Apple Watch Makes Reality TV Debut on 'The Voice' Judge Pharrell Williams' Wrist

[BlueMoon63]

This is a forum about Apple products. When the iPhone was announced, and seen around before it came out, did you say "someone is... using... a phone. How exciting?" If so, why are you here?

To make you mad - to make you reply so they feel important - to give them a reason to be alive.

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I like how Apple assumes everyone loves Pharrell Williams and will wear whatever he does.

How many teenagers watch The Voice? Publicity... very smart move.

 

[Jakexb]

When I see him with an Apple watch, I don't see "cool guy with a cool product I also want to own". What I do see is "Apple becoming desperate and allowing any zero-rate celebrity with zero respectability to wear the product just so it has some media air time"

If you think he's just some guy from the Voice, you should do some research. He had the number one song in just about every English speaking country for 10 straight weeks in 2014.

 

[69Mustang]

Apple is not choosing the celebrities it gives the Apple Watches to very well. If this was a non Apple product seeing this person wearing one would make me not want to buy it. Just having it on his hand would cost them my sale. He has zero fashion sense...

Bad move Apple, bad move. Ron Johnson would not have made this rookie mistake. he knew how to set up stores and advertise products well.

You could have saved a lot of keystrokes in multiple posts by simply typing, "GET OFF MY LAWN".

Apple is basically giving the watch to any celebrity with 5 seconds of media time. Apple don't really care how respectable the celebrity is or how much fashion sense they have. it's just "get as many eyeballs seeing the product as possible".
This article proves this correct. If you're only giving the product to respectable celebrities with a fashion sense, this Williams guy would never get an Apple watch to advertise.

When I see him with an Apple watch, I don't see "cool guy with a cool product I also want to own". What I do see is "Apple becoming desperate and allowing any zero-rate celebrity with zero respectability to wear the product just so it has some media air time"

That hurts Apple as a brand in my eyes. It's not showing Apple products as something classy that the respectable people of this would want and we should want also. It's showing Apple as putting out overpriced junk that any overpaid zero-rate celebrity just buys because they have too much money.

I'm not sure in which corner of the internet you'be been hiding, but Pharrell Williams is as far from a zero-rate celebrity as you can get. Beyond that he's a legitimate talent. They guy is an artist, musician, producer, and get this... and budding fashion designer. 30 Grammy nods, 12 wins, and has composed and produced the music for the Academy Awards. Not to mention some of the most popular songs and albums of the past decade have his hands all over them.

Believe it or not, there's a world out there beyond the limited scope of your vision.

Actually no. Most people I know would go:

"What is that loser wearing on his wrist? It's an Apple Watch? Wow has Apple really sunk that low?"

I'm almost 100% sure the people you know have far less influence than Pharrell. Most likely they aren't Apple's target demographic for the watch either. <-- more on that later.

That's exactly why you chose celebrities that never go out of fashion. That will get sales of the version 1 watch happening. And then they can sell version 2 using the sales of version 1 as a starting point.

This makes no sense at all. All celebrities fall in and out of favor. As for sales of v2 following v1... that's how every product ever made has been sold. I'm not even sure what you're trying to say.

Also why only choose young celebrities to advertise the Apple watch on? Pick some celebrities who are older to advertise it too. Like the over 50 ones too.

It's called targeted marketing. Fashion is a young person's game. The vast majority of it is targeted at the youthful. Apple is trying to position the watch as a hip, desirable, got to have it item. That's why you've seen the watch on youthful individuals. You don't accomplish that by having your product rep'd by candidates for Viagra. That is by no means a slight since I am in that age bracket.

There are a lot of very rich over 50 people in the world who want to be surrounded by the best tech available and they care about the fashion sense of it too.

Those are the same people who are less influenced by fashion marketing. They tend to buy what they want to buy, regardless of marketing. Here's the more I mentioned earler --> The marketing campaign has just started. Who's to say there won't be a later campaign targeting the older set? Apple seems to be focusing on the market where they think they will get the biggest and best bang for the buck. Smartly.

