Apple Releases New Version of 'The Song' Ad for Chinese New Year

[MacRumors]

Apple today released a new version of its holiday ad "The Song" to coincide with the Chinese New Year holiday, using new actresses and showing a variety of Apple products throughout the video.

Like the original version, the Chinese version of "The Song" centers around a girl who comes across a vintage record sung by her grandmother as she secretly learns the notes and vocals to put together her own rendition alongside the original. The commercial ends with the girl and her grandmother listening side-by-side to the new record on an iPad.

The ad is currently being featured on Apple's Chinese website. The company has opened a number of new stores in the past couple of weeks in time for Chinese New Year, with new locations popping up in Chongqing and Hangzhou.

Article Link: Apple Releases New Version of 'The Song' Ad for Chinese New Year

 

[BCWorld]

Nice ad. How about some new products, apple? #

 

[lk400]

How many countries does apple customize it's advertisements for? Im doing this for China, do they risk making other countries (eg other Asian countries) feel left out?

 

[Quu]

Kind of cheapens the idea of the original ad in my opinion to repeat it like this just with different actors.

What they think China won't like black actors? Nothing gets said in the original ad except for the music lyrics and they could have dubbed those with a chinese song.

Just my two cents.

 

[szw-mapple fan]

How many countries does apple customize it's advertisements for? Im doing this for China, do they risk making other countries (eg other Asian countries) feel left out?

I remember they also did it for japan for the Mac vs PC ads.

 

[DanielSw]

Nice ad. How about some new products, apple? #

Patience is a virtue.

 

[0003462]

My understanding is that Chinese culture and interaction is largely built upon respect; face-to-face meetings rather than phone or video calls and the like.

Apple's targeting to China all seems a bit cheap; make an advert aimed at China, mention China explicitly in keynotes, feign a respect for the culture, and watch them buy our stuff. Nothing about it seems sincere.

Admittedly, as I'm typing this, I realise Apple is a company looking to make money, but it all just seems so transparent.

 

[DanielSw]

Kind of cheapens the idea of the original ad in my opinion to repeat it like this just with different actors.

What they think China won't like black actors? Nothing gets said in the original ad except for the music lyrics and they could have dubbed those with a chinese song.

Just my two cents.

You're totally missing the message of the ad if you hang up on racial color.

Amongst many other important values, the Chinese culture still reveres the elderly.

This ad reaches across racial barriers erected by the unenightened, and celebrates this far more important and sustaining truth. It also celebrates youth and new beginnings aided by technology, which has been Apple's theme for a good while now--quite appropriate for the Chinese New Year.

 

[Kaibelf]

Kind of cheapens the idea of the original ad in my opinion to repeat it like this just with different actors.

What they think China won't like black actors? Nothing gets said in the original ad except for the music lyrics and they could have dubbed those with a chinese song.

Just my two cents.

1. There are far more Chinese than blacks in China.
2. It helps to sell the product if the song is actually in a language the viewer understands.
3. What cheapens the original ad, frankly, is playing the race card. More than one ethnicity actually cares about their grandparents. Therefore, race card DENIED.

 

[xionxiox]

My understanding is that Chinese culture and interaction is largely built upon respect; face-to-face meetings rather than phone or video calls and the like.

Apple's targeting to China all seems a bit cheap; make an advert aimed at China, mention China explicitly in keynotes, feign a respect for the culture, and watch them buy our stuff. Nothing about it seems sincere.

Admittedly, as I'm typing this, I realise Apple is a company looking to make money, but it all just seems so transparent.

Huh? You don't know much about my culture.

----------

Kind of cheapens the idea of the original ad in my opinion to repeat it like this just with different actors.

What they think China won't like black actors? Nothing gets said in the original ad except for the music lyrics and they could have dubbed those with a chinese song.

Just my two cents.

Fair point, but I think it's because the song is in chinese and it wouldn't make much sense for the girl to be mouthing english words to chinese dub. Plus, the father in the previous ad appeared to be a war veteran for the United states, so it is more appropriate to customize this particular ad.

 

[Kaibelf]

Huh? You don't know much about my culture.

