Apple issues apology for controversial iPad Pro ad following backlash on social media

Apple is facing backlash for its latest advertisement promoting the iPad Pro, with many criticizing the tech giant for missing the mark and failing to connect with consumers.

The ad, released on Tuesday, features an industrial press crushing analog modes of expression like a trumpet, piano, camera, cans of paint, and an upright video game console while Sonny & Cher’s “All I Ever Need Is You” plays in the background. The ad was meant to showcase the capabilities of the iPad Pro, but instead, it sparked widespread criticism online.

In a statement to Ad Age, Apple’s vice president of marketing, Tor Myhren, apologized for the ad, saying, “Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.”

Many observers pointed out that the ad seemed to portray technology as a force for destroying human agency in creative endeavors, rather than empowering creativity. One creative director even compared the ad unfavorably to Apple’s iconic “1984” commercial for the original Macintosh computer, which depicted Apple as saving the world from a dystopian nightmare.

Apple has confirmed that they will not run the ad on TV, and the online criticism has been nearly universal. The tech giant’s misstep has sparked a conversation about the role of technology in creativity and the importance of connecting with consumers in advertising.