Apple has apologized for a controversial iPad Pro commercial released recently, which faced strong criticism from creatives. The ad depicted various creative tools, like a piano and a camera, being crushed by a machine, sparking immediate backlash online.
Earlier this week, Apple launched its new iPad Pro (2024), boasting about its thin design and powerful M4 chip in a promotional video on YouTube and CEO Tim Cook’s social media account.
However, following the backlash, Apple decided not to air the commercial on television, as reported by AdAge. The intention behind the ad was to showcase the creative potential of the latest iPad Pro, emphasizing its thinness at just 5.1 millimeters.
However, many viewers interpreted it differently, seeing it as a symbolic representation of technology erasing human creativity, especially with concerns about AI replacing human workers.
The internet quickly responded with criticism, with some users pointing out the irony of Apple’s previous iconic commercials, like the 1984 ad, now seemingly representing a dystopian future.
Others expressed concern about the impact of AI on creative fields. Actor Hugh Grant even labeled the ad ‘the destruction of the human experience.’
Regarding the ad, Apple’s VP of marketing communications, Tor Myhren, apologized, emphasizing Apple’s commitment to creativity and acknowledging that they had missed the mark with the video.
This misstep was unusual for Apple, known for its celebrated advertising campaigns, such as the “1984” Super Bowl ad and the “Think Different” campaign.
In an exclusive statement to AdAge, Tor Myhren, Apple’s VP of marketing communications, stated,
Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world. Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.