He's probably basing his understanding on things he's seen in television shows and movies rather than any real experience, similar to how some people assume that everyone in China rides around on a bicycle with a cone shaped hat instead of going about their modern lives like everyone else.

 

[Gasu E.]

How many countries does apple customize it's advertisements for? Im doing this for China, do they risk making other countries (eg other Asian countries) feel left out?

Kind of cheapens the idea of the original ad in my opinion to repeat it like this just with different actors.

What they think China won't like black actors? Nothing gets said in the original ad except for the music lyrics and they could have dubbed those with a chinese song.

The purpose of an ad is advertising (duh)! The target audience is supposed to identify with the people in the ad. Why would you put people who are obviously Americans in an ad aimed at China? And it isn't an "artistic statement", it's a sales pitch; you can't "cheapen the idea". You can, however, make it pointless; for example, by misfiring on the target audience.

 

[Dekema2]

Speaking of ads, I wonder why there was no Apple Watch ad during the "Big Game" last night.

 

[Quu]

1. There are far more Chinese than blacks in China.
2. It helps to sell the product if the song is actually in a language the viewer understands.
3. What cheapens the original ad, frankly, is playing the race card. More than one ethnicity actually cares about their grandparents. Therefore, race card DENIED.

1. There is more white people in America than blacks just like there are more chinese people in china than blacks.
2. I already said they could dub a chinese song in to the advertisement
3. I don't think the original ad played the race card unless to you blacks shouldn't be on TV because it's just a token gesture or racial bias? Silly.

You're totally missing the message of the ad if you hang up on racial color.

Amongst many other important values, the Chinese culture still reveres the elderly.

This ad reaches across racial barriers erected by the unenightened, and celebrates this far more important and sustaining truth. It also celebrates youth and new beginnings aided by technology, which has been Apple's theme for a good while now--quite appropriate for the Chinese New Year.

My point is that they already made this ad in America. Why do the same exact advertisement with chinese actors? To me it loses its genuineness and now feels really generic. I liked the original it felt real, now it just feels cheap both the original and this recreation because they just remade it like it was worthless.

Remember Apple isn't just making advertisements like other companies they want people to feel things. By redoing this ad it makes me feel like they are just like any other cold company, this isn't what they are striving for, it's what they are. Remember the narrative and brand image they are trying to drive and reality are two separate things.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

When did race come into this tread? Where are the mods when you need them?

 

[Quu]

When did race come into this tread? Where are the mods when you need them?

I think race came in to it when Apple remade their advertisement 1:1 and just changed the race of the actors shown in the ad.

 

[chocolaterabbit]

My point is that they already made this ad in America. Why do the same exact advertisement with chinese actors? To me it loses its genuineness and now feels really generic. I liked the original it felt real, now it just feels cheap both the original and this recreation because they just remade it like it was worthless.

Remember Apple isn't just making advertisements like other companies they want people to feel things. By redoing this ad it makes me feel like they are just like any other cold company, this isn't what they are striving for, it's what they are. Remember the narrative and brand image they are trying to drive and reality are two separate things.

1. As was already pointed out, Apple remade the ad so Chinese customers can identify with the actors, which makes perfect sense. How are they supposed to identify with a black family with a American army veteran, singing in English? And suggesting that they dub the original is exactly the kind of tacky thing Apple wouldn't do. It feels cheap and unthoughtful.

2. If another company copied the Apple ad, does that cheapen the original?

----------

I think race came in to it when Apple remade their advertisement 1:1 and just changed the race of the actors shown in the ad.

Because people seem to be surprised that different countries identify with different races.

 

[satchmo]

1. As was already pointed out, Apple remade the ad so Chinese customers can identify with the actors, which makes perfect sense. How are they supposed to identify with a black family with a American army veteran, singing in English?

Exactly. And some here seem to think this is something new. As if no other company customizes their marketing efforts for specific markets.

It's called localization, knowing your audience and then connecting with them in some meaningful manner.

 

[chirpie]

My point is that they already made this ad in America. Why do the same exact advertisement with chinese actors? To me it loses its genuineness and now feels really generic.

Kind of odd to me this is how you feel. This is simply versioning on a broader mission statement that both ads adhere to.

