Apple to air student-made TV ad; Aperture & Backup updates

Posted:
in Mac Software edited January 2014
A new iPod Touch TV spot due to begin airing Sunday night isn't the work of an Apple bigwig or members of the company's ad agency, but rather a teenage student. Meanwhile, Apple has updated Aperture for Leopard and also posted new versions of Backup, Server Admin Tools and GarageBand.



New iPod Touch ad



A new television commercial for the iPod Touch from Apple, scheduled to begin running on Sunday, is being created by the company's longtime agency, TBWA/Chiat/Day. However, the New York Times reports the spot is based heavily on a commercial that 18-year-old English student Nick Haley created on his own one day last month.



Haley took visual elements in his commercial (embedded below) from video clips about the iPod Touch and other new products, then uploaded the finished piece to the popular video file sharing site YouTube. Among those who would later view his work were staff members on the Apple account at TBWA/Chiat/Day.



"I was sitting on the bus and I got this e-mail on my phone,” Haley told the Times. The message said, "We represent Apple and we’ve seen what you have produced and we’d like a chat with you."



Haley was eventually flown to Los Angeles to work on a broadcast-ready version of the ad with creative executives at TBWA/Chiat/Day. It can be seen on football games starting Sunday afternoon and on “Desperate Housewives” and Game 4 of the World Series that same night. It is also to be shown in Europe and Japan.







Aperture 1.5.6 Update



Aperture 1.5.6 Update [130.6MB] addresses issues related to performance, improves overall stability, and supports compatibility with Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Other specific issues addressed in this release include:

Resolves some minor compatibility issues with iPhoto 7.1, which organizes images by Event rather than Roll.Addresses issues related to metadata and sort order when sharing previews with iLife Media Browser.Improves reliability of queries based on Import Session.Addresses reliability when recovering an Aperture Library from a Vault.

This update is recommended for all Aperture users.



Backup 3.1.2



Backup 3.1.2 [6.3] is highly recommended for all users of Backup 3. This update includes reliability improvements and improves compatibility with Leopard and iWork '08.



Server Admin Tools 10.5



Server Admin Tools 10.5 [63.4MB] contains remote administration tools, documentation, and utilities that you can install on a computer other than your server. For more information on how to use the included software, see the Documentation folder included in the distribution. Additional details on this release are provided here.



GarageBand 3.0.5



GarageBand 3.0.5 update [14.4MB] supports compatibility with Mac OS X 10.5.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 42
    zenatekzenatek Posts: 203member
    Is anyone else seeing the weird artifacts during the first half? It seems in all the comments on youtube there is no mention of this and I have played it on multiple computers and its always been there.
  • Reply 2 of 42
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    "My music is where I'd like you to touch."
  • Reply 3 of 42
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zenatek View Post


    Is anyone else seeing the weird artifacts during the first half? It seems in all the comments on youtube there is no mention of this and I have played it on multiple computers and its always been there.



    Everyone is seeing them, but this isn't the version they'll be running on TV, they'll just be going for this concept and very likely be using the same song.
  • Reply 4 of 42
    Unfortunately, they cut out the "music is my hot, hot sex" part.



    Here's the song in iTunes by the way: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...41&i=162253040
  • Reply 5 of 42
    While I think the ad has merit I wouldn't be surprised if this is also a P.R. stunt.

    Apple has angered a lot of users in the past few months and has lost some of the good will that keeps it's fans so loyal. This is the kind of story that the general public will eat up and particularly Apple's most zealous fans. Apple looks like the good guy and gets a great commercial to boot.
  • Reply 6 of 42
    bageljoeybageljoey Posts: 2,004member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zenatek View Post


    Is anyone else seeing the weird artifacts during the first half? It seems in all the comments on youtube there is no mention of this and I have played it on multiple computers and its always been there.



    He apologized for it in his comments. Said it was something about how YouTube was dealing with the MPEG file or something...
  • Reply 7 of 42
    nagrommenagromme Posts: 2,834member
    That's pretty cool--the ad is good (if a little too whirlwind confusing) but also generic enough that Apple or the ad agency could easily have just done something "inspired" by it and never involved the kid. It's cool that they did.



