Apple to film new TV ads in Ames room

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
Apple Computer is preparing to film a new set of television ad spots that will be set in an Ames room where people or objects can appear to grow or shrink when moving from one corner to the other, an interview with a well known director has revealed.



In an interview with The Huffington Post, an internet publication run by a second-year student at Harvard Law School, Errol Morris reveals that he has been contracted by Apple to produce a new set of television commercials.



A widely admired director and producer of documentary films such as The Fog of War, Morris was also responsible for directing Apple's 2002 "Real People" ad campaign, which featured stories from real people who had switched from PCs to the Macintosh.



"I?m doing some more ads for [Apple]," Morris said in the June 2005 interview. "I have to go back to LA to shoot more commercials." He implies that Apple will shoot the ads inside an Ames room, which is currently under construction out in Los Angeles, Calif.



An Ames room, named after the American ophthalmologist Adelbert Ames, Jr., is constructed in such a way that a person seen walking about the room appears to be growing and shrinking rather than approaching and receding.



The trick behind an Ames room is that it appears cubic when viewed monocularly from a special viewing point but its true shape is actually trapezoidal.



"I?ve always wanted to shoot in an Ames room and now we?re going to," Morris said.



It's unclear which of Apple's products the new ads will target, but recent rumors imply that Apple may be gearing up to produce its first Mac-centric television ads in years.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 17
    aquamacaquamac Posts: 585member
    About time they get going with ad spots for computers. They should reassure the public about the switch to Intel.
  • Reply 2 of 17
    macslutmacslut Posts: 514member
    Methinks they're going to announce something really big...no wait, something really small...big, small, big...damn you Ames!



    Not sure why this would point to a Mac add, seems more inline with iPod ads.
  • Reply 3 of 17
    jonejone Posts: 102member
    Is this really the appropriate time to start an advertising campaign? We're in the midst of a transition that could result in a myriad of soured experiences and consumer perception issues. Sure, Apple wants it to be seamless...
  • Reply 4 of 17
    fahlmanfahlman Posts: 740member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by JonE

    Is this really the appropriate time to start an advertising campaign? We're in the midst of a transition that could result in a myriad of soured experiences and consumer perception issues. Sure, Apple wants it to be seamless...



    They should probably halt production, clear the channel and stop selling computers until the Intel based hardware is ready. This is the only way to make it seamless...



    Or they could build a crazy compatibility layer in to the OS and name it Rosetta. They could also consider some sort of universal-like binary format that could install on PowerPC and Intel based hardware. Maybe even add an option to Xcode that makes it easy to make these Universal binary thingies. No way. That would be to difficult.
  • Reply 5 of 17
    macchinemacchine Posts: 295member
    WiMacx media from there --> YOU.



    Either that or they have perfected the transporter.







    Actually it could be 3D TV !!!
  • Reply 6 of 17
    louzerlouzer Posts: 1,054member
    Its an iPod commercial. Obviously, because Apple marketing doesn't know they sell computers.



    Or it'll be a computer commercial, and everyone here will hate it, because they don't talk about how cool the OS is, or how much easier it is then Windows, or its virus free, or any of a thousand other things people who aren't marketing people think should be said, shown, etc, because they know what works ("Why don't they say that you can open 1000 finder windows in 10 seconds?")
  • Reply 7 of 17
    jonejone Posts: 102member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by fahlman

    They should probably halt production, clear the channel and stop selling computers until the Intel based hardware is ready. This is the only way to make it seamless...



    Or they could build a crazy compatibility layer in to the OS and name it Rosetta. They could also consider some sort of universal-like binary format that could install on PowerPC and Intel based hardware. Maybe even add an option to Xcode that makes it easy to make these Universal binary thingies. No way. That would be to difficult.




    Yeah...thanks for that completely uncalled-for kneejerk twaddle (I was merely adding to the discussion), I bet it truly felt great to deliver those lines. But everyone already knows that stuff. My concern is with average consumer perception, and the transparency of the transition. It is naive to think that all of this will go off without a hitch anywhere in sight (Rosetta isn't all it's cracked up to be), people may not eye PPCs with the same value anymore, and there is going to be some inevitable market confusion. I would have welcomed Mac ads with open arms previously, but now I am naturally a bit apprehensive.
  • Reply 8 of 17
    ionyzionyz Posts: 491member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Louzer

    Its an iPod commercial.



