Apple’s new creative does the job by going too far

Earlier t h i s we e k , Apple aired an ad that describes the prowess of the new ipad. It drove the creative community into a funk. The minutelong commercial advertises that the new ipad Pro is here to ‘ crush’ everything we believe is dear to us. To show us that, it crushes lovely artworks, musical instruments, contemporary emojis and much else under a crushing machine. The brute force deployed is almost heartbreaking. But those who have followed Apple closely over the years know that when it comes up a new ad such as t h i s , a “j u mp t h e c u r v e moment” has arrived i n Apple-speak, says Rajesh Srivastava. The corporate veteran now teaches marketing at IIM Indore and is the author of two best-selling books on marketing and strategy.

Srivastava explains that Apple’s approach to technology and marketing can best be understood as a relentless pursuit of innovation coupled with a knack for theatrical, impactful advertising. This dual thrust has not only positioned Apple as a category killer “whose intent is to crush the competition” in every segment it is in. Even as it does that, the product etches itself in the collective memory of its audience. There is a long history to this, he explains.

The epitome of Apple’s ground-breaking advertising strategy is encapsulated in the “1984” commercial, which introduced the Apple Macintosh. Directed by Ridley Scott, the ad aired only once on TV and was never broadcast again. Yet, its influence was profound and long-lasting. The commercial opens in a dreary, totalitarian setting, with rows of colourless, uniformed individuals watching a Big Brother-like figure speaking on a giant screen. Suddenly, a woman i n bright red shorts and a white tank top, symbolic of freedom and rebellion, races into the room and hurls a sledgehammer at the screen which explodes, shocking the rest into silence.

The voice-over announces, “On January 24th, Apple Computer will i ntroduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like ‘1984.’”

This ad did more than just launch a product; it positioned Apple as a liberator in the technology world, challenging the status quo and promising to deliver its users from a monotonous computing experience dominated by IBM.

It wasn’t merely an advertisement for a computer; it was a declaration of Apple’s ethos, portraying the Macintosh as a tool of empowerment and creativity, as opposed to the ‘ Orwellian Dictatorship’ of IBM. As Apple continued to introduce new products, its advertisements always carried layers of meaning.

Take the “Think Different” campaign, which rolled out in the late 1990s. It featured iconic historical figures such as Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. “To viewers it appeared these people were endorsing Apple. But what it really meant was that if they used Apple, they would think better and differently,” says Srivastava. Apple was not just selling computers, it was selling a way of thinking.

The same strategic brilliance was evident in the launch of the iphone in 2007. Apple didn’t just market a phone; it advertised a revolutionary device that combined a phone, an ipod, and an internet communicator.

The ads were simple, focusing on the i Phone’s sleek, buttonless interface and its seemingly limitless capabilities. By highlighting features like the touch screen and visual voicemail, Apple positioned the iphone as the future, which it undeniably became. This went on to redefine t he smartphone market and left competitors scrambling. Until then, Srivastava points out, “Nokia was the category leader. But Apple went on to crush the competition.”

Under Tim Cook, Apple has maintained the continuity that cements Apple’s brand identity. In essence, Apple doesn’t just jump the curve; it redraws it, and stays ahead of what is conventionally expected.

Which is why Srivastava isn’t surprised with the new advertisement. The M4 chip is the most powerful in the category.

The company claims the product is the thinnest. And when the ad shows it is wiping out all that is dear to us, it signals the company’s intent to “jump the curve” explains Srivastava. It has left people so riled that Apple had to withdraw the ad this Thursday. Conversely, it has already done the job: it has stoked our curiosity about the new ipad.

THE EPITOME OF APPLE’S GROUNDBREAKING AD STRATEGY IS ENCAPSULATED IN THE “1984” COMMERCIAL, IN WHICH THE COMPANY INTRODUCED THE APPLE MACINTOSH