Author | Yang Yang
Source | Top Ads
Two days ago, I told you that Apple launched the thinnest product in history, iPad Pro, which features a "majestic thin".
Apple and CEO Tim Cook are also busy promoting a new ad for the iPad Pro, called Crush.
This advertisement overturned because it was accused of "disrespecting traditional arts" and "propaganda that destroys mankind", and Apple suddenly came out to apologize in the past two days.
Source: China Economic Net
Tor Myhren, Apple's vice president of marketing communications, responded in AdAge, an advertising medium, that creativity is in Apple's DNA; Sorry that the promotional video didn't hit the nail on the head.
Source: @新浪科技
It is rumored that Apple has withdrawn the video, stating that it will not be broadcast on TV as planned, and Apple Channels has also deleted the commercial.
It is rare for Apple, founded in 1976, to apologize for a controversial advertisement, which may be the first time in history.
What exactly was filmed in this advertisement? Let some netizens break the defense and let Apple apologize.
In retrospect, in this advertisement, a huge hydraulic press weighs down paint buckets, guitars, pianos, statues, game arcades, plastic dolls, etc......
Paint splattered everywhere, emoji eyeballs flattened, guitars blew up, and finally they were flattened into the shape of the new iPad.
Tim Cook also had a note on the video: "Meet the new iPad Pro and imagine what it will be used for. ”
Combined with Cook's explanation, Apple wants nothing more than to highlight that the new iPad is very capable of installation and creativity:
iPad Pro is a crushing-level iPad, which puts many good functions such as drawing, taking photos and retouching into a thin and powerful iPad, and beats all traditional creative tools.
Apple's starting point is good, but it is recommended not to set off next time.
As an advertisement that violently destroys elements and shows the birth of new products, it is inevitable that there will be controversy on the street.
After this advertisement, which is called a disaster, was launched, some people complained wildly: Apple's creativity runs counter to the environmental protection price advocated by itself, and I feel uncomfortable after reading it; Threatening to sell apples, believing that propaganda is replacing human life and creativity.
Some netizens couldn't sit still, so they directly broke out and launched an inverted version as the most beautiful counterattack to the advertisement.
Beauty is really beautiful, quite a whale falling into the artistic conception of all things.
There's no harm if there's no comparison.,Seeing this, it seems to be understandable why Apple wants to come out to apologize.,After all, the style of the explosive version of the painting,It's more in line with the Apple we know.。
You know, netizens have been confused by Apple's controversial ads for a long time.
From the earliest "nonsense literature" copywriting, "Calling in the Rain" advertisement to the "Titanium Embarrassment" poster, they can't escape the fate of stirring up a thousand waves with one stone.
Source: Weibo opening screen advertisement/netizens posted pictures
In the past, Apple's attitude in the face of controversial advertising seemed to be: go your own way and let others say go.
It's like we like to see what we can't get used to it, but we can't hit it, and netizens will think it's fruity, and then everyone laughs it off.
So I have to say that from Apple's new iPad video to the apology from the shelves, Apple's new product marketing is red again, it is black and red, which brings us a few thoughts:
Anything as a selling point will only hurt you.
The reason why Apple's new ads are complained about is largely because of the "destruction" and "destruction" as selling points, which are also common in some brand marketing fields.
It's understandable to be eyeballed, but it's quite dangerous to rub everything and use everything as a gimmick.
For example, some companies used the China Eastern Airlines crash and Henan rainstorm to market and were accused of taking advantage of the disaster to shake their wits and have no marketing bottom line.
Source: Official Account [Logo is Fun] / [High School Language Museum]
There is also a makeup remover advertisement "Self-defense", the brand designed the story of "the pervert gives up tracking after the beauty removes makeup", using tailgating and tracking as a gimmick to highlight the cleaning function of its own makeup remover wipes.
Source: Official Account [Nanguo Morning Post]
These cases of overturning tell us that using unfortunate social events and anti-human topics as sales points for propaganda stunts is contrary to social values and will only attract scolding.
This not only violates the bottom line of morality, but also more likely to violate the bottom line of the law, and the Advertising Law clearly stipulates that advertisements shall not obstruct social public order or violate good social customs.
It is said that "the world is in tatters, and there are always people who mend it", and in the final analysis, advertising is not only to serve products, but also to convey positive values.
What's more, without sabotage, Apple has also produced some advertisements that are friendly to our eyes with gorgeous colors and giant marketing.
Source: Weibo @ Advertising Copy
This shows that brands can find a better way to present themselves creatively, and Apple wants to highlight thinness and creativity, and it is not the only way to smash good things.
Don't make controversial ads that "family members don't want to see".
There are only two kinds of controversy in advertising, either the product or service is controversial, or the advertising presentation is controversial.
Apple's new iPad ad falls into the latter category, and the fault is not the iPad itself, but the creative strategy that offends some groups.
Apple chooses to express its creativity in a way that offends other users of creative tools and art lovers.
Ogilvy, the godfather of advertising, once said two things, one is "Don't use advertising people to measure everyone". Another sentence is: "Don't do ads that you don't want to be seen by your family." ”
These two sentences actually point to the basic literacy of advertising, learn to empathize.
For example, if a sentence is written, can you ask the people around you how they feel.
It's not that consumers don't like to watch ads, they just don't like to watch ads that don't look good.
Because advertising has an aesthetic function in social life, it can not only convey brand values, but also reflect certain social ideologies.
If an ad is too offensive and arouses disgust, it will not achieve a good publicity effect, and it will only attract consumer boycotts, just like some netizens say they want to sell Apple.
But once the advertisement overturns, it may not be able to be redeemed by apology.
Apologizing is not a formality.
Speaking of Apple's apology, some netizens commented that "I am afraid of sales and apologize". Judging from Apple's apology, it cannot be ruled out that it was forced to open.
On May 7, Apple chose to apologize in the advertising industry media, rather than in the mass media to apologize directly to the public.
And after the apology, the relevant media mentioned that as of 10:30 a.m. Beijing time on the 10th, the advertisement was still displayed on Tim Cook's X platform account.
Apple seems to apologize and doesn't apologize at all, which is like taking a Bulgari script.
At the beginning, Bulgari apologized for abolishing "China" and "Taiwan" side by side on its overseas official website, and it was revealed that it had created a special version of the apology for the mainland.
Looking back at Apple's apology, it seems to have degenerated into formalism, revealing that Apple wants to settle the matter as soon as possible, or just regards the apology as part of its marketing promotion.
Sincerity is the best marketing and the best PR.
Whether it is a celebrity or a brand, since it is an apology, it is necessary to show a sincere attitude.
The double-standard show-style perfunctory apology is difficult to recover the direction of public opinion, and netizens will not buy it.
Of course, after reading Apple's advertisement, some people think it's over-interpreted, what do you think?