Apple Will Judge Your Mustache Authenticity at Its Ted Lasso Look-Alike Contest

[MacRumors]

Ted Lasso season four is set to premiere Wednesday, and to celebrate the debut, Apple is hosting a Ted Lasso look-alike contest in New York.

"Think you have the stache to make fans believe? Join the fun this August 6 at Apple Fifth Avenue Plaza for a Ted Lasso Look-Alike contest," reads Apple's Facebook event page. Apple has a set of contest rules instructing participants to visit Apple Fifth Avenue to be judged on "the degree to which they look and act like the character Ted Lasso."

There will be a three-round contest with eliminations in each round. Ten semifinalists will be selected after round one, five finalists will make it past round two, and three finalists will be selected in round three. The event starts at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time and runs until 7:00 p.m.

• Round One, Ted Energy - Contestants have to introduce themselves in character and have a two-minute dance break. Judging will be based on optimism, posture, and presence, along with costume commitment and participation level.
• Round Two, Head Coach - Semifinalists will participate in a trivia game and will be judged on the level to which each participant embraces the Ted Lasso character. The round will be judged on trivia results, costume commitment, mustache authenticity (Apple says 'stick-ons OK; real grows extra credit'), and The Believe Factor (something unique and special).
• Round Three, Ted Talk - Each remaining contestant will present a 30- to 45-second pep talk to the crowd. It will be judged on how moved the crowd is, costume commitment, and Ted Energy.

A first-place winner will receive custom Beats headphones and a custom soccer scarf, while the two runners-up will get the scarf alone. Full rules are on Apple's site for the event.

Season four of Ted Lasso will premiere on Wednesday, August 5, and it has 10 total episodes. One episode will be released every Wednesday through October 7. In the new season, Lasso returns to Richmond to coach a second-division women's soccer team. Ted Lasso favorites including Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, and Jeremy Swift will star in the series.

Article Link: Apple Will Judge Your Mustache Authenticity at Its Ted Lasso Look-Alike Contest

 

[CarAnalogy]

How much money and time did they waste on this.

I know it's not the same people who are supposed to be fixing the bugs and coming up with real software ideas but...it's the same money...and time...

 

[macbeth1026]

How much money and time did they waste on this.

I know it's not the same people who are supposed to be fixing the bugs and coming up with real software ideas but...it's the same money...and time...

Wow, I was going to come here to comment "in before the people who believe the marketing team programs the software" but unfortunately this crowd beat me to it lol. So predictable.

I'm skeptical of every corporation and their actions, Apple included, but this is just soooooo silly for you to say. How is it the same time? You realize companies have different departments, right? Please tell me you know this. Your post and the other inevitable ones people will make seem to imply that the software engineers have to wait around while the marketers run events like these.

 

[jwm]

Great, but where is beta 5?

 

[macbeth1026]

Great, but where is beta 5?

Found another one lol. Do you really believe the marketing team and the software engineers are one in the same?

 

[I7guy]

Can’t wait for season 4. But yeah the marketing department isn’t coding as fast or as accurately as they used to. Must have teamed up with the emoji departments. /s

 

[eveluvsrainbows]

Great, but where is beta 5?

Arriving when it arrives. Patience.

 

[GreenPixel]

My money is on Jason Sudeikis showing up and competing.

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

Great, but where is beta 5?

Between Betas 4 and 6.

 

[ZZ9pluralZalpha]

Wow, I was going to come here to comment "in before the people who believe the marketing team programs the software" but unfortunately this crowd beat me to it lol. So predictable.

I'm skeptical of every corporation and their actions, Apple included, but this is just soooooo silly for you to say. How is it the same time? You realize companies have different departments, right? Please tell me you know this. Your post and the other inevitable ones people will make seem to imply that the software engineers have to wait around while the marketers run events like these.

In a way, it's arguably worse. If a company has 100 people working on hardware and software products and 1,000 people producing and marketing TV shows and entertainment content, what is that company's core business and what does that say about its future priorities?

 

[macbeth1026]

In a way, it's arguably worse. If a company has 100 people working on hardware and software products and 1,000 people producing and marketing TV shows and entertainment content, what is that company's core business and what does that say about its future priorities?

It says that companies need to market themselves? Even household name brands like Apple? 😂 Why do you think Coke and Pepsi still advertise despite virtually universal name recognition?

I think it’s dumb and it’s a completely separate discussion, but corporations in our current system must continuously demonstrate growth, and thus often find additional streams of income through diversification. Additionally, marketing employees (7% of Apple’s payroll) are absolutely dwarfed by engineers (41% of Apple’s payroll) by the numbers. This stuff is very easily Google-able. I don’t understand what point you’re making here.

