Apple's holiday-themed 'Misunderstood' iPhone ad wins Emmy for 'Most Outstanding Commercial'
Another prestigious trophy can be added to Apple's long list of award winning advertisements, as the company's iPhone ad "Misunderstood" has been honored with a Creative Arts Emmy for 2014's most "Outstanding Commercial."
The holiday-themed ad, in which a teenager is seen staring at his phone during a family gathering, was done in partnership with ad agency TBWA\Media Arts Lab and production company Park Pictures. The commercial eventually reveals that the boy has been editing together a movie on his iPhone, and culminates with a tear-inducing finale where everyone gathers around to watch the final product.
Apple's Emmy beat out competing ads from General Electric, Nike, and two nominations for Budweiser spots that aired during the Super Bowl.
Apple's "Misunderstood" ad is part of an ongoing campaign by the company that goes beyond the product to tell stories of how technology affects our culture and daily lives. The "Misunderstood" ad in particular tugged at heartstrings with a solo piano rendition of the holiday classic "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
The award shared with TBWA is noteworthy because recent reports have suggested Apple is planning to bring its advertising efforts in-house, potentially ending its longtime partnership with the respected agency. Recently, a survey measured the effectiveness of Apple ads over the last year, pitting those made by TBWA against Apple's own creations, and found that the outside ad agency produced better results.
But it's been claimed that TBWA officials have been at odds with the style of Apple's own marketing chief, Phil Schiller. Tensions are said to have risen after Steve Jobs died in 2011 and Schiller took over approval of ads.
Apple's most famous and heralded ad is the "1984" spot that aired during the Super Bowl that year. The title is a play on George Orwell's book, and revealed to millions the coming of the first Macintosh personal computer.
The company had many more iconic advertisements over the years, but perhaps the best known was the "Get a Mac" campaign, featuring actor Justin Long as the suave embodiment of a Mac, while the bumbling John Hodgman played the part of a stuffy, less capable Windows PC.
The holiday-themed ad, in which a teenager is seen staring at his phone during a family gathering, was done in partnership with ad agency TBWA\Media Arts Lab and production company Park Pictures. The commercial eventually reveals that the boy has been editing together a movie on his iPhone, and culminates with a tear-inducing finale where everyone gathers around to watch the final product.
Apple's Emmy beat out competing ads from General Electric, Nike, and two nominations for Budweiser spots that aired during the Super Bowl.
Apple's "Misunderstood" ad is part of an ongoing campaign by the company that goes beyond the product to tell stories of how technology affects our culture and daily lives. The "Misunderstood" ad in particular tugged at heartstrings with a solo piano rendition of the holiday classic "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."
The award shared with TBWA is noteworthy because recent reports have suggested Apple is planning to bring its advertising efforts in-house, potentially ending its longtime partnership with the respected agency. Recently, a survey measured the effectiveness of Apple ads over the last year, pitting those made by TBWA against Apple's own creations, and found that the outside ad agency produced better results.
But it's been claimed that TBWA officials have been at odds with the style of Apple's own marketing chief, Phil Schiller. Tensions are said to have risen after Steve Jobs died in 2011 and Schiller took over approval of ads.
Apple's most famous and heralded ad is the "1984" spot that aired during the Super Bowl that year. The title is a play on George Orwell's book, and revealed to millions the coming of the first Macintosh personal computer.
The company had many more iconic advertisements over the years, but perhaps the best known was the "Get a Mac" campaign, featuring actor Justin Long as the suave embodiment of a Mac, while the bumbling John Hodgman played the part of a stuffy, less capable Windows PC.
Comments
If TBWA is making good ads that are outperforming Apple employee made ads, I don't see why they should be dropped. It shouldn't be done just for the sake doing everything in-house.
That was the last great ad from Apple. There were quite a few mediocre ones prior to that, as I recall.
The current crop of moody, sulky, preachy-sounding, self-satisfied ads -- with their utterly mediocre music ("Gigantic" is Exhibit A) -- needs to be jettisoned.
I must be the only one who didn't like this....
I must be the only one who didn't like this....
Pretty much :P
So where are all the clowns that say Apple ads suck?
Even the Apple ads that poked fun at Microsoft have been charming, stylish, fun, memorable.
Apple just *gets* it.
I must be the only one who didn't like this....
I'm just glad you're not part of Apple's marketing department. No ad appeals to everyone. I think they only have to appeal to the majority of their target audience. As a unique individual you are certainly allowed to dislike the ad and I see nothing wrong with that.
That was the last great ad from Apple. There were quite a few mediocre ones prior to that, as I recall.
The current crop of moody, sulky, preachy-sounding, self-satisfied ads -- with their utterly mediocre music ("Gigantic" is Exhibit A) -- needs to be jettisoned.
"…last great ad…"?
Did you mean, "latest"?
(i.e., not "final", but "most recent"?)
I must be the only one who didn't like this....
Pretty much :P
It was ok but it was contrived to make you think the teen was socially disengaged. They didn't show him actually using the camera or editing the clips so a person not familiar with how iMovie or Airplay actually works wouldn't get it. I prefer the ads that demonstrate the features more clearly.
I only disliked the errors in continuity regarding the ratio of the recorded video compared to how the kid was seen holding it.
But I’m a stickler.
indeed. it's called "class".
Let me tell you something that you already know. Life isn't all sunshine and rainbows. It'll beat you to your knees if you let it. Nobody hits as hard as life does. But it's not how hard you can hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.
THAT's HOW ADVERTISING IS DONE!!
Let me tell you something that you already know. Life isn't all sunshine and rainbows. It'll beat you to your knees if you let it. Nobody hits as hard as life does. But it's not how hard you can hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.
THAT's HOW ADVERTISING IS DONE!!
Stephan, if we didn't have sticklers like TS around, nobody might have noticed it when Nokia faked the quality of their phone's camera.
Yes, we don't expect ads to be documentaries, and things don't have to be perfect. But they shouldn't be abject lies, either. So thanks to TS, who noticed things in the Apple ad that I also had some suspicions about.
ps: It's a good thing life ain't all sunshines n rainbows, or else we'd never get to see things by moonlight and enjoy starscapes an' constellations. The universe would seem a lot smaller. 8^)
I must be the only one who didn't like this....
Well I don't know if you are serious or not but I didn't like it either. People are all warm and fuzzy about the ending but I think that misses the point. This kid was still buried in his iPhone the entire time watching the family from the outside.
Sure, he was putting together the video but it doesn't change the fact that he wasn't really interacting with them. I think it is a great example how people sometimes think they are using technology for a great end purpose but they are missing out on life along the way.
I seem to recall someone saying "The Journey Is the Reward".
-kpluck
So where are all the clowns that say Apple ads suck?
The recent ads are not as good as the one mentioned in this post and not being designed by TBWA. So, your point is invalid.
I must be the only one who didn't like this....
Yes! You're the only one!
Stephan, if we didn't have sticklers like TS around, nobody might have noticed it when Nokia faked the quality of their phone's camera.
Yes, we don't expect ads to be documentaries, and things don't have to be perfect. But they shouldn't be abject lies, either. So thanks to TS, who noticed things in the Apple ad that I also had some suspicions about.
His post rhymes, so I imagine it’s just lyrics to something.