Apple also should have done a deal to get it on Daniel Craig's wrist in the new James Bond movie.

This idea is a turd on a stick. Bond without an Omega? That's blasphemy.

 

[kingtj]

And ??

Sorry ... but this is exactly why I dislike the whole "fashion" thing so much. Just because you have talent as a recording artist means absolutely NOTHING to me when it comes to your purchasing decisions for a watch!

Marketing involving athletes and celebrities is the worst kind of pandering to the lowest common denominator. "Hey... We bet YOU wish you were THIS person or more like them, so we'll pay them to promote our products. Then you'll buy the same things they buy, in a vain attempt to be more like them!"

And while I know it's more subjective, I don't personally have a whole lot of respect for someone just because they have hit songs created in the last few years. IMO, today's popular/hit music is mostly driven by marketing too. You want to be a success? You've got to get on one of the TV shows that acts like a "gateway" to the industry.

If you think he's just some guy from the Voice, you should do some research. He had the number one song in just about every English speaking country for 10 straight weeks in 2014.

 

[cmichaelb]

i find it extremely interesting that they are always wearing the sport version

It looks like a stainless steel or gold with the fluoroelastomer band. It's too shiny to be the Sport model.

Pharell showing off Apple watch on Instagram

 

[69Mustang]

It's possible because the first person actually clicked on the article to read something he 'wasn't interested in.' The second person had no choice but to read the comment while he was reading the article that he 'WAS' interested in. See the difference?

Nope. No one is forced to read every comment on a topic. It's very easy to skip a comment. The comment section is separate from the article. You can read one without the other. There are plenty of comments I overlook.

 

[the8thark]

If you think he's just some guy from the Voice, you should do some research. He had the number one song in just about every English speaking country for 10 straight weeks in 2014.

I know this. Being on the top 40 doesn't automatically make you cool or respectable. Just makes you popular with the crowds who buy lots of music.

Who's to say Pharrell Williams will be the only celebrity wearing an Apple Watch? Apple will likely have multiple celebrities who target multiple demographics wearing this thing over the next several months. People who are watching this show likely are interested in him and what he's wearing, also those who listen to his music, which seems to be pretty popular. He's been around for over 15 years so I'm certain he has considerable influence over a given demographic that Apple might be interested in.

I think you're only partially right. Some of the show viewers will like him but others will not like the fact he's even on the show but still watch the show for the singers. How long you're around does nothing to make yourself respectable. Sure he's popular enough proof he's still in the business. But respect is earned. And for me and others he has not earned that respect.

As for the over 50 thing, while older people do own most of the wealth here, if Apple hooks a 25-30yr old on their product then they have a lifelong customer. If they get a 50-60yr old on their product then they have a 10-15yr customer at the most. The late 20s/early 30s demographic is more important in the sense of long term strategy.

I think Apple need both. Older with the wealth to keep Apple rolling in the record profits now. And the younger generation as you said to ensure they become long term customers.

Either way I'm sure we'll start to see multiple celebrities who influence multiple demographics wearing one pretty soon.

I hope so.

Actually no.

I said 'most people' not 'most people the8thark knows'. The difference is subtle, except to anyone other than you.

Another subtle point, that few people seem to get. If you hate Pharrell Williams, and yes I really mean hate, because that's whats going on here, then you wouldn't be watching The Voice, and you wouldn't normally ever know that Pharrell Williams was wearing this thing. That's the thing about a product placement - only people interested in the show, get to see the plug. The people here following every minuscule scrap of Apple Watch gossip don't realise how much of a minority they are. So a tiny minority of haters, are going to refuse to buy the watch because they found out someone they dislike was seen on a show they don't watch wearing one. Sorry, but that's just minor collateral damage. Besides, who thinks Pharrell Williams is the complete and final list of celebrity Apple watch owners? Use a bit of imagination. Perhaps he just happens to be the first? Just a thought.

