Former Apple Ad Man Slams 'Genius' TV Spots as "Landing With A Thud"

[happyslayer]

I'm a computer support person and I deal with customers/users just like the ones in the ads. I think they (the ads) are pretty cute and even funny, especially the airplane one. I have had to talk a customer or two down myself, although I have never said the sky isnt falling.

Anyway, I think they are better than the Siri ads. JMO

 

[rhinosrcool]

They're so bad, they're worse than the Jerry Seinfeld Microsoft ads.

 

[SiPat]

's after-sales service & customer support has been at No.1 for years, and it's about time  let the world know about it.

 

[zoozx]

Pure crap. Think different apple, get some creative advertising.

 

[MappingPro]

Great Reviews

I am learning so much from this forum. I really like coming on here and reading 500 posts all saying the same thing over and over. Adds so much to my knowledge. I have learned that many people hate these ads and they have all gotten together here to repeat it endlessly. You would think someone had murdered your mothers, it is so bad. Come on, doesn't everyone just tivo through TV ads any way? I know I do and so does everyone else I know. Cheer up, AAPL is heading back up.

 

[SwissMac2]

If these ads are a sign of the taste of Tim Cook and the direction he is taking Apple down then I want a new Apple to be born soon so I can switch to a computer that is once more a combination of art and science, rather than just a way to maximise profits.

I'm also pi55ed off my 18 month old Mac mini server (running Snow Leopard desktop) can't run Mountain Lion, which the new iPhone will most likely need which means I will have to carry on using my battered old iPhone 3G (not even the 'GS').

Apple needs to re-examine itself, and Tim Cook needs to loosen his collar a bit, he and his choices lack vision beyond a balance sheet.

 

[johndallas999]

This commercial was so bad originally I thought it was a spoof on Apple. Wow, just plane bad.

 

[Genetheninja]

??

I really don't see what the big deal is.

 

[leesmith2]

What makes these ads bad is the message. If you own a Mac, you don't need a freakin Genius to do basic tasks like edit photos and create a Keynote.

 

[SvP]

I'm also pi55ed off my 18 month old Mac mini server (running Snow Leopard desktop) can't run Mountain Lion, which the new iPhone will most likely need which means I will have to carry on using my battered old iPhone 3G (not even the 'GS').

Your mac mini should run mountain lion fine. And i will bet you a "new iPhone" that you will NOT "need" Mountain Lion to use it.

 

[SwissMac2]

I love these ads, British sense of humour perhaps?

Definitely NOT! These ads are crass, nasty and cheap and just look like any local car dealership ads on local TV. It's very basic American humour, but quite low-brow. One thing they aren't, is clever.

 

[penajmz]

I personally didn't like the ads.. Seemed so amateurish.

 

[SwissMac2]

Your mac mini should run mountain lion fine. And i will bet you a "new iPhone" that you will NOT "need" Mountain Lion to use it.

It has no graphic card. I thought ML only runs on systems that have these, not graphics on the chip? I have two 500 Gb hard disks and no DVD/CD drive. One disk runs SL Server, the other uses SL desktop.

For the iPhone 5 to work as well as my 3G did with SL before MobileMe syncing was blocked by Apple won't I need Mountain Lion? I like to see my calendar on my phone.

 

[macingman]

insulting

how were you insulted?

----------

What makes these ads bad is the message. If you own a Mac, you don't need a freakin Genius to do basic tasks like edit photos and create a Keynote.

Most people do.

 

[!¡ V ¡!]

I did not care for any of these three ads. Seemed off-beat for some reason. Made the users in two of the ads like they did not know what they had priorities misaligned. Plane preparing for a landing, more important to turn off devices than worry about a presentation or spreadsheet when this should have been done prior to landing. Besides while person wears they work uniform when not at work. Was the ad trying to state that there is always help when needed. However how this possible during a flight.

Neighbours wife giving birth, more important to capture the moment or take her or call an ambulance heading for the hospital. Same as above which person sleeps in they work uniform and ID.

The other ad about an authentic Mac, clearly seems is losing touch. If you know how to install Mac OS X and the iApps on a COTS PC, then you are probably intelligent enough to know how to overcome or find a solution for the issue you are having. My take, its a stab at PsyStar or whatever the company was called. Why is the employee wearing his uniform standing in some line.

Either the deployment of these ads were poor or I am confused. Any add the apps being talked about there were no demonstrations to give a switcher any idea of what is being discussed.

Strange ads is the only conclusion I can draw-up.

 

[mankar4]

Agreed

 

[tech4all]

The airplane ad was well done. It got the point across, plain and simple.

