all. Nothing hip hop, but clearly quite a lot of ignorance and probably a bit of unintended bigotry in your post.

The ad was centered around soccer and was capturing footage from Brazil favelas, which are the low income areas of Brazilian cities. It was not 'gangsta' at all. It was about a low income youth that has succeeded in the sport has his family's hearts and prayers behind him. That why the music selected was perfect with it's gospel vocal backings, which was not hip hop, but pop/electronic music with a cinematic slow beat. It needed some editing to cut out some of the unnecessary footage, but otherwise was pretty well done from my viewpoint.

Granted, I can't determine how good an ad is without seeing it's copy test ratings, but then again neither can you.

 

[stevejobz]

I think Beats hits the nail on the head. That commercial was hardcore and to the point it connected the poor, rich and celebrity by the use of Beats. This is very important. Of course the signing of all those all star athletes for the commercial is important as well but the message they project. Using religion and celebrities to show the consumer they are one of us.

 

[Lazy]

Was I supposed to recognize anyone in that ad? Just wondering because I didn't, not in the slightest.

you obviously have no clue at all about "soccer" then

I know something about 'soccer' but I don't watch it. I could infer from your comment that the headphone wearers are well-known soccer players. But even better is the post right above yours referring to famous soccer players, which answers my question. Thanks to that poster.

 

[leontief]

I completely agree it's not the Apple culture kind of ads that we used to know. Besides the 3:01 mark of the video looks like the girl is having sex with someone, it's unnecessary for a headphone commercial. Besides Beats uses famous people in sports like Lebron to promote the product. Apple focuses on their product to promote itself.

It's not a headphone commercial, it's a lifestyle commercial. Just like all the old Apple ones, your just not the target demographic anymore. Get over it.

 

[AdonisSMU]

Well, hopefully they were a gift.

/You can get the same Bass heavy sound for a fraction of the price now. Just can't get the big "b" on the side.

I haven't heard any that are better. In fact only one set of bass heavy headphones I would rate as better than beats and it costs $20 more money. I can't remember the name though.

----------

When it comes to ignorant posts on this forum, this post is right near the top of the list. Over generalize much?

If it wasn't obvious... I was clearly joking. Take all the whinny BS and all that attention that you need and apply it to something else.

 

[bpeeps]

That ad was really cool! I really like how much sports! Those guys were really big and very cool, and I liked how the women liked them. They sure were big and good at hitting rubber balls with various appendages. I don't know if anybody else noticed because of how subtle it was, but the big, cool men whom women like were wearing a specific brand of headphones! I think I may purchase a pair, for they will doubtlessly make me big, muscly, and liked by the opposite sex! It's like the mushrooms in Mario: magical and definitely sensical! What a phenomenal ad! Also, if anybody is interested in providing an alternate interpretation of what happens at 3:01, I'd greatly appreciate it, for all I can see is a low angle shot of a woman thrusting up and down (gif'd) as if in the midst of… anyway, what a great ad! I really need to buy some SEX—I mean Beats®!

AKA, I have no concept how marketing works.

 

[AngerDanger]

AKA, I have no concept how marketing works.

I know how marketing works and find that Beats ad to be a comedic caricature. But go ahead, make other assertions about me that I'm not aware of.

 

[RedCoil]

I don't really get why people are so opposed to this move. Beats entered a very crowded market with an overpriced and inferior product. They then practically took over that market with a brilliant marketing and advertising campaign. If Apple is acquiring that company and it's talent, why wouldn't they look to the Beats team for advertising?

I don't know that the "Game Before the Game" ad is the best of 2014, but its far better than anything Apple has done in years. Their latest ads have been absolutely terrible. I change the channel whenever that awful "Parenthood" ad comes on. Even if the Beats team don't take over advertising, TBWA needs to be kicked to the curb.

 

[sixrom]

The ad was centered around soccer and was capturing footage from Brazil favelas

My post clearly indicated a position on the acquisition, not just one ad.

 

[bpeeps]

I know how marketing works...

Pray tell.

 

[AngerDanger]

Pray tell.

Tell you what, exactly? How I understand how marketing works? Shall I print out schematics of the neural activity in my brain? First, I'd like you to explain how my initial comment demonstrated a lack of concept of how marketing works.

 

[nando87]

I know how marketing works and find that Beats ad to be a comedic caricature. But go ahead, make other assertions about me that I'm not aware of.

yes yes yes because it's obvious that beats is very bad at marketing, they will call you some of these days mr important man

 

[AngerDanger]

yes yes yes because it's obvious that beats is very bad at marketing, they will call you some of these days mr important man

Please, Mr. Important Man is my father; you can simply call me Anger. Just because I don't care for the ad doesn't mean I think it's horrible. The demographic it appeals to really does like to see big muscly men wear headphones and hit balls around. It's their thing, and I don't purport to understand it.

 

[pcrane2]

masculine

I hope this does not turn out like the Beats displays in the stores....Sexist and male centred. Even this video was totally male centered.