I watch the Voice, US and Australia. And I disliked one of the judges on each show. With a passion. But that didn't stop me enjoying the singers trying their best to sing well. I didn't let one part of a show negatively influence me on the rest of the show. I know I am not the majority, I'm only one person but if I saw the show before seeing this article, I'd feel the same way, it'd make me want the Apple Watch less.

It doesn't matter if is the first, last or somewhere in the middle. It's not showing the Watch on a classy respectable wrist. I'd rather see a classy product associated with classy people. But that's clearly not what Apple is aiming for here. Apple want people watching the show to see the product and don't care about how the product is received by the audience. Apple only care that the viewers saw the product. I really hope this is not the case and Apple actually choose respectable wrists for the watch advertising and not just any random wrist that gives air time for the watch.

And the "I said 'most people' not 'most people the8thark knows'. The difference is subtle, except to anyone other than you" was totally not called for. I know what you meant by that, so you had zero need to say this.

People over 50 are less susceptible to follow the celebrity advertising. They know who they are and don't make buying decisions on that basis.

I would agree there. But they are not immune to it either. I think in the 50+ age group Apple will have to advertise the watch in a rather different way to get sales there.

 

[topmounter]

I agree and disagree. One part tells me that Apple better not make this a flop so they must get word on the street. But the other part tells me that do you really need to duplicate information that you can already receive on your smartphone. Apple has gone overboard with all the stuff you can do on the watch it really does not have a defined purpose. To sit there and thumb through options and apps on a small display has to be painful.
Now with 1000 apps already updated and many more to come you're going to micromanage not only your iPhone but all the notifications the watch receives.

Obviously they really really really need the iWatch to be a success... this is the first true test for TC and the post-SJ era at Apple. Everything since TC was handed the reigns has been pretty safe and well within their wheelhouse.

 

[BlueMoon63]

Sorry ... but this is exactly why I dislike the whole "fashion" thing so much. Just because you have talent as a recording artist means absolutely NOTHING to me when it comes to your purchasing decisions for a watch!

Marketing involving athletes and celebrities is the worst kind of pandering to the lowest common denominator. "Hey... We bet YOU wish you were THIS person or more like them, so we'll pay them to promote our products. Then you'll buy the same things they buy, in a vain attempt to be more like them!"

And while I know it's more subjective, I don't personally have a whole lot of respect for someone just because they have hit songs created in the last few years. IMO, today's popular/hit music is mostly driven by marketing too. You want to be a success? You've got to get on one of the TV shows that acts like a "gateway" to the industry.

Apple might be the best company in the world when it comes to marketing and getting people to want to buy their products even if they don't know why they want Apple's products. I work for a very large company and the only products allowed for mobile email is Blackberry and Apple. The only computers are Apple and Windows. Samsung/Google isn't allowed anywhere because they are a security risk.

Apple is the marketing king whether we like the celebrity or not or the magazine spread or not. I think it will take a lot of marketing to get the Apple Watch to sell more than expected and it will be one more reason people will buy Apple iPhones and further get more people on the Apple Product line.

Apple computers became great sellers because of the iPod and iPhone. Marketing genius

 

[Cigsm]

What made you think that at all?

Apple rightly knows that Pharrell is one of the most popular artists around and is known for his fashion sense. Having him wear the Apple Watch on one of the most popular shows on television is just great marketing.

I like how Apple assumes everyone loves Pharrell Williams and will wear whatever he does.

 

[topmounter]

I've been thinking about this, because it also feels really forced and obvious to me. I think the reason why this is, might be that I'm visiting a website that informs me about every little marketing move they make. Most people would never notice these things.

My wife doesn't track MacRumors or the tech press beyond listening to NPRrhea and she was a bit perplexed by the deluge of main-stream hype (she has an iPhone and recently moved to a Mac from her Dull err Dell laptop).

