Boring is the wrong word. The commercial however, is too reflective. It focuses inward on what Apple is doing now. Instead, a commercial that captures progress, hope for the future, growth, and excitement was and is needed.
Well I have nothing against white people of course, but yes "smugness" is one of my least favourite human traits and I would argue most people around the world think similarly. It really is an unusual situation in the USA where what would be thought of as smug self-promotion is thought of there as some kind of positive trait.
That's ironic because, no offense, but "smugness" is what seems to permeate the majority of your posts. Back on topic, I didn't like the TV spot the first time I saw it and I still don't. I don't like the Mavericks name either. I've been using Apple computers for over 20 years and I agree with you and others that this campaign and OS naming shift have a certain smugness and narcissistic feel, more so than any other campaign I can remember. Obviously it's not the intention, but that's the way it's coming off to me.
I've been an Apple advocate for decades, touting the attention to detail, the elouquent simplicity inherent in the UI, the fact that stuff just works the way it's supposed to the first time, etc. And to a certain degree Apple has usually let the products speak for themselves. In my opinion, there is no need for the "It's Our Signature" ad campaign. I really don't understand the point. Who is this ad for? What is it supposed to accomplish? I think that is why it ranked so poorly in that consumer survey. BTW, a sample size of 500 is insignificant and symptomatic of a growing trend towards "studies" being conducted by non-statistical analysts using biased and statistically insignificant sample sizes, so I take everything with a rather large grain of salt.
Oh, and I really don't like the new cotton candy/jelly bean/kindergarten color palette of iOS 7, but meh, whadda ya gonna do? I very much like the new Mac Pro.
I find the "it means everything" tagline to be very weak. If you've ever watched "American Idol", "America's Got Talent" or any other of these reality TV abominations, you see the ritual of the judge or the host ask a contender what winning would mean, and the idiot contestant invariably says it would mean "everything." That sentiment has become meaningless.
And don't go with "amazing." That word has lost its meaning as well and belongs on the jibber-jabber dungheap with "awesome."
The main thing I felt was wrong with the ad was that it went too far. The line "does it deserve to exist" didn't sit well with people - they thought it was an attack on others rather than a description of their own standards - and I think the last line "and it means everything" was too much.
I think they should have ended the advert emphatically on "this is our signature" i.e "We spend a lot of time on a few great things until every idea we touch, enhances each life it touches. You may rarely look at it but you'll always feel it. This is our signature". In other words, it's not just the label "Designed by Apple in California" that's their signature but the experience of their products.
I didn't like the inclusion of the music gig as that's used quite a lot and isn't as personal.
I think the overall concept behind it is great. I didn't get the impression that it's got anything to do with California, that's just the label they put on their products. With a little tweaking, maybe shorten the message a bit, I think it would have been a more powerful ad. I like the message and I hope it's one they continue to push, just a little more concisely.
Some of the scenes are starting to look too much like stock footage, especially the scene of the couple taking a photo of themselves. It's too false. One of the best scenes I felt was the kid using the iPad because the reaction looks genuine.
High falutin BS designed (in California) to cover up the fact that Apple is devoid of any new ideas for groundbreaking products that can excite the masses in any meaningful way. The AI apologists here miss the reality that AAPL is now under $400 and shrinking daily due to Tim Cook's incompetent out of touch leadership.
I tend to agree, and that was a theory I had suggested awhile back when there was a thread about the prominent "designed in CA" marking on the new Mac Pro. However, when it comes to the TV ad I have to ask, are the things in the ad the things CA is viewed positively for? Or is it more for sun, surf, and Hollywood and being "cool"? I thought that was the direction they'd they'd take the whole Designed in CA theme.
I thought the California coolness factor, as well as the history of Apple's founding were the ideas being emphasized. Isn't California also the number one tourist destination for Asians? I think California is idealized by many foreigners. Mostly it is just people who live in nearby states that are not too fond of California. I live in California but the ad didn't impress me in any patriotic way.
As an Apple shareholder (and there are many here), I am naturally concerned with the amount of navel-gazing coming out of Apple recently. More advertising missteps, releasing a very rough, unpolished looking beta-level iOS 7 for developers... Frankly, these are troubling for a variety of reasons. Primarily it indicates to me that the push for "insanely great" every time is fast becoming "good enough...I'll fix it tomorrow".
