Apple's 2014 holiday ad 'The Song' showcases the human side of its ecosystem

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Comments

  • Reply 21 of 66
    MarvinMarvin Posts: 15,320moderator
    Although you refer to it as a Christmas ad in the article, Apple simply says 'Happy Holidays' at the end of the ad; there is no mention of Christmas.

    I assume that's the route they'll go every year, it's pretty standard with companies. The celebrations that the phrase is often noted as covering include:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwanzaa
    Christmas and New Year
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanukkah

    Ramadan doesn't appear to fall into the period. I'm not sure how many black people celebrate Kwanzaa, some sites suggest 10 million in the US but it was a celebration made up in 1966 by someone who tortured and beat women and spent time in prison.

    Hanukkah doesn't fall into the holiday period and apparently people don't take time off to celebrate it so wouldn't qualify as one of the happy holidays. That really just leaves Christmas and New Year. The choice of phrase seems to be more based on some people taking offence at being wished a Merry Christmas when they don't celebrate it and they'd just be getting the time off as a holiday.

    The good thing about new generations coming up is they are getting less and less religious so the more this happens, the fewer people will take offence at meaningless phrases and companies will be free to use whatever they want without getting any complaints. If it was called Happy Santa Week, I'm sure people would be fine with it. It's not the specificity that's the issue.
    The ad itself? Boring and obscure. Apple are obviously trying to tailor their ads to black and white stereotypical groups; hence the recent raucous ad geared towards the thug audience, and this one geared to the old biddies. Once upon a time, Apple made ads that had universal appeal, like the great iPod ones.

    What differentiates Apple from anyone else in this ad? There is nothing to suggest that you couldn't achieve anything the woman in the ad does with a PC or Android device.

    I didn't like it as much as the 'misunderstood' one. Chiat Day did that one:

    http://shootonline.com/news/apples-misunderstood-wins-primetime-commercial-emmy-award

    This one looks like the new ad team trying to replicate the same style. I can see what they were going for but the emotion in it wasn't natural enough IMO. The thing about the misunderstood one is you couldn't really see what was coming. You could figure out this whole ad pretty quickly. I also found the song they picked grating to listen to.

    I like that they are pushing for emotional ads at this time of year and this one obviously worked for some people.
  • Reply 22 of 66
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost View Post

     

    Bah humbug.

     

    Although you refer to it as a Christmas ad in the article, Apple simply says 'Happy Holidays' at the end of the ad; there is no mention of Christmas. This is the face of the new Tim Cook-led, politically correct, bland 'Think Nothing' Apple.

     

    The ad itself? Boring and obscure. Apple are obviously trying to tailor their ads to black and white stereotypical groups; hence the recent raucous ad geared towards the thug audience, and this one geared to the old biddies. Once upon a time, Apple made ads that had universal appeal, like the great iPod ones.

     

    What differentiates Apple from anyone else in this ad? There is nothing to suggest that you couldn't achieve anything the woman in the ad does with a PC or Android device.

     

    The one positive is that the music reminds me slightly of the first MacBook Air envelope ad 'You're a new soul'.

     

    I enjoyed 'Misunderstood' last year; it made you think, and had more tension. This one, however, fails to achieve an impact.

     

    MEMO TO APPLE: BIN YOUR IN-HOUSE AD TEAM.

     

    Grumble over.


     

    And what’s your idea of the ideal heart-warming holiday ad?  One that compares chip specs?

  • Reply 23 of 66
    apres587 wrote: »
    And what’s your idea of the ideal heart-warming holiday ad?  One that compares chip specs?

    You can't say holiday. You have to call it Christmas.
  • Reply 24 of 66
    Two for two! This is the second year in a row the apple holiday ad brought a tear to my eye. I love this song.
  • Reply 25 of 66
    Bah humbug.

    Although you refer to it as a Christmas ad in the article, Apple simply says 'Happy Holidays' at the end of the ad; there is no mention of Christmas. This is the face of the new Tim Cook-led, politically correct, bland 'Think Nothing' Apple.

    The ad itself? Boring and obscure. Apple are obviously trying to tailor their ads to black and white stereotypical groups; hence the recent raucous ad geared towards the thug audience, and this one geared to the old biddies. Once upon a time, Apple made ads that had universal appeal, like the great iPod ones.

    What differentiates Apple from anyone else in this ad? There is nothing to suggest that you couldn't achieve anything the woman in the ad does with a PC or Android device.

    The one positive is that the music reminds me slightly of the first MacBook Air envelope ad 'You're a new soul'.

    I enjoyed 'Misunderstood' last year; it made you think, and had more tension. This one, however, fails to achieve an impact.

    MEMO TO APPLE: BIN YOUR IN-HOUSE AD TEAM.

    Grumble over.

    This guy didn't even remotely attempt to hide his racist reaction
  • Reply 26 of 66
    A million times better than the incredibly stupid and annoying new iPhone ads!!!
  • Reply 27 of 66
    jakebjakeb Posts: 562member
    Bah humbug.

    Although you refer to it as a Christmas ad in the article, Apple simply says 'Happy Holidays' at the end of the ad; there is no mention of Christmas. This is the face of the new Tim Cook-led, politically correct, bland 'Think Nothing' Apple.

    The ad itself? Boring and obscure. Apple are obviously trying to tailor their ads to black and white stereotypical groups; hence the recent raucous ad geared towards the thug audience, and this one geared to the old biddies. Once upon a time, Apple made ads that had universal appeal, like the great iPod ones.

    What differentiates Apple from anyone else in this ad? There is nothing to suggest that you couldn't achieve anything the woman in the ad does with a PC or Android device.