 

[cateye]

keep bangin' that corpse, Apple.

 

[CarAnalogy]

Wow, I was going to come here to comment "in before the people who believe the marketing team programs the software" but unfortunately this crowd beat me to it lol. So predictable.

I'm skeptical of every corporation and their actions, Apple included, but this is just soooooo silly for you to say. How is it the same time? You realize companies have different departments, right? Please tell me you know this. Your post and the other inevitable ones people will make seem to imply that the software engineers have to wait around while the marketers run events like these.

Apple is famously frugal in paying its engineers.

Yet it spends millions promoting Ted Lasso.

That's my entire point.

Huge waste of time and resources.

Does Apple publish profitability numbers broken out for Apple TV?

How does the profitability look for every other streaming company except Netflix and YouTube?

How's Netflix doing with their 40 year old operating system that was foundational to the history of computing? Not so good?

 

[klasma]

Here’s hoping that Ryan George will participate.

 

[macbeth1026]

Apple is famously frugal in paying its engineers.

Yet it spends millions promoting Ted Lasso.

That's my entire point.

Huge waste of time and resources.

Does Apple publish profitability numbers broken out for Apple TV?

How does the profitability look for every other streaming company except Netflix and YouTube?

How's Netflix doing with their 40 year old operating system that was foundational to the history of computing? Not so good?

Where is your source on the millions Apple has spent marketing Ted Lasso?

 

[CarAnalogy]

It says that companies need to market themselves? Even household name brands like Apple? 😂 Why do you think Coke and Pepsi still advertise despite virtually universal name recognition?

First I want to thank you for making a comment with a real point, and I do take it seriously even though we might disagree (not sure actually.) Advertising is valid, and Apple advertises like crazy already. I don't think they need an entire streaming service for the purpose of promoting their products. And boy do they. It's distracting for me to watch any Apple TV show set in the modern era because there are literally at least one to five Apple products in every scene in which it is even slightly plausible that there might be an Apple product there. It's way too far.

I think it’s dumb and it’s a completely separate discussion

You think what's dumb exactly? The distraction of becoming a Hollywood embedded entertainment business running a streaming service? If that's what you meant, then we definitely agree.

, but corporations in our current system must continuously demonstrate growth, and thus often find additional streams of income through diversification. Additionally, marketing employees (7% of Apple’s payroll) are absolutely dwarfed by engineers (41% of Apple’s payroll) by the numbers. This stuff is very easily Google-able. I don’t understand what point you’re making here.

Both fair points, but you're considering Apple TV to be marketing. That's not the budget this comes out of. They don't tell us what that budget is. Because between paying all these A list actors, production costs, etc etc, I don't think it's profitable. I'll be happy for them to prove me wrong at the next earnings call. But no one will ask, and they won't volunteer that information.

I just want to see the company who largely invented personal computing be the best damn personal computing company in the world, and not make their personal computers worse to promote their damn TV shows.

 

[Genelec8341]

I hope the contestants and everyone involved have fun, but I maintain that it's a dumb show about a boring sport. Go ahead 👎 🤣

 

[macbeth1026]

First I want to thank you for making a comment with a real point, and I do take it seriously even though we might disagree (not sure actually.) Advertising is valid, and Apple advertises like crazy already. I don't think they need an entire streaming service for the purpose of promoting their products. And boy do they. It's distracting for me to watch any Apple TV show set in the modern era because there are literally at least one to five Apple products in every scene in which it is even slightly plausible that there might be an Apple product there. It's way too far.


You think what's dumb exactly? The distraction of becoming a Hollywood embedded entertainment business running a streaming service? If that's what you meant, then we definitely agree.



Both fair points, but you're considering Apple TV to be marketing. That's not the budget this comes out of. They don't tell us what that budget is. Because between paying all these A list actors, production costs, etc etc, I don't think it's profitable. I'll be happy for them to prove me wrong at the next earnings call. But no one will ask, and they won't volunteer that information.

I just want to see the company who largely invented personal computing be the best damn personal computing company in the world, and not make their personal computers worse to promote their damn TV shows.

Oh so the dumb part was referring to the infinite growth companies are expected to post. I’m not capitalism’s biggest fan.