That kind of thinking might be OK at Microsoft, but it doesn't work at Apple. People need to start getting fired. I'm seeing less urgency at Apple now.
But as BGR points out.
Quote:
Ace Metrix, which loved Microsoft’s Surface ads, says Apple ads are failing
(and if the Surface ads were loved by Ace Metrix, I sort of want them to hate Apple's;-) )
it's comes across as arrogance, made in California, like it's someplace so special. I like Apple products and spend hours on my iPad, but the new ads do nothing. Now having your wife (or whatever) touch phone to phone so you can watch her on video for your next business trip, now that ad catches your imagination.
Designed by Apple in California - build by children in China.
However, aren't they all? Do we really have an option? Can't really hold that against Apple, but advertising where it was designed is almost deceiving. Just about every product sold by a US company was designed in the US. Few of them are actually BUILT in the US, which, to me, is a shame.
I tend to agree. In my last post I did praise this ad and still do. But I neglected to mention that the "in California" thing is a bit silly.
But...I think it would be even more silly to not put something there. They should be proud to have design all this stuff. Very few companies do put that much pride into their work, or even recognize talent and the people who created it. The fact that they reside in California is a little bit unfortunate. And that's mainly because many think Californian are a bit smug...especially in the Bay Area. Had Apple resided in Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Arizona or various other States, the outside perspective might be quite a bit different. Why not just say, "Designed by Apple in Cupertino"? That I think might be more acceptable than the State.
Should they say Designed by Apple in the USA? no. Should they include "made in China"? That wouldn't be totally accurate since their products are assembled in China from parts made all over the world, including the USA.
It's a narrow line they are standing on but I think they did way they felt was right.
And I wouldn't say "build by children in China" because that's not accurate either. We've heard a lot in the press over the years about labor in China regarding Apple, but never about underage or child labor (please correct me with a link if i'm wrong). Now the Parts makers might be in a different story, but other than a total boycott of part manufacturers globally, there little anyone company can do to resolve this. That's not saying the press and the powers that be can't try to rectify this. And I think Apple does a pretty good job at attempting to rectify it. However, when you work with companies in parts of the world where deception and blatant ignorance of morals is clearly askew, and the lack of respect many of these small companies have on said morals and they feverishly trying to cover up those practices. it's very difficult to know where to point the finger. East Asian politics and business practices are so vastly morally skewed from the western world, and they're very good at displacing all responsibility.
That all being said, and to actually respond to your comment...Things will look a bit different when the Mac Pro comes out. They've already shown off the printing on the back that says "Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in the U.S."
From an outside perspective (meaning people from outside the USA), there is a much different perspective of the USA and companies within. I don't think those's perspectives are wrong and they have every right to have them. But, considering the economic climate over the past 5 years and the reputation of USA companies and the over-all decline in quality and brand over the last 50 years, the people of the USA need something to be proud of. And yes, maybe these commercials should be more targeted at the USA audiences...but they also portray the message of Apple. People choose to see what they want to based on many factors. But to me, as an American who works 50% of the year in China, I see these adds and the "designed in" labels as something to be proud of. And I will be glad to see the new Mac Pros assembled here.
Why isn't there as much hate out there for other companies that have similar practices? You think Apple is that much more smug than the designers and owners of BMW? Of Barbour? Of Rimowa? Of Lexus? Or any other company in countries that produces great products? I think much of the perspective is that something really great is coming from the USA. Nobody claims the makers of Omega Watches are smug, ego-centric assholes do they? Don't judge us by our politics or by Hollywood. Judge us on the people that sweat this stuff day-in day-out. That honestly try to produce great things. You'll see we're not that much different from the same people, doing the same work in Poland, Brazil, Japan or anywhere else. And we're proud of where we're from, just like you are.
High falutin BS designed (in California) to cover up the fact that Apple is devoid of any new ideas for groundbreaking products that can excite the masses in any meaningful way. The AI apologists here miss the reality that AAPL is now under $400 and shrinking daily due to Tim Cook's incompetent out of touch leadership.