    Of course ANY time Apple does something fair or gives people something that people like, you could call it a publicity stunt
  • Reply 8 of 42
    this is unbelievable... that ad is nothing special, anyone can do it. I don't believe Apple would contact him and hire the kid, there is no way. Its probably an Apple faculty kid who tries to inspire other kids to do the same. I am unimpressed, very unfair, that's the worst shit ad I have ever seen. I never knew Apple was stupid enough to fly him down and work with the kid. Ridicolous.
  • Reply 9 of 42
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Johnny Mozzarella View Post


    Apple looks like the good guy and gets a great commercial to boot.



    It's a beautiful thing. It's so Apple. It's what the iApps are all about.
  • Reply 10 of 42
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by thebeat View Post


    this is unbelievable... that ad is nothing special, anyone can do it. I don't believe Apple would contact him and hire the kid, there is no way. Its probably an Apple faculty kid who tries to inspire other kids to do the same. I am unimpressed, very unfair, that's the worst shit ad I have ever seen. I never knew Apple was stupid enough to fly him down and work with the kid. Ridicolous.



    right... so here talks the pro. maybe you sound just slightly jealous to me, mate. never mind. i don't care if it's a pr stunt or not - if it is, fair enough... if not - congratulations to the kid.
  • Reply 11 of 42
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by thebeat View Post


    this is unbelievable... that ad is nothing special, anyone can do it. I don't believe Apple would contact him and hire the kid, there is no way. Its probably an Apple faculty kid who tries to inspire other kids to do the same. I am unimpressed, very unfair, that's the worst shit ad I have ever seen. I never knew Apple was stupid enough to fly him down and work with the kid. Ridicolous.



    ....said the 35 year old living in his mom's basement, working an $8 an hour part time job editing commercials for the local bait and tackle store.



    Dude, the ad is brilliant. Not just the video editing, but the audio editing of the song itself. Listen to the original and you'll hear what I mean. And the way the music and the video sync up.. WOW! And from an 18 year old no less.
  • Reply 12 of 42
    I think Apple came across the vid and realized the song was perfect, wanted the song, but knew they couldn't use it without crediting the kid. The video itself was just a re-edit of video already on Apple's website. The boy gets credit for having found the song, which most of us would have never heard of, and for otherwise putting up a pretty familiar-looking Touch-scenario vid, but one that looks great. Props to him, though. I hope he had a blast working with the Apple team. And props to Apple for more great marketing on their part!
  • Reply 13 of 42
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,309moderator
    I didn't like the ad or the song really. Plus it says that the videos were taken from other ipod ads so it's a quick edit job with a song on top. For an 18 year old it is ok but I see kids way younger than that produce far more impressive stuff with effects that could be used in feature films and they spend months doing it. This guy spent a day or something putting this together.



    I say PR stunt too. They probably want to be able to say that the ad was done on a Mac by a kid and so can you. Wouldn't it be funny if he got over there and said it was done with a quad core mid-range tower PC running Premiere. Man I'd pay to see the look on their faces.
  • Reply 14 of 42
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by mactastick1 View Post


    I think Apple came across the vid and realized the song was perfect, wanted the song, but knew they couldn't use it without crediting the kid. The video itself was just a re-edit of video already on Apple's website. The boy gets credit for having found the song, which most of us would have never heard of, and for otherwise putting up a pretty familiar-looking Touch-scenario vid, but one that looks great. Props to him, though. I hope he had a blast working with the Apple team. And props to Apple for more great marketing on their part!



    I agree; it's the song that so well matches the Jobs/Apple philosophy about music. Think back to before the iPod, to the "Think Different" campaign where Jobs explained how very important heroes such as Bob Dyland and John Lennon were to him. Music was and is hugely important to many young people. Steve Jobs "gets it" and this new song is a great expression of it. Bill Gates will never understand.
  • Reply 15 of 42
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by stonefree View Post


    ....said the 35 year old living in his mom's basement, working an $8 an hour part time job editing commercials for the local bait and tackle store.



    Dude, the ad is brilliant. Not just the video editing, but the audio editing of the song itself. Listen to the original and you'll hear what I mean. And the way the music and the video sync up.. WOW! And from an 18 year old no less.



    Yes, insulting someone who doesn't agree with you is the best way to make your point.