To your other points, fair, I just think it’s funny that these comments are made every single time on here when Apple releases new color bands or does something like this, it’s just amusing I suppose. I just find it hard to believe Apple’s marketing budget is in any way affecting their ability to smash bugs in the software. They’re replete with cash flow. My amusement is mostly with the idea that it seems people think everyone at Apple will be attending this mustache contest instead of ironing out the next software release. Or that everyone was busy choosing new watch band colors and missed some bugs. As though there aren’t thousands of people in different departments working on various things lol.

I just hate that the silliness on this front is making me defend a corporation. Ugh.

Besides, it doesn't matter toooo much to a company like Apple that there's a possibility the TV side isn't wildly profitable. The real value there is the marketing pipeline. If Apple can secure insanely popular exclusives as they have with Ted Lasso and others, that is going to be for many people their first point of exposure to the Apple ecosystem. It's a funnel, and although I have to switch to speculation mode for a second, I would probably bet that part of the intention with TV was to be a funnel, not a cash cow. That's marketing baby! (I worked in marketing for several years)

 

[CarAnalogy]

Oh so the dumb part was referring to the infinite growth companies are expected to post. I’m not capitalism’s biggest fan.

To your other points, fair, I just think it’s funny that these comments are made every single time on here when Apple releases new color bands or does something like this, it’s just amusing I suppose. I just find it hard to believe Apple’s marketing budget is in any way affecting their ability to smash bugs in the software. They’re replete with cash flow. My amusement is mostly with the idea that it seems people think everyone at Apple will be attending this mustache contest instead of ironing out the next software release. Or that everyone was busy choosing new watch band colors and missed some bugs. As though there aren’t thousands of people in different departments working on various things lol.

I just hate that the silliness on this front is making me defend a corporation. Ugh.

Besides, it doesn't matter toooo much to a company like Apple that there's a possibility the TV side isn't wildly profitable. The real value there is the marketing pipeline. If Apple can secure insanely popular exclusives as they have with Ted Lasso and others, that is going to be for many people their first point of exposure to the Apple ecosystem. It's a funnel, and although I have to switch to speculation mode for a second, I would probably bet that part of the intention with TV was to be a funnel, not a cash cow. That's marketing baby! (I worked in marketing for several years)

I see your perspective better now, from a marketing perspective this is right up your alley. And this specific thing likely was entirely run and budgeted by marketing, the mustache contest specifically.

Maybe I'm just too jaded by what's happening to software across the board. Everyone seems so distracted with things that don't matter. I just want one of the only companies in the world who even tries to make a great operating system to focus on that above all else. And they just don't seem to want to.

 

[I7guy]

In a way, it's arguably worse. If a company has 100 people working on hardware and software products and 1,000 people producing and marketing TV shows and entertainment content, what is that company's core business and what does that say about its future priorities?

Two doctors can’t deliver the same baby in half the time. There is a point of diminishing returns in software development teams.

 

[Jeeve Stubbs]

Apple is running out of ideas…

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

keep bangin' that corpse, Apple.

I like how the streaming era has made it to where someone can be saying that a show with only three seasons, 34 episodes in total, is a corpse.
20 years ago, most shows that caught on were 5+ seasons, sometimes eight, 10, 12 seasons, and each season being 16 to 24 episodes.
And usually didn’t really hit their stride until seasons three and forward.

Now we are like… uggh really? A fourth season? And with 10 whole episodes, will it ever end?

 

[Lounge vibes 05]

I just want to see the company who largely invented personal computing be the best damn personal computing company in the world, and not make their personal computers worse to promote their damn TV shows.

I feel like this is a major simplification of Apple, the company. Apple has never really been a computer company, even when they had computer in their name.
They have always been an experiences company first, and a technology company second.
In that way, it makes absolutely perfect sense. That there was a possibility of them eventually creating their own media.
Remember that there were very frequent discussions, according to Bob Iger, of some type of Disney/Apple partnership or acquisition, and for many, many years, Steve Jobs was the CEO of Pixar and Apple at the same time.
In a 1997 meeting, Steve specifically said he wanted to make Apple the next Nike, one of the best marketing companies in the world, and Nike has their hand all over the entertainment industry.


I also feel like the argument would hold up if Apple was making absolute garbage with Apple TV, but they aren’t. They have very quickly and very successfully put themselves front and center as the new HBO, the place to go for quality television.

Even if you don’t particularly like their content, you can’t deny that it’s at least higher quality than the AI slop that Netflix has been putting out, or the constant never ending Disney and HBO reboots or whatever Paramount is doing…

 

[svish]

Interesting to see this. Apple is going all in to promote the new season!

 

[JoshuaBru]

I need this show to go away