He simply returned to his provocative roots.

Last Tuesday, Apple unveiled its new iPad. We already have both an update to the iPad Air with two different versions, as well as a new iPad Pro with an OLED screen. We’ve been waiting for OLED panels on the iPad for years and they were even introduced with the new M4 SoC, but what really made a splash was not the new product, but its promotional video.

So much so that it has been classified as “fascist”, “the worst ad ever” and “violent”. Apple apologized and let’s see what happened here.

1984. When we talk about advertising, one of the most memorable commercials is the “1984” commercial released by Apple on December 31, 1983. It was later re-aired during the Super Bowl finale on January 22 and shows us a voice-alienated society. and the image on the big screen of “Big Brother” who rules their lives. It was IBM that controlled the market for compatible devices, but that mental control was broken when the heroine of the story threw a hammer, breaking the screen. When mental conditioning is broken, those under control are freed from the tyranny of the PC.

Was 1984 violent? This will depend on each person’s interpretation, but it is important for the context we are in now because there are those who remembered this ad when talking about the new iPad ad. The truth is that the 1984 film, directed by Ridley Scott, is considered one of the best advertising campaigns in history, as it had such a major impact on popular culture that it appeared in films, had parodies such as the Barack Obama ad campaign, and referenced in GTA, The Simpsons and Fortnite. If it doesn’t have an impact, then nothing matters.

2024. Let’s return to the present and the ad in question. I’m sure you’ve seen this before, but it’s essentially made up of many elements being pressed together by a huge press. There are lots of cans of spray paint and cans, a level, a globe, musical instruments, a typewriter, a record player, a camera and lenses, a sculpture, a clock, a kitchen timer, screens that play editing programs, a TV, a video clip. a slot machine, an Angry Birds doll and… anti-stress dolls?

The press squashed everything in the ad, which will most likely be created using computer graphics. It’s likely that no valuable tools were damaged, no camera, no typewriter, no CRT television, these are some of the items that hurt the most to see under pressure, but the truth is that there is some violence in this ad. . The final image is… weird because it shows the eyes of one of the stress balls about to explode, and this is an aesthetic we’ve been using for decades? invisible in Apple advertising. Yes, this is an exact copy of an LG ad from 14 years ago, but that one was from LG… and this one is from Apple. The influence was not the same.

Two sides of the coin. And responses to the video followed immediately, although there were two readings here. One is that the iPad brings it all together: it has cameras, a screen with vibrant colors, design apps, apps like Garageband for making music, it’s powerful for video games, we can use it for writing… it’s message that the iPad combines all these elements into one device. This isn’t a new idea either, and the theme in the press is that it’s a very good one.

Another reading is completely different. This means that Apple is destroying analog technology (even though there are digital elements in the press) to make way for “progress”, which is nothing more than another device crushing books, old devices and tools to unleash our creativity. .

Criticism has arrived. It wasn’t the harshest criticism, but actor Hugh Grant expressed with “the destruction of the human experience thanks to Silicon Valley.” Comments about how the ad summarizes the idea that technology is destroying the things that bring joy to life, others argue that the ad promotes violence, that it fascist aesthetics and it comes at a delicate moment.

“At a time when artists, musicians and creative people are more concerned than ever about their jobs being turned into dust by companies that are only looking to make a profit, Apple comes along and makes a statement with a message that is: Yes , that’s exactly what we do.” How thisthere are many messages from people from all over the world.

and apologies. When such a large company releases an ad, it doesn’t mean that it’s the first thing that came to mind: different things were tried, strategies were developed, and the result went through many eyes before it saw the light of day, so it all must have taken Apple by surprise , who just a day after all the controversy came out to apologize.

“Creativity is in Apple’s DNA, and it’s incredibly important to us to create products that empower creative people around the world. Our goal is always to celebrate the many ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life using the iPad we created.” There was an error in this video and we are sorry.”

The video was going to be broadcast on television, but after all the controversy they decided not to do it. Of course, he can still be seen on his YouTube channel without problems and without comments, although this is typical for all Apple videos.

We’re going back to 1984. Perhaps one of the most interesting readings of all of this has to do with the aesthetics themselves, rather than what the advertising overtly shows. In short, everything about 1984 was grey, bland, sad, alienating and industrial. The folk clothes were what a prisoner could wear, and the police, protected to the teeth, tried to blame the colored element who wanted to destroy it all.

This color element, heroin, was Apple… and in the new ad we have a lot of colorful elements that serve to create art, that entertain us and that are special in the middle of an industrial room, with the same colors that you would see in 1984 . Definitely curious since they are the same company.

Thinner lines than the iPad itself. Apple has had other campaigns that, when viewed through today’s eyes, may seem somewhat controversial. For example, the “Buy a Mac” commercial made fun of the Windows video editor, but the episode was quite funny, and the truth is that various commercials created in recent years celebrate creativity, “thinking outside the box”, empowering user, and in the days leading up to the announcement, the iPad was a great event for many Mandalorians.

What has characterized Apple advertising for decades is that the message was positive, fun, sometimes the product was random and could even be tasteless, but it was always very neat and did not evoke visceral feelings in the viewer. This is something that changed radically with the advent of… the iPad, but in the end they went back to 1984, at least in a provocative tone.

This can be fixed by turning it upside down.. Whether you like it more or less, it’s clear that Apple’s latest announcement stirred emotions among those who saw it. One thing many reviews have in common is the negative feeling they leave, and interestingly, someone came up with the idea to improve that final feeling: flip video. And the truth is, it’s cool to see how different elements are rearranged, and it might even be better than having it all inside the iPad.

In the end, it’s all about feeling and one of the purposes of advertising is to awaken something within us. And this advert, on the contrary, honestly leaves the best taste in my mouth.

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