I think the unique thing that I see "here" (i.e. MacRumors) is that there appear to be plenty of people that seem to be legitimately excited by the prospects of owning and using this product that Apple has announced.

However, I have yet to hear one person IRL mention the iWatch in a positive, negative or even simply in an inquisitive light throughout my day to day interactions and I work in technology (not a hipster startup though) and tend to be the person that friends, family and associates query with technology related questions related to new purchases or fixing issues with existing equipment.

Of course I'm in my 40's now and having been through this countless times now, tend to maintain a healthy dose of skepticism when any new product or technology is marketed as "the next big thing" in anticipation of its commercial launch.

That being said, I long for the days when Apple would launch products that I couldn't (or thought I couldn't) wait to own. The new 12" MB is pretty close, but I need to try the keyboard and see how it compares in portability to my 13" MBA (which still amazes me how well it travels without feeling compromised beyond screen size compared to my 27" iMac).

 

[CasinoOwl]

This is just a tiny fraction of what has been a brilliant roll-out by Apple.

 

[Heltik]

Apple is being really deliberate in marketing this on fashionable people and celebrities. Pretty good move.

Though what are those tracks on his arm from the Instagram? Not sure that's the best product placement.

 

[BlueMoon63]

What made you think that at all?

Apple rightly knows that Pharrell is one of the most popular artists around and is known for his fashion sense. Having him wear the Apple Watch on one of the most popular shows on television is just great marketing.

Yet, people here keep saying it was a bad idea to have Pharrell in the marketing hype. They spend their time here posting reasons why the watch will fail and that they won't want it...

All the while, Samsung has it's most important product launch and all anyone wants to talk about is the Apple Watch. All the press, all the media... Yet, Apple is making bad choices for marketing, timing, product, cost, demand, etc. lol

 

[spectrumfox]

I can see the haters are out in full force this morning.

If you don't want an Apple Watch, just don't get one. You don't have to take every opportunity to say "I don't like that." If I'm going to listen to any criticisms, it'll be by people who actually reviewed the product as opposed to people who never used one, let alone seen one in person.

So, we can only comment here if we're getting one? This is supposed to be a discussion board.

 

[dannyyankou]

So, we can only comment here if we're getting one? This is supposed to be a discussion board.

I don't care about criticisms if they're constructive and related to the news story, but I'm talking about the same people who just see "Apple Watch" in the title and automatically say "it's still ugly" or something along those lines.

 

[BlueMoon63]

So, we can only comment here if we're getting one? This is supposed to be a discussion board.

I'm not getting one... I want one... can't justify the cost yet. But that's just me... I think the product design and craftsmanship is flawless.

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I don't care about criticisms if they're constructive and related to the news story, but I'm talking about the same people who just see "Apple Watch" in the title and automatically say "it's still ugly" or something along those lines.

Your profile picture is the watch I want but at about $500 or so Thought I may cave and get the classic leather Apple Watch if I cave.

 

[nutjob]

This is a forum about Apple products. When the iPhone was announced, and seen around before it came out, did you say "someone is... using... a phone. How exciting?" If so, why are you here?

I think I did, actually. I'm here to glean details on upcoming products, not for celebrity gossip. What are you here for? Maybe you should try TMZ?

How does this story help us understand the new product? How does it make us more informed about said product?

 

[dannyyankou]

Your profile picture is the watch I want but at about $500 or so Thought I may cave and get the classic leather Apple Watch if I cave.

Good thing they're interchangeable.

I'll probably get the black sports band for working out, and wear the link bracelet elsewhere. Maybe I'll even get the classic buckle later on for more casual situations.

 

[CE3]

That is most certainly the case if you want to conserve battery. If the lcd is on 3 hours straight, that would pretty much make it a just an expensive "metal" weight.