The baby ad; well all I remember was the woman was having a baby.

The clone one; was ok. Not great, not horrible. Could have been done better.

I did not care for any of these three ads. Seemed off-beat for some reason. Made the users in two of the ads like they did not know what they had priorities misaligned. Plane preparing for a landing, more important to turn off devices than worry about a presentation or spreadsheet when this should have been done prior to landing. Besides while person wears they work uniform when not at work. Was the ad trying to state that there is always help when needed. However how this possible during a flight.

Neighbours wife giving birth, more important to capture the moment or take her or call an ambulance heading for the hospital. Same as above which person sleeps in they work uniform and ID.

The other ad about an authentic Mac, clearly seems is losing touch. If you know how to install Mac OS X and the iApps on a COTS PC, then you are probably intelligent enough to know how to overcome or find a solution for the issue you are having. My take, its a stab at PsyStar or whatever the company was called. Why is the employee wearing his uniform standing in some line.

Either the deployment of these ads were poor or I am confused. Any add the apps being talked about there were no demonstrations to give a switcher any idea of what is being discussed.

Strange ads is the only conclusion I can draw-up.

Ok we get the point, you like the logo.

 

[netdoc66]

Everyone's an Expert.

These ads aren't for you and the bubble you live in. There's a different world out there from where you come from.

 

[!¡ V ¡!]

how were you insulted?

----------



Most people do.

Insulting to Macintosh users, I would have expected this out of Windows users.

If you need help with a keynote or editing pictures, maybe its time for an iPad or not use computers period. Seriously it might be time to just use paper and pencil and send it via snail mail, since technology cannot help for a mental handicap.

 

[NEV3S]

Relax.

Everyone is so critical. I'll admit, this isn't the typical direction for an Apple advertisement, but at the same time, it's supposed to be a JOKE. Everyone needs to stop taking it so seriously and lighten up a little bit. They are still better than 90% of any of the other commercials out there. They could be better, yes, but I don't think anyone should be thinking too deeply about this affecting the company one little bit.
They will shut all the haters up soon as they launch a new product. Just watch.

 

[johnmcboston]

It makes me wonder what geni are for? I put them in the 'something is broken' category more than the 'help me with software' role. With the genius bar overbooked, and the genius' working 2-3 people at a time, and articles on how they need to serve people - now we have ads that infer that someone will be there to hand hold them? Sounds like they're asking for trouble...

 

[Oracle1729]

It reminds me of those samsung ads that make fun of Apple users except Apple was dumb enough to pay for it this time.

 

[!¡ V ¡!]

It makes me wonder what geni are for? I put them in the 'something is broken' category more than the 'help me with software' role. With the genius bar overbooked, and the genius' working 2-3 people at a time, and articles on how they need to serve people - now we have ads that infer that someone will be there to hand hold them? Sounds like they're asking for trouble...

Hand-holding at its worst. Just because you can afford it does not mean you have a right to use it. If you need that much hand-holding, either take sometime out of your busy schedule to learn it, or don't bother using the product.

Solution: pay someone "genius" to help you with your simple problem, when there is a help menu built-in the OS for ten plus years. Stupidity and ignorance showcased at its finest.

 

[kalsta]

I would take ANYTHING Ken Segall says, with a grain of salt.

All Ken is trying to do is SELL BOOKS with his comments. Nothing more.

His comments are an ADVERTISEMENT for his book.

Well, maybe… but even if we give the guy the benefit of the doubt and assume he's expressing his honest opinion, it's still worth noting that many creatives can be quite the snobs when it comes to critiquing others' work. Ken is right about one thing—these ads were not targeted at him, nor were they aimed at winning any prestigious advertising awards. That doesn't make them bad ads.

Don't insult the customer.

With the exception of 'Basically' (in which I can only assume you're not supposed to identify with the guy who buys a PC), I don't think the ads insult novice users—not unless people have completely lost the ability to laugh at themselves. The aeroplane ad is full of humour and warmth, and shows a novice user becoming empowered, as by the end of the ad he's ready to launch in and help the next guy! What's insulting about that?

 

[malman89]

Anyone that mentions "What would Steve do?" or "How would've Steve felt?" or anything along those lines needs to be smacked in the face. Repeatedly. Then gagged from speaking about Steve ever again.

He's dead. No one should care about what he would think (because he has no more thoughts), what he would feel (because he's a rotting corpse or a pile of ashes - don't even care to know how his remains were dealt with), or what he would do (because he can't do anything).

It's just a fact - he's dead. Move on.