Critics Blast Apple's Cheesy New Ad Campaign

theodp writes "BetaBeat reports that people are pretty much falling over themselves to mock Apple's cheesy new Genius ad campaign, using zingers like 'intellectually cheap,' 'cringe-inducing,' 'borderline smarmy,' and — perhaps the unkindest cut of all — Microsoft-worthy — to describe them. Apple's trilogy-of-terror ad lineup includes Mayday ('An Apple Genius shows a fellow passenger how easy it is to make great home movies with iMovie. All before the tray tables are returned to their upright position.'), Labor Day ('An Apple Genius shows a soon-to-be father all the amazing things he can make with iPhoto.'), and Basically ('An Apple Genius points out there are a lot of things that separate a Mac from an ordinary computer, like great apps that come built in.'). The Atlantic's Jordan Weissmann says Steve Jobs would be appalled by the new ads, which certainly don't fare well in a head-to-head comparison with Think Different."

Comments

Successful ad campaign is successful

[drinkydoh]

They even got their ad campaign freely detailed on Slashdot and by all those different critics. Can't be more successful than that.

Re:Successful ad campaign is successful

[gl4ss]

it's detailed well elsewhere too.
if views were a metric, then it's successful. but if apple had filmed a turd for 20 seconds and published that as an official advert it would have the highest viewcount on youtube - however I really doubt that would mean it's a successful advert for them in building of their brand image.

Basically they're Apple adverts, basically.

Re:Successful ad campaign is successful

[mwvdlee]

but if apple had filmed a turd for 20 seconds and published that as an official advert it would have the highest viewcount on youtube - however I really doubt that would mean it's a successful advert for them in building of their brand image.

People would have said they liked the new fully cornerless design and swirly textures. Brown is obviously the new white (or black) and you have to be impressed by the new smell feedback technology. It's soft and warm to the touch as well, making it comfortable to hold.

Re:Successful ad campaign is successful

[Enderandrew]

People say that there is no such thing as bad publicity. That isn't the case. Ask BP what it was like to be in the news constantly for the oil spill.

Microsoft is in the news for losing market share in just about every key segment since Ballmer took over. Apple is in the news for failing to meet sales expectations for the iPhone and a disappointing earnings statement.

These ads suggest that Apple may have lost their touch when Jobs died. Consumers and stockholders might have reason to question the future of the company under Tim Cook.

Re:Successful ad campaign is successful

[BriggsBU]

Basically they're Apple adverts, basically.

Are you from the Department of Redundancy Department?

Re:Successful ad campaign is successful

[jollyreaper]

People would have said they liked the new fully cornerless design and swirly textures. Brown is obviously the new white (or black) and you have to be impressed by the new smell feedback technology. It's soft and warm to the touch as well, making it comfortable to hold.

But being Apple it wouldn't be compatible with a genetic anus, it'll be proprietary.

the 'Steve Jobs would be appalled' hypothetical

[Trepidity]

This inevitably pops up everywhere, but I think it's more symptomatic of a lack of confidence in post-Jobs Apple, producing a self-fulfilling prophecy, than necessarily an independent assessment. Perceptions of Apple have been so closely tied to Jobs for years that evaluation of how smart decision are are strongly influenced by that. There are things that Apple could do today that will get people kvetching about "ugh, if only Steve Jobs were still here he'd never do that", but if Steve Jobs himself had done the identical thing 5 years ago, people would raise an eyebrow, maybe think it's weird, but give him the benefit of the doubt, assuming he knows what he's doing. Basically, people don't trust Apple knows what they're doing the way they trusted jobs, so even things Jobs would've done get that "if only Jobs..." treatment!

Re:the 'Steve Jobs would be appalled' hypothetical

[hey!]

No, they say the portrait of Jobs in the Apple boardroom shed a tear when the ads were screened. Or maybe they had the AC turned up too high.

Re:People are talking

[bluefoxlucid]

GEICO and Progressive ad campaigns generate giggles, but they're being dumped because they actually don't generate any increase in revenue.

Personally I can't see how anyone thought it was a good move to label Apple technicians "Geniuses". If they were geniuses, they would be doing something useful.

Re:Why is this a subject of debate?

[x6060]

You big-ketchup shill. Everyone knows Rold Gold is the finest in tomato based confectionery condiments. NO BLOOD FOR KETCHUP!

Re:People are talking

[chispito]

It is generating buzz. Bad or good, that is the goal of an ad campaign.

You don't want to generate buzz by destroying your hard-earned brand identity. Let's compare:

1) Old campaign "You can intuitively and effortlessly do cool things with our products."
2) New campaign "You will find yourself in tech emergencies while using our products, from which only a trained professional can save you (even though we used to tell you this only happened to customers of our competitor)."

Re:People are talking

[Moses48]

Also,
1) Old campaign "You will be cool and fashionable as an Apple user"
2) New campaign "Only annoying geeks are Apple genius"