Apple has issued an apology for an advertisement promoting the new iPad Pro, which received significant backlash from the creative community. The commercial depicted various creative tools like a piano, record player, and paint supplies being crushed by a hydraulic press, with only the iPad Pro remaining intact. This imagery led to criticisms that the ad dismissed traditional creative tools in favor of digital ones.
Responding to the criticism, Tor Myhren, Apple’s Vice President of Marketing, admitted the company had “missed the mark” with this campaign. In a statement to Ad Age, Myhren emphasized Apple’s commitment to supporting the creative community and expressed regret over the ad’s negative reception.
He 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.”
AS previously reported, notable figures within the creative industry, including actor Hugh Grant and director Reed Morano, voiced their displeasure publicly. Grant criticized the advertisement as a “destruction of human experience,” while Morano urged Apple CEO Tim Cook to “read the room,” indicating the ad was out of touch with the sentiments of the creative community.
The destruction of the human experience. Courtesy of Silicon Valley. https://t.co/273XB3CfnF
— Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) May 8, 2024
Hey @tim_cook READ THE ROOM, BRO. CUZ THIS SHIT IS ACTUALLY PSYCHOTIC https://t.co/emRqOcXDoP
— Reed Morano, A.S.C. (@reedmorano) May 8, 2024