Yawn....and the trolls are clearly out of new ideas and innovation. :rolleyes:
High falutin BS designed (in California) to cover up the fact that Apple is devoid of any new ideas for groundbreaking products that can excite the masses in any meaningful way. The AI apologists here miss the reality that AAPL is now under $400 and shrinking daily due to Tim Cook's incompetent out of touch leadership.
Shut up and go away, then. Seems pretty simple to understand: you don't give a flying frick about the truth or what this company is actually doing, so what right or reason do you have to be on a website about said company?
I see this ad as a part of a common thematic thread that's seems to be appearing throughout Apple's culture. Maybe it's just coincidence but there's been an undercurrent of "made in America" popping up in Apple's activity this year and I think some of it is subtly aimed at Samsung. 1) Apple's pushing designed in California why? Maybe to differentiate themselves from Samsung in a way that the Korean company can't copy or combat (imagine "designed by Samsung in Seoul" - it wouldn't have near as great of an impact). 2) Obama himself helped push Apple towards bringing home some of its manufacturing, which resulted in the new Mac Pros being (mostly) made in America. Does this mean anything or am I just grasping at straws. Who knows? Personally, I think it's a great ad that (for a change) doesn't overbearingly shove things into your face and down your throat but rather takes its time to tell you that Apple also likes to take its time. It's the "we will sell no wine before its time" mantra. Nothing wrong with that. Personally, I would love to see the other ad Apple previewed at the last keynote that starts with "if everyone is busy making everything how can anyone perfect anything?" That one is excellent.
The main thing I felt was wrong with the ad was that it went too far. The line "does it deserve to exist" didn't sit well with people - they thought it was an attack on others rather than a description of their own standards - and I think the last line "and it means everything" was too much.
I think they should have ended the advert emphatically on "this is our signature" i.e "We spend a lot of time on a few great things until every idea we touch, enhances each life it touches. You may rarely look at it but you'll always feel it. This is our signature". In other words, it's not just the label "Designed by Apple in California" that's their signature but the experience of their products.
I didn't like the inclusion of the music gig as that's used quite a lot and isn't as personal.
I think the overall concept behind it is great. I didn't get the impression that it's got anything to do with California, that's just the label they put on their products. With a little tweaking, maybe shorten the message a bit, I think it would have been a more powerful ad. I like the message and I hope it's one they continue to push, just a little more concisely.
Some of the scenes are starting to look too much like stock footage, especially the scene of the couple taking a photo of themselves. It's too false. One of the best scenes I felt was the kid using the iPad because the reaction looks genuine.
I was sitting here trying to think of how to express my thoughts on the ad and just read your post and you nailed it. The first 2 or 3 times I watched it I actually liked it but now I just tune out. It is beginning to look like stock footage and doesn't engage me anymore. I also think a designed in the U.S.A. might have had more cachet than California which means nothing to people that don't live there and for many that might even have a negative connotation. Think about the SNL skit called the Californians or the South Park episode about the Prius for example. I think for the campaign to be successful they need more than just this one ad and to alternate them so they stay fresh. They also need to get some better theme music, and like you said drop the "does it deserve to exist" line which came across as smug. The concept of the campaign has potential but they need some fine tuning because it just is not there yet.
It's the same people posting the same tired arguments over and over.
I'm so sick of the constant Steve references and the constant Steve would/wouldn't have done something or would have done it better. Steve wasn't a god. Not everything he did was perfect. And most of the executive leadership team was put in place by Steve. Lets face it, Steve was a great showman and salesman. He could make anyone think every Apple product down to the minute detail was conceived by him and only him. Of course we all know that's not true at all.
I also think a designed in the U.S.A. might have had more cachet than California which means nothing to people that don't live there and for many that might even have a negative connotation.
Yep, "designed in the USA" would've had broader appeal to the rest of the USA.
To me, the "designed in California" isn't so much a dig at other states, but every time I read or hear it, I'm immediately thinking to myself "and built overseas so that someone else gets the job."
Shut up and go away, then. Seems pretty simple to understand: you don't give a flying frick about the truth or what this company is actually doing, so what right or reason do you have to be on a website about said company?
