Apple posted three new iPhone television ads on their site this evening. Unlike earlier ads, where the star of the show was the phone itself (and the user interface), these new ads focus on three actors – all men – who are using the phone to solve problems.
Doug likes the visual voicemail. Elliot is searching for a name on a website. And Stephano, who appears to be a mechanic, loves the fact that he doesn’t need to carry a man purse around any more (he calls it a “little bag”) to hold all of his gadgets – the iPhone does it all.
The phones are barely shown in the ads, and only in the first one is it actually turned on. That probably makes sense, since so many of us had our phones bricked with the recent software update. We couldn’t turn them on, either.
My thought is that Apple should mix a woman or two into the ads, and perhaps focus on the wow factor of the phone (like the user created ads) over its simple utilitarian feature list. Because the truth is, while I love my iPhone, the Blackberry is still a better feature-by-feature communication device. Anyway, these days Apple has money to burn testing out these new spots, so let the audiences decide.
I like these ads. What is the man purse demographic? Mechanics?
well, yeah. Everyone knows mechanics all carry man purses.
These ads were so “blah” compared to every other commercial for the iPhone (or any other Apple product for that matter), I just assumed that these were put out by AT&T.
“That probably makes sense, since so many of us had our phones bricked with the recent software update. We couldn’t turn them on, either.”
———-
What’s “so many”?
And if it was bricked because it was hacked, you were warned. You didn’t have to update, or you could have taken it back to normal first. If you hacked and didn’t, you have nobody to blame but yourself, sorry.
PXLated – I’m a bad iphone user. bad.
My iPhone is still working fine on the Optus network in Australia…I disabled auto-updates pre the last update
.
PXL: for the record though Michael did nothing wrong, and nothing that was illegal. I love the iPhone, but I hate Apple for their stupid lock-ins.
No, it was all my fault. I have no one to blame but myself for hacking the iphone and trying out all that evil software people wrote for it. I should be punished, and I was.
But to be serious for a minute – it is kinda my job to test new software, so I did. And I really liked all the stuff I downloaded. I bought the phone and I pay a hefty monthly fee for it. I’m certainly not going to feel guilty for doing whatever I want to it. And I will complain, loudly and repeatedly, when it breaks.
Agree with the Blackberry argument. The iPhone is totally overrated. Functionality-wise, it is as useful (before it was bricked) as the PocketPC phone I bought from Verizon 3 years ago! 3 years is a huge time for hi-tech! 3 years ago I had email, tasks and calendar sync, full-screen horizontal video playback, audio playback, internet browser, wifi, EVDO network, voicemail (duh, its a phone), office apps, flash apps, etc in the phone. Of course, it wasn’t as sleek, but still, that was 3 years ago, and all the things that iPhone claims to be so useful were there. Not to mention that I had a bunch of very usefull third party apps there such as live traffic and multilingual dictionary.
Ads sleekly produced, but somehow not that convincing. The first man looked doubtful.
I’m not in love with the ads (or the iPhone) either, but that’s simply because none of the stereotypical characters presented looked anything like what would be a stereotypical character of me. Hey Apple, women need tech solutions too, you know!
You have the harried small business owner who probably has a couple of small kids and not a lot of time, you have the young nebishy kid who is just starting out (who probably convinced himself that he needed that $600 phone when he really couldn’t afford it) and the tough dude mechanic who needs things simple.
Each has a very specific problem and mindset, and the ads show how the iPhone can possibly be a solution to their problem. End of story. Personally, I prefer tech ads that show how problems can be solved, rather than “wow, isn’t it cool that I can use this to orbit the moon? Nevermind that I never wanted to orbit the moon or cared about orbiting the moon and I won’t be able to breathe, but I can do it with this!”
I think it’s a bold move and very smart marketing-wise. It’s not about the product it’s about what you can do with it. Apple has always focused on functionality and the new ads go even further with that strategy. I like
“My thought is that Apple should mix a woman or two into the ads,”
Hmm, sounds like someone doesnt listen to their own advice.
…. “since so many of us had our phones bricked with the recent software update. We couldn’t turn them on, either.”
And what idiot hacked your phone when he was warned not to?
http://fakestev...er.blogspot.com
These ads just plain sucked. I thought they were really poorly done.
My first thought was: Who allowed AT&T to make the new iPhone ads? Where is the people dancing / talking on their phone / listening to some hard-rocking U2???
And now that I know it’s really Apple turning out this schlock, well, I had to create an online comic at their derision:
http://www.itgu..._iphone_ads.php
Also, I want them to really set up one of those black sheets on a curtain on my city block. Then I can tell them how their new phone is like awesome and all, but can I please get some flash animation up on that thing? please?
the ads were nicely done.
first set were “features”
this set “benefits”
always better to show the benefits v features
and its not like you all didn’t have time to reverse the ‘hack’ to get the update. n00bs. (non-hacked, non-bricked iphone)
@15, that comic was…funny?
wow #15 that was really un-funny….
besides, i know for a fact that these weren’t actors as my buddy (who is simply an early-adoptor of the iphone) was solicited to be in one
I agree with you that the Blackberry is a better device feature by feature.
