Samsung's half-hearted attempt to capitalize on Apple's Crush ad misses the point

Days after Apple learned its lesson, apologized, and removed its controversial "Crush" ad for iPad Pro, Samsung is here with another poorly thought out ad promoting Galaxy Tab with AI.

Apple's Let Loose iPad event was a celebration of the company's advancement of tablet technology intermixed with creatives taking advantage of the new hardware. However, an ad for the iPad Pro proved to be quite the speed bump that some interpreted as Apple destroying creative devices to make way for its cold aluminum slate.

After the outcry, Apple apologized and won't air the "Crush" ad anymore only two days after the event, but six days later, Samsung is here to mock the company by firmly inserting its foot in its mouth. A new ad called "UnCrush" showcases a person playing a broken guitar on a paint-covered industrial press, using a Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 to read sheet music.

At the end of the ad, it promotes the tablet "with Galaxy AI." Perhaps if Samsung had left its branding off of the ad, it would have had a bigger impact, but this attempt at a heartfelt video just acts as another reminder of the crushing existential crisis that AI presents to creatives.

Not everyone reacted emotionally to the "Crush" ad. For some, it was a too-long attempt at something clever in the middle of an Apple keynote and nothing more.

The people who did have a reaction felt something more than just annoyance or insult. Many claimed that the ad represented technology, crushing the creative spirit of analog tools in favor of cold technology.

A repeating theme of the iPad event was also AI. One portion even focused on a musician using an AI tool in Logic Pro to add instruments to a song.

Samsung's attempt to appeal to the creatives with its ad comes off as ignorant. It ignores the foundation of the complaints about Apple's "Crush" ad and results in being another threat instead of something inspirational.

The "UnCrush" ad would make some kind of sense if it came from a company with a history of promoting creative artistic endeavors. Instead, we've seen Samsung attempt to alter the very meaning of photography by using AI to replace objects in images, like the moon.

Bashing Apple isn't new for competitors, especially Samsung. Often, the company adopts the very thing it is mocking in the ad, like Samsung eventually embracing the notch.

However, this may be the first time that Samsung has tried to make fun of Apple and adopt the very thing it was mocking in the same advertisement. Somehow, it conveys "we're on the side of creatives" while simultaneously saying "creatives won't exist without our technology."

Regardless of your opinion on the "Crush" ad from Apple, it is safe to say Samsung should spend less time talking about its competitors and more time making products people want to buy.