Was the stock $600 - $700 when Tim Cook took over? What do you think accounts for the bottom dropping out of this company in under 1 year? Do you know what the "company is actually doing"? Can you explain the reason for Apple's sudden implosion? Oh, and you think I don't have a right to have an opinion or be on this website? And you call yourself a mod, LOL? I'm the one who loves Apple! Your blindness to the facts makes you an Apple addict, strung out on a high you (and Apple) can't achieve any longer. What will you say when Apple hits $300, $200... I know. You'll say Apple is a great company. The facts don't matter, only my warped opinion matters.
On a critical note, the two main messages that I get FROM THE VISUALS OF THE ADS, is that Apple’s products are accessible (meaning they are for everyone) and they have a positive impact on their user’s activities. But the WORDED MESSAGE doesn’t really work towards that direction precisely - the spoken/written message talks about them being focused, perfectionists, hard working, artists, proud, etc. That part of the message would have been better served by showing visuals of Apple’s people at work from various teams and work environments.
you have a point, but how much more boring and smug looking would your suggestion be?
Comments
Can we stop with being okay that stike vomit posts here at all, too?
Time to bring back Scott Forstall. /s (maybe)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gazoobee
Well I have nothing against white people of course, but yes "smugness" is one of my least favourite human traits and I would argue most people around the world think similarly. It really is an unusual situation in the USA where what would be thought of as smug self-promotion is thought of there as some kind of positive trait.
That's ironic because, no offense, but "smugness" is what seems to permeate the majority of your posts. Back on topic, I didn't like the TV spot the first time I saw it and I still don't. I don't like the Mavericks name either. I've been using Apple computers for over 20 years and I agree with you and others that this campaign and OS naming shift have a certain smugness and narcissistic feel, more so than any other campaign I can remember. Obviously it's not the intention, but that's the way it's coming off to me.
I've been an Apple advocate for decades, touting the attention to detail, the elouquent simplicity inherent in the UI, the fact that stuff just works the way it's supposed to the first time, etc. And to a certain degree Apple has usually let the products speak for themselves. In my opinion, there is no need for the "It's Our Signature" ad campaign. I really don't understand the point. Who is this ad for? What is it supposed to accomplish? I think that is why it ranked so poorly in that consumer survey. BTW, a sample size of 500 is insignificant and symptomatic of a growing trend towards "studies" being conducted by non-statistical analysts using biased and statistically insignificant sample sizes, so I take everything with a rather large grain of salt.
Oh, and I really don't like the new cotton candy/jelly bean/kindergarten color palette of iOS 7, but meh, whadda ya gonna do? I very much like the new Mac Pro.
Quote:
Originally Posted by macFanDave
I find the "it means everything" tagline to be very weak. If you've ever watched "American Idol", "America's Got Talent" or any other of these reality TV abominations, you see the ritual of the judge or the host ask a contender what winning would mean, and the idiot contestant invariably says it would mean "everything." That sentiment has become meaningless.
And don't go with "amazing." That word has lost its meaning as well and belongs on the jibber-jabber dungheap with "awesome."
What word do you have in mind exactly?
I think they should have ended the advert emphatically on "this is our signature" i.e "We spend a lot of time on a few great things until every idea we touch, enhances each life it touches. You may rarely look at it but you'll always feel it. This is our signature". In other words, it's not just the label "Designed by Apple in California" that's their signature but the experience of their products.
I didn't like the inclusion of the music gig as that's used quite a lot and isn't as personal.
I think the overall concept behind it is great. I didn't get the impression that it's got anything to do with California, that's just the label they put on their products. With a little tweaking, maybe shorten the message a bit, I think it would have been a more powerful ad. I like the message and I hope it's one they continue to push, just a little more concisely.
Some of the scenes are starting to look too much like stock footage, especially the scene of the couple taking a photo of themselves. It's too false. One of the best scenes I felt was the kid using the iPad because the reaction looks genuine.
