Apple has issued an apology following significant public criticism over their latest advertisement for the new iPad Pro.
Tor Myhren, the VP of Marketing at Apple, expressed regret in a statement to Ad Age: “Creativity is at the core of Apple, and it’s crucial for us to make products that support creative people worldwide,” he said. “Our intention is always to celebrate the diverse ways people use their iPads to express themselves and realize their visions. We admit we missed the mark with this ad and for that, we apologize.”
The controversial ad features a giant compactor crushing various artistic and musical items, symbolizing centuries of human creativity, only to then reveal the new iPad Pro.
Many are puzzled that the ad made it past quality checks and was released at a time when tensions between human artists and artificial intelligence technology are high. The ad’s imagery, intended to show that all forms of art can be contained in the iPad, instead came off as disrespectful by depicting the destruction of these items.
However, an X user found a simple fix by reversing the footage of the ad. Played backwards, the video seems to depict creation rather than destruction.
Hey @Apple, I fixed it for you (sound on) pic.twitter.com/OwVnYNgXhT
— Reza Sixo Safai (@rezawrecktion) May 8, 2024
Despite the outcry, the original ad is still available on YouTube and Tim Cook’s X page. Nevertheless, Apple has decided not to broadcast it on television due to the backlash.
