Amber Neely
Apple has scrapped plans to run its infamous iPad Pro "Crush" ad, issuing an apology for coming off insensitive toward artists.
At Tuesday's Apple Event, Apple unveiled its new iPad Air and iPad Pro lineup. During the event, it also debuted a new iPad Pro commercial, dubbed "Crush."
The one-minute ad shows paints, guitars, toys, sculptures, and more, all being crushed by a hydraulic press, which then rises up again to reveal the iPad Pro. Artists quickly pointed out the ad was insensitive — and more than a little creepy.
While the ad was meant to highlight how many features were packed into Apple's thinnest product ever, many creatives felt it more allegorical to technology crushing human creativity.
Now, the Cupertino-based company is apologizing to its consumers and has planned to scrap running the ad on television.
"Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it's incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world," Tor Myhren, the company's VP of marketing communications, said in a statement obtained by Ad Age.
"Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we're sorry."
"Crush" isn't the first time in recent history that Apple has been called out, either.
During the iPhone 15 event in September, Apple aired a five-minute comedy sketch meant to highlight the company's environmental efforts. Instead, most viewers found the ad awkward and repetitive.
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85 Comments
They are going to replace it with an ad where they kill Bambi.
This is a great ad that conveys exactly what it's supposed to. Apple is silly and weak to apologize for this ad. So much for courage. The Twitter mob making an unnecessary big deal over this ad need to get a life.
I would say it makes Apple look like they are in touch with their audience. Comes across as authentic and heartfelt and will end the issue which is what any company wants when they run into an issue. Apple came to look like IBM (crossed with Victoria Secret with their obsession on thinness) and this apology just does away with all that.