Has it occurred to anyone that this whole process of Apple eliminating buttons — which started with the iPod — was done more to make the product cheaper to manufacture than for any other reason?
I can just picture the brainstorming sessions Jobs had when they were coming up with the design of the iPod. The “unit cost” issue came to the forefront. What is the unit cost to build it? And someone suggested getting rid of individual buttons for different functions, and replacing them with that stupid wheel.
The wheel control is actually much harder to use than if there were separate buttons. Plus I think it looks less cool. I’m a guy and I like my BUTTONS. Someone was probably thinking the slender, buttonless design would appeal to chicks. At least that’s the way Apple eventually spun it in the media, and the thing got raves for cool design. Actually, the iPod is a shitty, ugly design in my book, anything but functional, and I hate it.
The iPhone is a little better, but not by much. First of all, it’s too small. Most people’s fingers are too big for it. The touch screen thing is cool, but I don’t think that makes up for the fact that there are too many fatal flaws in the iPhone.
Apple has already showcased the iPhone with their previous ads. You don’t see a face or anything, all you see is the iPhone with a voice. Pretty much every major feature had its own commercial. You want more of that?
These ads take an alternate route and show you the benefits that people have gotten out of the phone. Frankly, it’s quite smart to NOT show the phone at this point because I’m quite sure everyone who’s interested in it, know the feature set backwards and forwards. Apple is focusing on why people love the iPhone and I believe the average consumer doesn’t care about how it stacks up to the blackberry on paper. (Us phone geeks do to a certain degree) They care about whether it does what they want it to do. These commercials spotlight that.
Oh, and shame on you for updating _after_ you were warned. If I had to review an iPhone update on a hacked phone, I would have budgeted for a new one after Apple’s warning. Sorry about your loss. Personally, you’d have to pay me to go back to a blackberry now.
stereotypical characters presented looked anything like what would be a stereotypical character of me. Hey Apple, women need tech solutions too, you know!
The ads started showing during NFL games on Sunday. I’m sure during Grey’s Anatomy they’ll show some different commercials.
Rachel,
what were your plans with the first man
http://vidsonly.blogspot.com
Is that Mark Zuckerman in the photo? Because it sure looks like him.
Sorry, Zuckerberg.
“That probably makes sense, since so many of us had our phones bricked with the recent software update. We couldn’t turn them on, either.”
Increasingly, I have to scroll back to the top of the post on reader to check if I’m reading a TechCrunch post or Valleywag post.
I actually agree with Mark (comment #3) – the ads were so dumb that I figured they were made by AT&T.
Mike,
Apple entire design philosophy is based on absence. This is what separates Jobs from everyone else re design. Instead of focusing on what consumers need he does the opposite. Take the iPhone for example, it doesn’t have buttons. They are using absence in their ads as well. No iPhone. Get it? Keep up the great work.
iPhones for mechanics? Hmm…call me a cynic but I’m thinking a mechanic is actually one job that absolutely doesn’t need it. Or rather, I hope to hell my mechanic is getting his hands dirty on my car as opposed to checking email and downloading YouTube videos from 9-5. Perhaps I’m old-fashioned.
I bet the crack marketing team thought: “ok – who handles technology all the time, actually likes it, but doesn’t think of themselves as gadget early adopters…hmmm…airline pilots!…yes..no…hmmm…there’s only like 20,000 of them in the entire world…wow, this is hard…”
May I suggest women in general? There’s way more than 20,000 of them and they notoriously love the ipod. And like gadgets that are intuitive. Sadly, most aren’t mechanics…
“That probably makes sense, since so many of us had our phones bricked with the recent software update. We couldn’t turn them on, either.”
—————–
Someone is freaking bitter for hacking his device against the advice of the manufacturer. Take some responsibility for your actions.
As for the woman comment… might as well make it all minorities like McDonalds does. Never mind the actual demographics.
Man-up.
“so many of us had our phones bricked” what are you talking about! I’m still confused why anyone had their phone bricked, it was pretty well known that if you unlocked your phone then you shouldn’t update, if you did update (which wasn’t mandatory) then it is your own fault, you bricked your own phone.
As for the ads, I think they are wonderful and brilliant.
(and trust me, I’m not a mac fanboy, I think that it was dumb for Apple to put out an update that would brick phones, but I still put most of the blame on the person who updated, not on Apple)
To those of you who’ve hacked into their iPhone, I feel no compassion nor pity for you. You know what you were getting into when you made the purchase, yet you still thought you could work your way around it. Now you have a brick with lovely detailed aluminum.
I got my iPhone in late August and I’m still in love with it’s features. Does it slice bread? No. Does it make me smile when I use it for all my day to day needs. Absofrickinlutely….
yea, that is surprising for them to alienate the women…
“That probably makes sense, since so many of us had our phones bricked with the recent software update.”
—
Hahaha what a great comment, especially with all the furor it’s started in the comments! All the Apple fanboys in the audience need to relax, if Apple’s going to try impose this kind of autocracy over their users, smart consumers are going to find a way to free themselves.
My laughing muscles are just waiting patiently until someone releases a parody of these ads. Please post about them if you see any.