High falutin BS designed (in California) to cover up the fact that Apple is devoid of any new ideas for groundbreaking products that can excite the masses in any meaningful way. The AI apologists here miss the reality that AAPL is now under $400 and shrinking daily due to Tim Cook's incompetent out of touch leadership.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wiggin
I tend to agree, and that was a theory I had suggested awhile back when there was a thread about the prominent "designed in CA" marking on the new Mac Pro. However, when it comes to the TV ad I have to ask, are the things in the ad the things CA is viewed positively for? Or is it more for sun, surf, and Hollywood and being "cool"? I thought that was the direction they'd they'd take the whole Designed in CA theme.
I thought the California coolness factor, as well as the history of Apple's founding were the ideas being emphasized. Isn't California also the number one tourist destination for Asians? I think California is idealized by many foreigners. Mostly it is just people who live in nearby states that are not too fond of California. I live in California but the ad didn't impress me in any patriotic way.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SpamSandwich
As an Apple shareholder (and there are many here), I am naturally concerned with the amount of navel-gazing coming out of Apple recently. More advertising missteps, releasing a very rough, unpolished looking beta-level iOS 7 for developers... Frankly, these are troubling for a variety of reasons. Primarily it indicates to me that the push for "insanely great" every time is fast becoming "good enough...I'll fix it tomorrow".
That kind of thinking might be OK at Microsoft, but it doesn't work at Apple. People need to start getting fired. I'm seeing less urgency at Apple now.
But as BGR points out.
Quote:
Ace Metrix, which loved Microsoft’s Surface ads, says Apple ads are failing
(and if the Surface ads were loved by Ace Metrix, I sort of want them to hate Apple's;-) )
it's comes across as arrogance, made in California, like it's someplace so special. I like Apple products and spend hours on my iPad, but the new ads do nothing. Now having your wife (or whatever) touch phone to phone so you can watch her on video for your next business trip, now that ad catches your imagination.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ruel24
Designed by Apple in California - build by children in China.
However, aren't they all? Do we really have an option? Can't really hold that against Apple, but advertising where it was designed is almost deceiving. Just about every product sold by a US company was designed in the US. Few of them are actually BUILT in the US, which, to me, is a shame.
I tend to agree. In my last post I did praise this ad and still do. But I neglected to mention that the "in California" thing is a bit silly.
But...I think it would be even more silly to not put something there. They should be proud to have design all this stuff. Very few companies do put that much pride into their work, or even recognize talent and the people who created it. The fact that they reside in California is a little bit unfortunate. And that's mainly because many think Californian are a bit smug...especially in the Bay Area. Had Apple resided in Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Arizona or various other States, the outside perspective might be quite a bit different. Why not just say, "Designed by Apple in Cupertino"? That I think might be more acceptable than the State.
Should they say Designed by Apple in the USA? no. Should they include "made in China"? That wouldn't be totally accurate since their products are assembled in China from parts made all over the world, including the USA.
It's a narrow line they are standing on but I think they did way they felt was right.
And I wouldn't say "build by children in China" because that's not accurate either. We've heard a lot in the press over the years about labor in China regarding Apple, but never about underage or child labor (please correct me with a link if i'm wrong). Now the Parts makers might be in a different story, but other than a total boycott of part manufacturers globally, there little anyone company can do to resolve this. That's not saying the press and the powers that be can't try to rectify this. And I think Apple does a pretty good job at attempting to rectify it. However, when you work with companies in parts of the world where deception and blatant ignorance of morals is clearly askew, and the lack of respect many of these small companies have on said morals and they feverishly trying to cover up those practices. it's very difficult to know where to point the finger. East Asian politics and business practices are so vastly morally skewed from the western world, and they're very good at displacing all responsibility.
That all being said, and to actually respond to your comment...Things will look a bit different when the Mac Pro comes out. They've already shown off the printing on the back that says "Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in the U.S."
From an outside perspective (meaning people from outside the USA), there is a much different perspective of the USA and companies within. I don't think those's perspectives are wrong and they have every right to have them. But, considering the economic climate over the past 5 years and the reputation of USA companies and the over-all decline in quality and brand over the last 50 years, the people of the USA need something to be proud of. And yes, maybe these commercials should be more targeted at the USA audiences...but they also portray the message of Apple. People choose to see what they want to based on many factors. But to me, as an American who works 50% of the year in China, I see these adds and the "designed in" labels as something to be proud of. And I will be glad to see the new Mac Pros assembled here.