There's a good chance that original ad you find so original had multiple versions, each with slightly different cuts and music cues. To the people who make ads like these for Apple, the spirit is exactly the same, just yet another version that was released out in the wild. It's the idea that's also affecting, not just the type of execution.

 

[lk400]

The purpose of an ad is advertising (duh)! The target audience is supposed to identify with the people in the ad. Why would you put people who are obviously Americans in an ad aimed at China? And it isn't an "artistic statement", it's a sales pitch; you can't "cheapen the idea". You can, however, make it pointless; for example, by misfiring on the target audience.

I understand that, my point being why didn't they do the same thing for other Asians who equally supposedly can't relate to the people in the American advertisement. Or other countries who got the advertisement but who can't relate to the very American themes in it. Last year the very nice advertisement showing a white Christmas was shown in Southern Hemisphere where those scenes do not represent Christmas. So my point was that people in those other countries may ask - if you do it for china - why not do it for others too?

 

[Marlor]

How many countries does apple customize it's advertisements for? Im doing this for China, do they risk making other countries (eg other Asian countries) feel left out?

How many other Asian countries have 1.35 billion people and a massive Apple customer base?

It's worthwhile making a special ad for China because it's the largest market outside the US.

Kind of cheapens the idea of the original ad in my opinion to repeat it like this just with different actors.

It kind of cheapens British children's TV shows to dub them with American accents for the US market. No other English-speaking country does that.

Why do they do that for US broadcasts so often? Because the market is big enough to support the expense, and they feel viewers would be more receptive to a local voice-over.

The same logic applies here. The market is large enough to support a re-make of the ad, and they feel viewers would be more receptive to a local version.

 

[Quu]

How many other Asian countries have 1.35 billion people and a massive Apple customer base?

It's worthwhile making a special ad for China because it's the largest market outside the US.



It kind of cheapens British children's TV shows to dub them with American accents for the US market. No other English-speaking country does that.

Why do they do that for US broadcasts so often? Because the market is big enough to support the expense, and they feel viewers would be more receptive to a local voice-over.

The same logic applies here. The market is large enough to support a re-make of the ad, and they feel viewers would be more receptive to a local version.

You know shows in UK from America are sometimes dubbed with British voices. Gold Rush, Mythbusters, Hows its made. To name a few shows where the narrators voice is changed from American to British.

I prefer the American narrators to be honest but that's just me. Apple has also redubbed some of their American iPhone 6 adverts in UK using actors from a british tv show called The IT Crowd instead of Justin Timberlake and Jimmy Fallon.

I'm not really bothered about dubbing, some people may have difficulty understanding other countries accents or languages. I think they should have just dubbed the american ad. Apart from a few chinese lanterns in the chinese one and the asian actors the ads looked almost identical.

 

[ginkobiloba]

Some people here have never set foot outside of their neigborhood..
ALL big international companies localize many of their ads to different countries. Japanese companies have ads made specifically for the french market, french companies have some of their ads made specifically for US markets, US companies have some of their ads made specifically for japanese markets, etc...

 

[lk400]

How many other Asian countries have 1.35 billion people and a massive Apple customer base?

It's worthwhile making a special ad for China because it's the largest market outside the US.

.

Just one other country.

And can you define "worthwhile"? Are you just talking dollars, or some other kind of worth? Because if money is the only worth you are referring to then sure, it's easily justifiable to remake for one country and not another. However, if there other things that have worth for you, the story gets a little more complicated.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating this as my view or saying that I'm offended. But I could see how some of China's neighbors might be. That's all I mentined.

 

[BiscottiGelato]

Just one other country.

And can you define "worthwhile"? Are you just talking dollars, or some other kind of worth? Because if money is the only worth you are referring to then sure, it's easily justifiable to remake for one country and not another. However, if there other things that have worth for you, the story gets a little more complicated.

And don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating this as my view or saying that I'm offended. But I could see how some of China's neighbors might be. That's all I mentined.

Name one other country that Apple sold more iPhones to than China.

Yes. That's why. Now go back to do whatever that you were doing. There's nothing to see here.