Briefly: Apple rolls out four new iPhone 5 ads
Apple on Friday posted four new ad spots for its iPhone 5, three touting the handset's features and one focusing on the gratis set of EarPods included with every purchase.
While the commercials bring back a product-centric style to Apple's ad style, unlike the widely panned "Genius" campaign, the company's newest video spots are still very lighthearted and may for some lean more towards "kitschy" than "elegant."
The first of the four, titled "Thumb," attempts to explain why Apple chose to use a 4-inch display in the iPhone 5, rather than larger screen sizes seen on a number of Android phones. Here the narrator seems to take a rather snide tone when describing how the new design is a perfect fit for thumb use, a definite departure from Apple's usual understated approach.
Up next is "Cheese," which shows off the new Panorama camera feature that ships with iOS 6. In this case, the narrator actually becomes part of the scene, directing the lineup of children dressed in costume to say an incredibly extended "cheese" as the panoramic photo is taken and processed. Once again, the spot is quite different from previous campaigns.
The final iPhone 5 ad, "Physics," takes a look at the new smartphone's thin design and larger screen. In a very tongue-in-cheek series of questions, the narrator asks "there are laws to physics, right?" and "how can something get bigger, and smaller?"
Apple's last ad focuses on the EarPods introduced alongside the iPhone 5 last week. It starts off extremely casual with the statement, "ears are weird," and goes on to explain how headphones should be "ear-shaped" instead of round "so, you know, they fit in your ears."
How these commercials will be received remains to be seen, but it looks as though Apple is trying to appeal to a wider demographic with the new campaign, a move that could raise the ire of critics accustomed to the company's trademark "classy" ads.
While the commercials bring back a product-centric style to Apple's ad style, unlike the widely panned "Genius" campaign, the company's newest video spots are still very lighthearted and may for some lean more towards "kitschy" than "elegant."
The first of the four, titled "Thumb," attempts to explain why Apple chose to use a 4-inch display in the iPhone 5, rather than larger screen sizes seen on a number of Android phones. Here the narrator seems to take a rather snide tone when describing how the new design is a perfect fit for thumb use, a definite departure from Apple's usual understated approach.
Up next is "Cheese," which shows off the new Panorama camera feature that ships with iOS 6. In this case, the narrator actually becomes part of the scene, directing the lineup of children dressed in costume to say an incredibly extended "cheese" as the panoramic photo is taken and processed. Once again, the spot is quite different from previous campaigns.
The final iPhone 5 ad, "Physics," takes a look at the new smartphone's thin design and larger screen. In a very tongue-in-cheek series of questions, the narrator asks "there are laws to physics, right?" and "how can something get bigger, and smaller?"
Apple's last ad focuses on the EarPods introduced alongside the iPhone 5 last week. It starts off extremely casual with the statement, "ears are weird," and goes on to explain how headphones should be "ear-shaped" instead of round "so, you know, they fit in your ears."
How these commercials will be received remains to be seen, but it looks as though Apple is trying to appeal to a wider demographic with the new campaign, a move that could raise the ire of critics accustomed to the company's trademark "classy" ads.
Comments
I think the Cheese one is definitely the best by far, but they are all good except the "Physics" one which comes across almost as a parody to me.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timbit
"Physics" is funny lol - the maps app also defies physics with its warping bridges I like these adds though, they are well done
Yeah I love the "cheese ad" the most!
enjoyed those thanks
Just heard the new ad "ears" coming from a TV in the other room
Quote:
Originally Posted by Timbit
"Physics" is funny lol - the maps app also defies physics with its warping bridges I like these adds though, they are well done
I don't know. A whole advert to trumpet a less than 1.7mm difference in thickness? It's kind of ridiculous isn't it? It plays like a bad SNL satire.
It is smaller and lighter, but instead of focussing on all the dimensions (weight, volume, etc.), they just keep turning it sideways and going "see! ... thinner!!!!"
Slightly lame if you ask me.
Love the rest though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PatchyThePirate
Eh.. I really wish I could like these. I think they're better than the genius ones, but I think they're falling into the same trap. That is, I believe they're trying to be more than they need to be. Again, Apple makes amazing products that sell themselves; all they need to do is show them off, that's it.Trying to be cute is a risk they don't need to take; the attempt to be entertaining distracts from the product, and invariably isolates people who don't have the same sense of humor/cuteness. I like the panorama ad the most as well, although I sympathize most with the thumb one. Now I'm rambling, but.. If it were up to me, I would have done it differently: show a thumb, narrate: "we increased the screen on the iPhone 5 specifically to take advantage of a special tool", then cut to thumb rocking some cool features to catchy music, then tag line: 'it's amazing what one thumb can do'.
I have no issue with these and had no issue with the Genius ones (other than the issue that they generalized all staff as Geniuses). That's how opinions work. I can like something and you can not. Just like I can think that your idea is not any better than what they did, but you think it is very much so.
I'm just surprised that in this day and age of tivo etc they bother with doing 4 ads or even 1. They probably get more attention on blogs like this than they do actually airing
I'm not hearing "snide" in the first one at all. It's got a sense of humor about the screen size. Sounded very Apple-y to me, actually.
lol @ "I never make comments here."
The physics one is completely stupid... its like they think people are idiots or something. ... "How can it be bigger and smaller?" its NOT!!! its smaller in volume, and bigger in some dimensions and smaller in others... does it even take a 3rd grader to understand 3D space?
All superb. Pithy, funny, attention-grabbing, and with an attitude
Nice to see Apple getting some mojo/punch back in its advertising.
Couldn't place the voice at first, but realized its Jeff Daniels. Will McAvoy is selling iPhones now...
Quote:
Originally Posted by PatchyThePirate
Again, Apple makes amazing products that sell themselves; all they need to do is show them off, that's it.Trying to be cute is a risk they don't need to take; the attempt to be entertaining distracts from the product, and invariably isolates people who don't have the same sense of humor/cuteness.
The ads are not geared toward existing Apple users.
They seem to be squarely aimed at intriguing someone who has not tried the iPhone before.