Apple’s Ambivalent Messaging: How a New iPad Pro Ad Failed to Celebrate Human Creativity”.

Apple has recently released a new iPad Pro ad that has been met with criticism from internet users. The ad, which was intended to showcase the power and creativity of the new iPad Pro, instead portrayed technology as destructive to human creativity and art. Apple’s vice president of marketing communication, Tor Myhren, issued an apology, stating that creativity is a vital part of Apple’s DNA and they aim to design products that empower creatives worldwide.

The ad featured various symbols of human creativity, such as musical instruments, paint cans, an ’80s arcade video game, and a bust of a human head being crushed by a giant hydraulic press. As the metal slabs of the press lifted, Apple’s new iPad Pro was revealed. However, despite CEO Tim Cook describing the new iPad Pro as thin and powerful, the ad received widespread criticism online for its negative symbolism.

Critics of the ad expressed concern that it implied the replacement of human creative work by technology, especially as fears about AI taking over jobs grow. Actor Hugh Grant went on social media to comment about the ad symbolizing “the destruction of the human experience.” In response to the criticism, Apple has decided not to air this ad on TV and issued a rare apology for missing the mark. Although the ad remains on Cook’s X account, this response from Apple shows their commitment to celebrating creativity through their products.