Apple flattens a room with an industrial crusher for iPad Pro ad | Ad Age Creativity

UPDATE: There is some growing backlash to this spot, with many people complaining that its vision of crushing historically creative objects is tone-deaf for a brand that claims to value creativity. Many of the complaints are being voiced in replies to CEO Tim Cook’s posting of the spot on X (see below).

We mentioned in our original story, below, that the approach did seem at odds with the Apple ethos. We’ve reached out to Apple for comment.

Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever produced, with the incredible power of the M4 chip. Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create. pic.twitter.com/6PeGXNoKgG

Original story below.

Apple finds itself in a destructive mood in a new commercial for the iPad Pro, unveiled Tuesday. The 60-second spot (above) shows a room full of creative objects—from cans of paint to a piano—all which get slowly flattened as a metaphor for the multitude of tools and diversions inside the new, ultra-thin iteration of the company’s signature tablet.

Set to “All I Ever Need Is You” by Sonny & Cher, the spot was directed by Iconoclast’s Vania & Muggia (who previously worked on a campaign for Apple’s AirPods).

See also: Apple’s Mandalorian spot for Star Wars Day, directed by Kim Gehrig

Each shot was practically captured in-camera. The piece sure is fun to watch, even if the idea of crushing creativity is a bit at odds with the Apple ethos.

“Crush” air on TV, social, digital and YouTube.

A second spot (above) shows just how thin the new iPod Pro is, by comparing it to the 7th Generation iPod Nano, previously Apple’s thinnest product ever, launched 12 years ago. This spot was made by TBWA\Media Arts Lab and director Fernando Cardenas of BeGrizzlee.

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