A new Apple commercial for the newly announced iPad Pro might have gone a tad too far in pushing the boundaries of creative storytelling, so much so that it has upset the very audience it was primarily intended for—aka creators. In the Apple ad which is titled “Crush!”, an industrial press is shown “crushing” various objects including a TV, musical instruments, books, and more, all to the tune of Sonny and Cher’s “All I Ever Need Is You.”
The ad, shared by Apple CEO Tim Cook on X, highlights the versatility of the iPad Pro in consuming and creating content, ranging from TV shows and movies to music, games, books, and photos. However, rather than being seen as a celebration of technological innovation, the ad has sparked ire among many in Hollywood and other creative industries. Critics view the commercial as a metaphorical representation of the tech industry’s encroachment on and destruction of traditional cultural mediums.
Most notably, English actor Hugh Grant has called it “the destruction of the human experience. Courtesy of Silicon Valley.”
American actor, writer, and producer Luke Barnette said, “If you thought THIS IPad ad was weird, you should have seen the first cut where they lined up all your favorite characters and shot them.”
Meanwhile, filmmaker Reza Sixo Safai shared an alternate version of the same ad running in reverse, commenting, “Hey @Apple, I fixed it for you.”
The juxtaposition of the iPad Pro’s sleek design and power of its M4 silicon with the destruction of iconic objects like record players, pianos, guitars, typewriters, and arcade game machines has been interpreted as a commentary on the perceived threat technology poses to traditional forms of entertainment and artistic expression.
While Apple may have intended to highlight the iPad Pro’s potential for creativity and productivity, the ad inadvertently underscores concerns about the impact of technology on industries that rely on physical media and craftsmanship.
The “Crush!” ad has sparked a broader conversation about the intersection of technology and culture and where to draw the line. Of course, a line may be a dot to some which is to say that it’s all very subjective. But looking at how the ad has triggered a whole bunch of people across the world, it only goes to show the power that Apple commands in shaping trends and conversations.
Apple’s iconic Super Bowl commercial, “1984,” directed by Ridley Scott, stands out as one of the most legendary ads in history. Back in the day, it would urge consumers to challenge IBM’s PC dominance and go buy the Macintosh instead. Similarly, in 2002, Apple launched a bold ad campaign promoting the iPod with the slogan “Rip. Mix. Burn.” This campaign encouraged users to create their own playlists from CDs, regardless of the potential impact on the music industry’s economics.
“Forty years ago, Apple released the 1984 commercial as a bold statement against a dystopian future,” writer Yuval Kordov posted on X. “Now you are that dystopian future. Congratulations,” he added.
Follow FE Tech Bytes on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook