Apple has obviously done dystopian before for a commercial (see: the 1984-themed Super Bowl ad), but this … is a little much.
In a new ad for their latest iPad Pro, a giant hydraulic press (that’s what it’s called, right) comes down and smashes a bunch of analog things, early tech and art — instruments like a trumpet and piano, paint, a Space Invaders console, a sculpture, and so on. The result? The iPad Pro! And it’s super thin!
People are ripping this ad and rightfully so — destroying art and culture for a machine is just too on the head right now:
Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever produced, with the incredible power of the M4 chip. Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create. pic.twitter.com/6PeGXNoKgG — Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 7, 2024
I wonder what Steve Jobs would think if he saw this. — うさ夫(うさマガ) (@usaotoday) May 7, 2024
The symbolism of indiscriminately crushing beautiful creative tools is an interesting choice. — Kiaran Ritchie (@kiaran_ritchie) May 7, 2024
Who thought this was a good idea?? Did you hire the one person that *liked* the scene in Who Framed Roger Rabbit where the bad guy dips the animated shoe in the toon-killing bath?? — Joe B. Transue (@JoeTransue) May 8, 2024
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a single commercial offend and turn off a core customer base as much as this iPad spot. Achieves the opposite of their legendary 1984 spot. It’s not even that it’s boring or banal. It makes me feel… bad? Bummed out? — Michael J. Miraflor (@michaelmiraflor) May 8, 2024
This iPad ad is just so wildly narcissistic and tone deaf. Celebrating creativity by literally destroying every symbolic creative tool “You won’t need these anymore, you only need me.” Seems like a good metaphor for the state of the tech industry these days https://t.co/UKOlvezgeC — Benj Edwards (@benjedwards) May 8, 2024
I hope everyone is enjoying the commercial I pitched. I wanted to destroy 1,000 trombones originally. But they said there were limits https://t.co/AXQe4y8ouZ — the federalist stinks!!!! (@rajandelman) May 8, 2024