    Yeah. Larger hard drives or their iPod Mini. It looks small but its big where it counts.
  • Reply 9 of 17
    aquamacaquamac Posts: 585member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by JonE

    Yeah...thanks for that completely uncalled-for kneejerk twaddle (I was merely adding to the discussion), I bet it truly felt great to deliver those lines. But everyone already knows that stuff. My concern is with average consumer perception, and the transparency of the transition. It is naive to think that all of this will go off without a hitch anywhere in sight (Rosetta isn't all it's cracked up to be), people may not eye PPCs with the same value anymore, and there is going to be some inevitable market confusion. I would have welcomed Mac ads with open arms previously, but now I am naturally a bit apprehensive.



    I dissagree. I think it is importaunt to calm the frears some have about the change. People will respect an honest assesment of the situation. I dont't think i will be too bad. Maybe the worst thing will be the lack of support for classic applications.
  • Reply 10 of 17
    xoolxool Posts: 2,460member
    Perhaps there's a new "switcher", switching from iPod to matching iMac.
  • Reply 11 of 17
    xdanielxdaniel Posts: 29member
    The first thing I thought of was that the commercial would be Mac OS X related. The effect of the Ames room is somewhat like the effect of scrolling over the dock.
  • Reply 12 of 17
    allerbeallerbe Posts: 13member
    Recent developments (well, it took a while for me to get registered, so they're not so recent anymore) indicate this article would have been better suited for publication on "QuakerOatsInsider" than "AppleInsider"... ;-)



    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblog/archive/noah-helpern/the-huffpost-interview-_2610.html



    "The Ames room Errol Morris describes is for an upcoming, but separate, campaign for Quaker Oats."
  • Reply 13 of 17
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Allerbe

    Recent developments (well, it took a while for me to get registered, so they're not so recent anymore) indicate this article would have been better suited for publication on "QuakerOatsInsider" than "AppleInsider"... ;-)



    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/theblo...iew-_2610.html



    "The Ames room Errol Morris describes is for an upcoming, but separate, campaign for Quaker Oats."




    Damn! How did you know I was busy working on a site devoted to Quaker Oats rumors??!



    God. Now I've got to change everything. Maybe I should go more specific: Cocoa Pebbles Insider? Post, not Kellogg's, Raisin Bran Insider?



    Or maybe more broad: Grits Insider.
  • Reply 14 of 17
    allerbeallerbe Posts: 13member
    Quote:

    How did you know I was busy working on a site devoted to Quaker Oats rumors??!



    It was all over InsiderSitesInsider...
  • Reply 15 of 17
    midwintermidwinter Posts: 10,060member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Allerbe

    It was all over InsiderSitesInsider...



    Grr. DAMN YOU INSIDERSITESINSIDER! You and you're stupid meta-ness! I blame you for the failure of Crazy Crazy Apple Rumors Site Rumors Site!
  • Reply 16 of 17
    macchinemacchine Posts: 295member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by midwinter

    Grr. DAMN YOU INSIDERSITESINSIDER! You and you're stupid meta-ness! I blame you for the failure of Crazy Crazy Apple Rumors Site Rumors Site!



    Well what do you EXPECT they openly admit their crew is on CRACK !!!
  • Reply 17 of 17
    macchinemacchine Posts: 295member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by Louzer

    Its an iPod commercial. Obviously, because Apple marketing doesn't know they sell computers.



    Or it'll be a computer commercial, and everyone here will hate it, because they don't talk about how cool the OS is, or how much easier it is then Windows, or its virus free, or any of a thousand other things people who aren't marketing people think should be said, shown, etc, because they know what works ("Why don't they say that you can open 1000 finder windows in 10 seconds?")




    OooooO !



    iPods are getting WiMacxs !!!
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