Apple fully abandons disliked 'Genius' TV ads
Apple has completely moved on from its short-lived "Genius" television ads by removing them from both its official website and the company's official YouTube account.
The "Genius" advertisements, which featured Apple's retail support employees assisting troubled Mac users, debuted during the Summer Olympics, but stopped airing soon after. The ads were a stark contrast from Apple's more recent advertisements, which feature minimal human interaction.
After the "Genius" ads debuted, many panned the effort as below Apple's standards, and felt the commercials portrayed customers as incompetent and confused by Apple's products. A spokesperson for TBWA/Media/Arts Lab, Apple's ad agency, said earlier this month that the commercials were only intended for a "first run" during the opening weekend of the Olympics.
Though the commercials were no longer airing on television, they remained available for the past few weeks on Apple's official website and its YouTube account before disappearing this week. The removal of the videos was first noted on Wednesday by MacRumors.
A total of three "Genius" ads showed the retail employees called upon in outlandish situations: an airplane on final approach (entitled "Mayday"), a hot dog stand (called "Basically"), and an apartment where the Geniuses' wife has just given birth (dubbed "Labor Day"). Each of the short vignettes attempted to highlight in a humorous way the knowledge of the employee, and would allude to various products being used, such as iPhoto, Keynote, and the Cards application for iOS.
The "Genius" advertisements, which featured Apple's retail support employees assisting troubled Mac users, debuted during the Summer Olympics, but stopped airing soon after. The ads were a stark contrast from Apple's more recent advertisements, which feature minimal human interaction.
After the "Genius" ads debuted, many panned the effort as below Apple's standards, and felt the commercials portrayed customers as incompetent and confused by Apple's products. A spokesperson for TBWA/Media/Arts Lab, Apple's ad agency, said earlier this month that the commercials were only intended for a "first run" during the opening weekend of the Olympics.
Though the commercials were no longer airing on television, they remained available for the past few weeks on Apple's official website and its YouTube account before disappearing this week. The removal of the videos was first noted on Wednesday by MacRumors.
A total of three "Genius" ads showed the retail employees called upon in outlandish situations: an airplane on final approach (entitled "Mayday"), a hot dog stand (called "Basically"), and an apartment where the Geniuses' wife has just given birth (dubbed "Labor Day"). Each of the short vignettes attempted to highlight in a humorous way the knowledge of the employee, and would allude to various products being used, such as iPhoto, Keynote, and the Cards application for iOS.
Comments
Great. Now if they'd just fire that new SVP of Retail, Apple could get back to being Apple.
Good riddance.
No doubt.
#next_pages_container { width: 5px; hight: 5px; position: absolute; top: -100px; left: -100px; z-index: 2147483647 !important; }
Out of curiosity, which VP got to approve these? Was it Schiller in Marketing, or Browett in Retail Sales?
Anyone out there have an Apple org chart—not a guess, but an actual org chart? Were these to turn out to be a Browett choice, coupled with the latest staffing snafu, I'd say we have an internal hiring disaster surpassing l'affair Papermaster.
Quote:
Originally Posted by John.B
Great. Now if they'd just fire that new SVP of Retail, Apple could get back to being Apple.
Agreed
Too bad. I liked them. The genius guy was cute, too!
awww but he was so cute! These ads really aren't nearly as bad as people say, they aren't exactly up to apple standards, but that doesn't make them terrible
Good. They were quite un-Apple and had none of the usual Apple "culture" in them. They didn't evoke a sense of class and style.
I didn't think the ads were that great, and they certainly did not (imho) live up to what I think Apple's quality should be. I'm glad they removed it. In the end, Apple needs slip-ups like these in order to stay alert and know which course NOT to take.
Did they hire a new advertising firm or is the same one that did the other really good commercials??
Thank Cheezus, This kind of ad I would expect from Best Buy, not Apple.
Someone listened.
Thanks, Apple.
As John B. said, now the retail guy.....
They looked more like something Dell would make and I thought Dell did it better before they fire Steven. I liked Steven, even though I hate Dell lol..
John Browett probably had his dirty hands all over these ads, now he needs to come forward and admit messing up again.
Apple retail boss Browett admits 'messing up' over store changes
http://www.retail-week.com/5039937.article
Quote:
Originally Posted by simtub
John Browett probably had his dirty hands all over these ads, now he needs to come forward and admit messing up again.
Apple retail boss Browett admits 'messing up' over store changes
http://www.retail-week.com/5039937.article
I'm pretty sure the head of retail has little input on Apple's TV advertising.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Quadra 610
Good. They were quite un-Apple and had none of the usual Apple "culture" in them. They didn't evoke a sense of class and style.
Bingo! I thought I read something that they reminded him of "Best Buy" advertising. Ugh!
Cute- but awful for apple.
Let's make a cute way to help people when they are having problems? I thought apples whole strategy is that you rarely need help because you rarely (if ever) have problems.
It just works is a much better strategy. And actually more accurate.
I know we're not supposed to compare Steve to Tim, but I think it's safe to say these ads are the best example of something Steve Jobs probably would have rejected!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Andysol
Cute- but awful for apple.
Let's make a cute way to help people when they are having problems? I thought apples whole strategy is that you rarely need help because you rarely (if ever) have problems.
It just works is a much better strategy. And actually more accurate.
I have to agree with you. Sure the Geniuses are great, but they should be left as a benefit experienced, not advertised. For a company whose pillars are simplicity and "it just works" it's foolish to spotlight an employee whose primary role is to help you because something is confusing or something went wrong. These ads were a self-inflicted wound that Apple can absorb once or twice, but heaven help them if Tim doesn't know how to prevent from making this kind of advertising mistake again.
It's sad that these commercial even aired. When Steve said they shouldn't try to think like him, they shouldn't have listened.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider
<snip> A spokesperson for TBWA/Media/Arts Lab, Apple's ad agency...
Maybe someone at, or even TBWA entirely needs to be fired?