Yeah, I think the feature is a must-have to preserve battery life. And I'm sure eventually batteries for small devices like this will be so good that leaving the screen on all day won't be an issue. But since they're pitching this as a fashion accessory, and the face of a nice watch is one of its main aesthetically pleasing features, the fact that it's off whenever you're not looking at it means the rest of the time you're just walking around with a blacked out LCD strapped to your wrist. That isn't a very fashionable accessory IMO.

 

[nutjob]

OK, now I think I understand the significance of this article. People who will buy the Apple watch are the same demographic as those who watch "reality" TV.

 

[BlueMoon63]

Yeah, I think the feature is a must-have to preserve battery life. And I'm sure eventually batteries for small devices like this will be so good that leaving them on all day won't be an issue. But since they're pitching this as a fashion accessory, and the face of a nice watch is one of its main aesthetically pleasing features, the fact that it's off whenever you're not looking at it means the rest of the time you're just walking around with a blacked out LCD strapped to your wrist. That isn't a very fashionable accessory IMO.

My guess is that is why Apple made the product look so good as a fashion item IMO. I don't need to have a dancing mickey going on all the time. The other wearable products have bombed because they were an eye sore without the screen on. IMO

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OK, now I think I understand the significance of this article. People who will buy the Apple watch are the same demographic as those who watch "reality" TV.

One of many demographics Apple targets. I think the voice is one of the top rated shows - right?

I said it already, but all the watch hype (and it is hype) has made every media outlet talk about the watch and not about the new Samsung phone that releases this weekend in the US. The only media coverage of Samsung right now is the phone bending.

I can't argue with the marketing of Apple.

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Good thing they're interchangeable.

I'll probably get the black sports band for working out, and wear the link bracelet elsewhere. Maybe I'll even get the classic buckle later on for more casual situations.

Nice... I would like to see the release and reviews on some of the knockoffs on Amazon. They have the silver link bracelet for $225 and the classic buckle for $79. They look identical yes, they appear to be Apple pictures.

 

[CE3]

My guess is that is why Apple made the product look so good as a fashion item IMO. I don't need to have a dancing mickey going on all the time. The other wearable products have bombed because they were an eye sore without the screen on. IMO

I don't plan to buy this watch, but if I did, the dancing Mickey would not be my face of choice

I get your point, though. What's fashionable and appealing varies from person to person.

I'm sure a lot of people's watches will be constantly turning on with messages and notifications all day long anyway.

 

[BlueMoon63]

I don't plan to buy this watch, but if I did, the dancing Mickey would not be my face of choice

I get your point, though. What's fashionable and appealing varies from person to person.

I'm sure a lot of people's watches will be constantly turning on with messages and notifications all day long anyway.

I agree... thankfully it will be silent. I have some nice watches and no one is ten feet away from me saying "nice watch face" - they say "that is a nice looking watch color and design". Apple (IMO) designed a very good looking watch to look it. No mickey will be on my screen if I get one. I want to see the 3rd party faces that will come out. The ones I saw for the android wear watches were beautiful.

 

[randymac09]

Maybe someone said this and I missed it, but everyone seems concerned with why Apple would choose Williams to wear it and advertise to the masses when maybe their thought is that he will share his experience (hopefully a positive one) with his millionaire friends and fellow musicians.

The Apple Watch Edition isn't a "luxury watch" just because it's $10,000+, so it isn't necessarily going to appeal to the folks who are looking for a luxury watch and willing to spend that much. But it might appeal to those who are celebrities and have similar interests to Williams. Apple, in my opinion, didn't plant this watch on him to sell to the masses, they did it so that he could spread awareness to the few.

Like others have said, many people won't know what it is or didn't even recognize what it might be, but his friends will ask or he will tell them. Even if 1 or 2 of his friends end up getting one, and their friends get one, and so on and so forth, Apple has quickly racked up a few hundred thousand dollars in sales.

I think it's a smart move on Apple's part and I also think they did it without having the general consumer looking to spend sub-$1000 in mind, which is completely fine.