Apple's new 'Your Verse' iPad ads focus on music, community engagement [updated with video]
Apple on Monday unveiled two new additions to its well-received "Your Verse" advertising campaign for the iPad, this time focusing attention on Chinese electropop group Yaoband and Detroit community activist Jason Hall.
The first spot, entitled "Striking a new chord," focuses on the way Beijing-based musicians Luke Wang and Peter Feng use the iPad to compose new tracks while on the go. The tablet's ultra-portable nature lends itself not only to the band's constantly-moving lifestyle, but also allows them to take inspiration from unexpected places.
Wang and Feng are shown sampling the horn from a motorbike, the sound of billiard balls striking each other, and tones coming from a traditional Chinese fiddle-like instrument known as an erhu. The group uses a combination of Native Instruments's iMaschine, Alexander Gross's Music Studio, and Akai Professional's iMPC.
"With iPad, I can take anything around me, record a sample, re-form it, and make it part of my music," Wang is quoted as saying.
The group also uses the iPad during live performances, taking advantage of the built-in accelerometer to create bespoke rhythms with Confusionists's MIDI Designer Pro and improvising new beats with Propellerhead's Figure.
"For me, the most significant role iPad plays is onstage," Wang added. "Before, I was chained to my DJ station and could only give a simple performance."
Alongside the spot, Apple posted an exclusive recording of a recent Yaoband performance outside Beijing. The concert is free to watch via iTunes.
In the second spot, called "Organizing a movement," Apple follows Detroit-based activist Jason Hall as he uses the iPad to rally support for the beleaguered city. Hall's organization -- called Slow Roll -- organizes bicycle tours of Detroit that celebrate its history and educate participants to new developments.
Hall carries the iPad with him every day as he cycles around the city, and manages every aspect of Slow Roll on Apple's tablet. Each event can bring thousands of participants, which Hall credits to the ease with which he can get the word out on social media using apps like Phoster.
"When people talk about Slow Roll, they don't say 'the ride' -- they say 'the movement,'" Hall said. "Without my iPad that would not have happened."
Among the other apps Hall uses on a regular basis are Prezi, for giving presentations; Penultimate, for brainstorming and note-taking; and Zello Walkie Talkie, for communicating with volunteers during rides.
iPad owners interested in learning more will have an opportunity to hear Hall speak in person at at least three local Apple Stores. Hall will hold workshops at Apple's Georgetown outlet in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 19, the North Michigan Avenue location in Chicago on Aug. 21, and the new Pioneer Place store in Portland on Aug. 27.
The first spot, entitled "Striking a new chord," focuses on the way Beijing-based musicians Luke Wang and Peter Feng use the iPad to compose new tracks while on the go. The tablet's ultra-portable nature lends itself not only to the band's constantly-moving lifestyle, but also allows them to take inspiration from unexpected places.
Wang and Feng are shown sampling the horn from a motorbike, the sound of billiard balls striking each other, and tones coming from a traditional Chinese fiddle-like instrument known as an erhu. The group uses a combination of Native Instruments's iMaschine, Alexander Gross's Music Studio, and Akai Professional's iMPC.
"With iPad, I can take anything around me, record a sample, re-form it, and make it part of my music," Wang is quoted as saying.
The group also uses the iPad during live performances, taking advantage of the built-in accelerometer to create bespoke rhythms with Confusionists's MIDI Designer Pro and improvising new beats with Propellerhead's Figure.
"For me, the most significant role iPad plays is onstage," Wang added. "Before, I was chained to my DJ station and could only give a simple performance."
Alongside the spot, Apple posted an exclusive recording of a recent Yaoband performance outside Beijing. The concert is free to watch via iTunes.
In the second spot, called "Organizing a movement," Apple follows Detroit-based activist Jason Hall as he uses the iPad to rally support for the beleaguered city. Hall's organization -- called Slow Roll -- organizes bicycle tours of Detroit that celebrate its history and educate participants to new developments.
Hall carries the iPad with him every day as he cycles around the city, and manages every aspect of Slow Roll on Apple's tablet. Each event can bring thousands of participants, which Hall credits to the ease with which he can get the word out on social media using apps like Phoster.
"When people talk about Slow Roll, they don't say 'the ride' -- they say 'the movement,'" Hall said. "Without my iPad that would not have happened."
Among the other apps Hall uses on a regular basis are Prezi, for giving presentations; Penultimate, for brainstorming and note-taking; and Zello Walkie Talkie, for communicating with volunteers during rides.
iPad owners interested in learning more will have an opportunity to hear Hall speak in person at at least three local Apple Stores. Hall will hold workshops at Apple's Georgetown outlet in Washington, D.C. on Aug. 19, the North Michigan Avenue location in Chicago on Aug. 21, and the new Pioneer Place store in Portland on Aug. 27.
Comments
I like the Chinese rap band, LMF. Those guys were risk takers.
Also, check out Carsick Cars.
But is it effective? Maybe it will take with a younger demographic. I prefer the Dreams and the Parenthood ads. It addressed my needs/expectations better.
I actually think that is what these stories are showing. The depth of what the platform actually is. So many cross sections of life and they are all enhanced in some way using Apple's products. For you Dreams and Parenthood resonated. For others, a whole different set of stories will hit close to home. It is actually quite remarkable.
I think that this fall/winter will be a blow out.
I actually think that is what these stories are showing. The depth of what the platform actually is. So many cross sections of life and they are all enhanced in some way using Apple's products. For you Dreams and Parenthood resonated. For others, a whole different set of stories will hit close to home. It is actually quite remarkable.
I think that this fall/winter will be a blow out.
Exactly! Sadly the Wall Street and other folks still do not understand the Apple story. It really is not strictly about hardware specs or how big is the screen size. It is about the experience, the quality, the eco system, capturing my life events, etc. Apple is not interested in capturing the market share by creating cheap products - It is interesting in building the right product and experience for the people who appreciate it - So what that is small enough market? Apparently, that market is not that small - The balance sheet, which is an envy of lots of companies, speaks volume.
I recently decided to go ahead and buy OnePlus, which is an Android phone and which has been getting rave reviews, because of the price and outstanding specs. Well, I am not pleased - First, Android is really an OS for geeks - Yes, the openness and flexibility is great, but what good it is if the behavior is not consistent across all the apps. The OnePlus has powerful processor, but the WiFi performance is pathetic. In the same network, I am getting 5x better throughput on my Apple product, v/s this OnePlus device and which has support of latest 802.11AC and I have router that supports 802.11AC. It might be a software issue - but still what good is having a F1 racing car and driving it using a street tires?
Why do Apple not link to soundtrack(s) used!
Yaoband was an easy find, but what about the other video featuring Jason Hall's Slow Roll, new för OS X Shazam won't identify. Anyone?
How did you manage to get at Oneplus phone? You have to be invited. They have no traditional sales channels. Their entire marketing model is designed to slow sales to a crawl to create scarcity, which is just plain dumb.
How did you manage to get at Oneplus phone? You have to be invited. They have no traditional sales channels. Their entire marketing model is designed to slow sales to a crawl to create scarcity, which is just plain dumb.
It is one messed up situation they have it out there. Their approach will never scale. People are selling the invites on E-Bay (in some cases up to $90 or so). Anyway, I was fortunate enough to get one for dirt cheap price. I both the unit as my development unit. If I am going to build product for mobile space, I have to keep my Apple loyalty aside :-)