    The ad is hardly 'brilliant'. I love how people can never decide what they want. Apple makes some nice informative ads with real people talking and people call them the worst ever. Some student cuts up some clips to music, which I think the vast majority would find bewildering, and is hailed.



    The cuts are too fast, there's no time to take in each section and everything is crammed together. The music however, is spot on.



    It's far more likely the ad agency liked the idea and music and didn't want a backlash for stealing an idea, rather than them being amazed by it.
  • Reply 16 of 42
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by esXXI View Post


    Yes, insulting someone who doesn't agree with you is the best way to make your point.



    Unfortunately, it's the nature of the Internet. It happens here a lot too. It doesn't matter if you're an Apple fan or not, critisize one little bit of Apple policy and you're bound to find someone to call you a Microsoft apologist / Vista user or whatever. I don't know what to make of it, as if it's a game of who is a bigger fan by who sides with Apple the most often.



    Then there are some gems that run something like "you couldn't make a better one, so why are you complaining", as if being able to make an electronics product is a required qualification in order to say you don't like something about an electronics product.
  • Reply 17 of 42
    melgrossmelgross Posts: 33,510member
    Getting away from this inconsequential ad for a moment, I'm VERY disappointed in Aperture.



    The Pro Photo Expo took place in NYC Oct 18-20 (to the public).



    Last year Apple introduced Aperture at this show, to great fanfare.



    But during this show, the best Apple could do was to demonstrate the same 1.5 version that's been out for many months. Aperture desperately needs a major upgrade. It didn't get one. This was the show to unveil it.



    Meanwhile, Lightroom has been taking sales away from Aperture amongst the pro community, and is a far better program for those who need to correct their RAW images without moving them to Photoshop, as Adobe has put all of the important features of Camera Raw 4 into Lightroom, as well as adding a couple that go beyond. Apple, meanwhile, is sticking with the poor quality correction ability the program has has from 1.1 or so.



    If they still intend to support this program, as we thought they were going to do when they announced 1.5, they had better quickly get on the ball, or the window will close on it. Right now, despite the seminars they gave at the show, I'm not sure if Apple does intend to take the program where it needs to go.
  • Reply 18 of 42
    quinneyquinney Posts: 2,528member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Marvin View Post


    I didn't like the ad or the song really. Plus it says that the videos were taken from other ipod ads so it's a quick edit job with a song on top. For an 18 year old it is ok but I see kids way younger than that produce far more impressive stuff with effects that could be used in feature films and they spend months doing it. This guy spent a day or something putting this together.



    I say PR stunt too. They probably want to be able to say that the ad was done on a Mac by a kid and so can you. Wouldn't it be funny if he got over there and said it was done with a quad core mid-range tower PC running Premiere. Man I'd pay to see the look on their faces.



    I think the fact that it took the kid a day rather than months is a demonstration

    of what the iLife apps are supposed to be all about.
  • Reply 19 of 42
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by quinney View Post


    I think the fact that it took the kid a day rather than months is a demonstration

    of what the iLife apps are supposed to be all about.



    I really don't think the tools are the biggest hindrance. I think that's more a result of the guerrilla effect.



    It's not that hard to whip something like that through other consumer software. I think that's the difference between dealing with a bureaucracy and not, be it in the ad agency or with the customer. He didn't have to worry about getting anyone to sign off on it, be it the customer or the boss or the boss's boss. No committee to argue with or micromanage the process. He didn't worry about other people objecting to his own creative vision. Or getting the rights to the music. Or auditioning actors. Just do it.
  • Reply 20 of 42
    jeffdmjeffdm Posts: 12,951member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by melgross View Post


    Getting away from this inconsequential ad for a moment, I'm VERY disappointed in Aperture.



    The Pro Photo Expo took place in NYC Oct 18-20 (to the public).



    Last year Apple introduced Aperture at this show, to great fanfare.



    But during this show, the best Apple could do was to demonstrate the same 1.5 version that's been out for many months. Aperture desperately needs a major upgrade. It didn't get one. This was the show to unveil it.



    Time flies faster than that. Aperture 1.5 was released Sept 2006. 1.0 was announced Oct 2005. So Adobe was given plenty of time to catch up to Aperture's strengths.
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