By now you’ve probably seen and heard the new Apple ad campaign. Titled “Our Signature,” the pacing and voice felt to me to be very similar to Don Draper’s Carousel pitch from an episode of Mad Men.
Adweek wrote about the campaign and included the copy:
“This is what matters. The experience of a product. How will it make someone feel? Will it make life better? Does it deserve to exist? We spend a lot of time on a few great things until every idea we touch enhances each life it touches. You may rarely look at it, but you’ll always feel it. This is our signature. And it means everything.”
Now watch Don Draper’s Carousel pitch to Kodak, followed by the Apple spot.
Weird, right?
Definitely feels like a step backwards for Apple. Adweek called it a manifesto. I’m thinking this is to keep the Feds happy especially with the words on screen stating:
“Designed by Apple in California.”
Not spoken, but implied is “we pay our fair share of taxes and employ a lot of people, so please back off and pick on someone else.”
It’s an ad I find myself racing to mute. Hopefully its run will be short.
On the other hand, the web ad they put together, “Intention,” is pretty cool. It play well with or without sound.
That one I could watch a lot without being annoyed.
Simple words on a screen with a message and a lot of atom-like movement.
Creativity Online stated:
“Intention,” by TBWA/Media Arts Lab and animated out of Buck, is a sophisticated, but pointed jab at the company’s competitors, who are too busy “building everything” to ever really perfect one thing. A collection of dots and dashes make that point succintly, while poetic copy (“we start to confuse convenience with joy, abundance with choice”) accompanies lilting piano music.
It was nicely done. You can learn more from Apple’s website, if you so desire.
Meanwhile, keep your remote control close.
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Seems like others concur. Check out this story that just posted: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-27/apple-s-tv-ads-touting-company-values-flop-with-viewers.html
It states: “The company’s latest ad, which began airing June 10, has earned the lowest score of 26 Apple TV ads in the past year, according to Ace Metrix Inc., a consulting firm that analyzes the effectiveness of TV ads through surveys of at least 500 TV viewers. The ad scored 489 on the company’s scoring system, below an industry average of 542 and far below past iconic Apple campaigns that often topped 700.”
Dosse said it just didn’t feel right.