"No Respect for Creative Tools and Insult to Creators"
Apple's new iPad Pro commercial has sparked outrage among creators, instead causing a backlash.
'iPad Pro' Appears After Destroying Traditional Creative Tools Like Piano, Paint Cans, and Sculptures
On the 8th, foreign media including CNN reported ongoing criticism of Apple's new iPad Pro commercial. The ad begins with the 1970s pop singer Sonny & Cher's "All I Ever Need Is You" playing, showing a pile of items such as a piano, metronome, LP player, film camera, paint cans, arcade games, sculptures, and emoji dolls. Then, a massive hydraulic press comes down and brutally crushes all the objects. After the metal plate rises, only the new iPad Pro remains in the empty space.
The commercial seems to convey the message that a single iPad is enough to enjoy various activities like painting, composing, filming, and gaming. Apple CEO Tim Cook also posted the video on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "Imagine all the things that will be created using this product."
The method of crushing objects with a hydraulic press used in this commercial is also one of the popular video formats recently. On short video sharing platforms like TikTok, videos of crushing various items from electronics to candy with a hydraulic press are shared and gaining popularity.
Stirring Artists' Fear of Job Loss in the AI Era... "Insult to All Artists, Turning the Core Customer Base Against the Product" Harsh Criticism
However, viewers of the iPad Pro commercial criticized Apple for destroying human creativity and cultural achievements. Some also expressed that the ad stirs the 'fear of job loss' among artists losing their jobs in the age of artificial intelligence (AI).
Cartoonist James Kochalka pointed out on X, "This commercial insults all kinds of artists," and British actor Hugh Grant criticized it as "the destruction of human experience created by Silicon Valley." Netizens also responded with comments such as "There is no respect for creative tools and it mocks creators," "Is Apple's direction to mercilessly destroy the beautiful things in this world?" "I don't think I've ever seen an ad turn the core customer base's hearts away as much as this iPad commercial," and "Watching the ad is painful."
Apple, Which Rose to Success Criticizing 'Big Brother'... Has It Become 'Big Brother' After 40 Years?
Previously, Apple commercials received great attention for their ahead-of-the-times sophistication and creativity. Notably, in 1984, Apple portrayed IBM, which monopolized the computer market at the time, as Big Brother from George Orwell's novel "1984," and Apple’s release of the Macintosh was shown as destroying it, creating a strong impact. This ad made Apple an icon of resistance and raised Apple’s recognition in the U.S. from 10% to 80%.
However, regarding the recent commercial, foreign media evaluated, "Apple has come to be seen as the digital winner who conquered the analog world," and netizens also pointed out, "Time has passed, and now Apple has become Big Brother."
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