Why isn't there as much hate out there for other companies that have similar practices? You think Apple is that much more smug than the designers and owners of BMW? Of Barbour? Of Rimowa? Of Lexus? Or any other company in countries that produces great products? I think much of the perspective is that something really great is coming from the USA. Nobody claims the makers of Omega Watches are smug, ego-centric assholes do they? Don't judge us by our politics or by Hollywood. Judge us on the people that sweat this stuff day-in day-out. That honestly try to produce great things. You'll see we're not that much different from the same people, doing the same work in Poland, Brazil, Japan or anywhere else. And we're proud of where we're from, just like you are.
Shut up and go away, then. Seems pretty simple to understand: you don't give a flying frick about the truth or what this company is actually doing, so what right or reason do you have to be on a website about said company?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Marvin
The main thing I felt was wrong with the ad was that it went too far. The line "does it deserve to exist" didn't sit well with people - they thought it was an attack on others rather than a description of their own standards - and I think the last line "and it means everything" was too much.
I think they should have ended the advert emphatically on "this is our signature" i.e "We spend a lot of time on a few great things until every idea we touch, enhances each life it touches. You may rarely look at it but you'll always feel it. This is our signature". In other words, it's not just the label "Designed by Apple in California" that's their signature but the experience of their products.
I didn't like the inclusion of the music gig as that's used quite a lot and isn't as personal.
I think the overall concept behind it is great. I didn't get the impression that it's got anything to do with California, that's just the label they put on their products. With a little tweaking, maybe shorten the message a bit, I think it would have been a more powerful ad. I like the message and I hope it's one they continue to push, just a little more concisely.
Some of the scenes are starting to look too much like stock footage, especially the scene of the couple taking a photo of themselves. It's too false. One of the best scenes I felt was the kid using the iPad because the reaction looks genuine.
I was sitting here trying to think of how to express my thoughts on the ad and just read your post and you nailed it. The first 2 or 3 times I watched it I actually liked it but now I just tune out. It is beginning to look like stock footage and doesn't engage me anymore. I also think a designed in the U.S.A. might have had more cachet than California which means nothing to people that don't live there and for many that might even have a negative connotation. Think about the SNL skit called the Californians or the South Park episode about the Prius for example. I think for the campaign to be successful they need more than just this one ad and to alternate them so they stay fresh. They also need to get some better theme music, and like you said drop the "does it deserve to exist" line which came across as smug. The concept of the campaign has potential but they need some fine tuning because it just is not there yet.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gwmac
I also think a designed in the U.S.A. might have had more cachet than California which means nothing to people that don't live there and for many that might even have a negative connotation.
Yep, "designed in the USA" would've had broader appeal to the rest of the USA.
To me, the "designed in California" isn't so much a dig at other states, but every time I read or hear it, I'm immediately thinking to myself "and built overseas so that someone else gets the job."
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tallest Skil
Shut up and go away, then. Seems pretty simple to understand: you don't give a flying frick about the truth or what this company is actually doing, so what right or reason do you have to be on a website about said company?
Was the stock $600 - $700 when Tim Cook took over? What do you think accounts for the bottom dropping out of this company in under 1 year? Do you know what the "company is actually doing"? Can you explain the reason for Apple's sudden implosion? Oh, and you think I don't have a right to have an opinion or be on this website? And you call yourself a mod, LOL? I'm the one who loves Apple! Your blindness to the facts makes you an Apple addict, strung out on a high you (and Apple) can't achieve any longer. What will you say when Apple hits $300, $200... I know. You'll say Apple is a great company. The facts don't matter, only my warped opinion matters.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Juil
On a critical note, the two main messages that I get FROM THE VISUALS OF THE ADS, is that Apple’s products are accessible (meaning they are for everyone) and they have a positive impact on their user’s activities. But the WORDED MESSAGE doesn’t really work towards that direction precisely - the spoken/written message talks about them being focused, perfectionists, hard working, artists, proud, etc. That part of the message would have been better served by showing visuals of Apple’s people at work from various teams and work environments.
you have a point, but how much more boring and smug looking would your suggestion be?