    The one positive is that the music reminds me slightly of the first MacBook Air envelope ad 'You're a new soul'.

    I enjoyed 'Misunderstood' last year; it made you think, and had more tension. This one, however, fails to achieve an impact.

    MEMO TO APPLE: BIN YOUR IN-HOUSE AD TEAM.

    Grumble over.

    Surely you're trolling.

    They wouldn't make another one of these if the first one didn't work. They've got the numbers.

    It's true they've got 3 styles of ads going and I like it. They've got the old school "smug hands, white background" for iPhone6, they've got fast paced graphical thing with the iPad, and now this general heartstrings approach for the whole apple brand.
  • Reply 28 of 66
    jakebjakeb Posts: 562member
    solipsismy wrote: »
    You can't say holiday. You have to call it Christmas.

    That boat has long sailed.
  • Reply 29 of 66
    Oh wow... this is beautiful. <3
  • Reply 30 of 66
    adamcadamc Posts: 583member

    Love the ad....

     

    The funny thing about some people is when asked to create something they can't do a sh** but when comes to negative comments they are brilliant.

     

    Perhaps they think they live in a world they are better than the rest but when it comes to the litmus test.... it tells a different story.

  • Reply 31 of 66
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    I agree that the Misunderstood ad was much better. That one actually did have me tearing up at the end. This one not so much. It's not a bad ad but it's not great either. Of course it's 1000x better than the silly iPhone ads with Justin and Jimmy. If those are coming from Apple's in-house team they need a new team or at least a new team leader. I see Ken Segall thinks the whole iPhone 6 campaign is 'meh'. He's worked with Jobs and Apple on some great ads so I trust his judgement. Perhaps Apple needs someone differerent overseeing advertising. That might not be Schiller's forte.

    http://kensegall.com/2014/12/iphone-6-ads-resoundingly-okay/

    http://kensegall.com/2014/04/apples-little-advertising-crisis/

    http://kensegall.com/2014/06/apples-marketing-rethink-not-exactly-a-surprise/
  • Reply 32 of 66
    I think its a good ad because:

    1) Its a positive advert for the products (not just a hate ad for the opposition)
    2) It shows a range of products being used as a tool to get a concept to reality

    Maybe the world needs a bit more positivity...

    Cheers Dr Hawk
  • Reply 33 of 66
    badmonkbadmonk Posts: 1,293member
    F###, it made me cry. Great great ad. The naysayers don't have a heart.
  • Reply 34 of 66
    dasanman69dasanman69 Posts: 13,002member
    solipsismy wrote: »
    You can't say holiday. You have to call it Christmas.

    Can we please not start this discussion again?
  • Reply 35 of 66
    In previous Apple Christmas/holiday ads they've managed to get to me, but this one didn't do a thing.

    The entire scenario seemed highly contrived and even the payoff was odd. Why was "grandma" listening ALONE to this song on an iPad mini? Family interaction would've been much better.

    Then I found myself wondering where the younger girl had gone and I wondered which app granny was using to listen to this strange song. GarageBand? E-mail? iTunes?

    Not a satisfying conclusion.
  • Reply 36 of 66
    fracfrac Posts: 480member
    Bah humbug.

    Grumble over.

    So. Humbug followed by More Humbug.
    Now you're just puncturing my balloon... that only true Brits get 'irony'.
    Today's face palm moment. Myself included.
  • Reply 37 of 66
    dasanman69 wrote: »
    Can we please not start this discussion again?

    I think it's funny… so no. :D

    In previous Apple Christmas/holiday ads they've managed to get to me, but this one didn't do a thing.

    The entire scenario seemed highly contrived and even the payoff was odd. Why was "grandma" listening ALONE to this song on an iPad mini? Family interaction would've been much better.

    Then I found myself wondering where the younger girl had gone and I wondered which app granny was using to listen to this strange song. GarageBand? E-mail? iTunes?

    Not a satisfying conclusion.

    I agree with that. I can see a scenario where the Grandmother, say, opens just a letter from the granddaughter and yes all the pics in the envelope. The letter tells her to listen and the granddaughter, with her iPad mini next to her, hits AirPlay and Play to have the duet with the images scrolling rolling in and out in a pleasant way.
  • Reply 38 of 66
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost View Post

     

    Although you refer to it as a Christmas ad in the article, Apple simply says 'Happy Holidays' at the end of the ad; there is no mention of Christmas. This is the face of the new Tim Cook-led, politically correct, bland 'Think Nothing' Apple.


     

    perhaps you havent heard of Hanukkah? since jews dont believe in christ, they dont celebrate christmas. neither do hindus nor atheists, etc...but we do celebrate the new year. further, christmas was taken from the pagan Mithrals and re-purposed for the christians to help ease the political transition of mass religion. it's all just winter solstice celebrating anyway, been going on for thousands of years; christians are just new to the party.

  • Reply 39 of 66
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by jkichline View Post

     

    Good luck trying to do anything music-related on an Android device.  Android doesn't have key features like MIDI or real-time audio processing.  The most simultaneous tracks top-end Android can handle are 8, the same as the original iPad.  The iPad Air 2 can handle 24 tracks.  That's 24 simultaneous, processed audio tracks in real-time...


     

    BJ Frost wont let anything as miniscule as facts get in the way of his trolling.

  • Reply 40 of 66
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Benjamin Frost View Post



    Sure, but this ad doesn't tell us that.

     

    it doesnt have to tell you that android devices suck and what their technical limitations are. it only has to show you what you can do w/ apple devices. it did.

     

    troll harder.

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