APPLE’S TV SPOTS ASSAILED

On the heels of a disappointing quarterly earnings report, Apple is now taking a drubbing for its current round of television commercials featuring an Apple “genius” dispensing advice to Macintosh buyers about how to use their laptops. Several bloggers mentioned that they doubted the spots would ever have received a stamp of approval from Steve Jobs if he had been alive. In the Atlantic.com, Jordan Weissmann wrote, “The spots themselves aren’t exactly nauseating, just strangely disappointing when compared to Apple’s classic back catalog of commercials — the marketing equivalent of Michael Phelps’ fourth-place finish in the 400 IM.” And Joe Svetlik of CNET U.K. commented, “The problem is they portray Apple customers … as idiots. Is that really the image Apple wants to give off? The ads also undermine one of the main selling points of a Mac — that it’s a complete doddle to use. The programs are supposed to be so simple you don’t need someone, or a 700-page guide, to tell you how to use it. You just pick it up and get started.” And Ken Segall, a former creative director at Apple’s ad agency who worked with Steve Jobs for many years also noted that “simplicity” used to be the hallmark of Apple products. “These ads are causing a widespread gagging response,” he wrote. “I honestly can’t remember a single Apple campaign that’s been received so poorly.”