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Gross Apple Marketing

jonathanbuys.com

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Re: Gross Apple Marketing

#51

Post by dagmx »

This article is a prime example of why tech literate people aren’t inherently strong marketers for tech.

What does the Ubuntu ad say to the user? How does it capture someone’s attention? None of the ad tells me why this is something worth paying attention to versus other distros or OSs, it doesn’t even tell me it’s about the OS at all unless I already know what Ubuntu is.

Contrast with the Apple ads that tell you exactly what they want in the same time frame. Apple ads have always been tongue in cheek, and have always had a portion of people rubbed the wrong way because they took it too literally.

But at the end of the day, barring the few missteps like the crush ad, they seem to work for the target audience.

I find a lot of technical folk seem to struggle with “I don’t like it therefore it must be bad” and would have failed basically any media analysis class in college as a result. Similarly, the author falls into the “I like Ubuntu and this ad” and hasn’t stopped to think about how it plays to anyone but himself. It’s a really self centered outlook and one that means they’d never be able to market to others.

Re: Gross Apple Marketing

#52

Post by bee_rider »

I dunno if the birthday video ad is really, like, gross. I guess the main character is sort of dishonest, but it isn’t a huge thing really.

It is pretty depressing though. The main character is just kind of tired and sad.

Re: Gross Apple Marketing

#53

Post by FollowingTheDao »

The problem with the ad that no one is touching on is that it makes the consumer look like an idiot or a lazy, disingenuous person.

"You need AI because you are lazy and stupid and do not care about honesty and accountability."

Re: Gross Apple Marketing

#54

Post by bigstrat2003 »

longtimelistnr wrote: post #9

I think people still aren't accepting that Steve Jobs era marketing and product development left with the man. Apple is fundamentally different and is never going back.

Marketing yes, product development no. Jobs was a salesman, not an engineer or designer. He didn't contribute to the product of Apple despite his reputation for doing so.

Re: Gross Apple Marketing

#55

Post by bobobob420 »

I agree unlike other commenters here that the apple intelligence ads try too hard to be quirky and appease this weird flavour of incompetence being popular. Theres nothing inspiring or awe inducing about the ad that induces excitement about technology

Re: Gross Apple Marketing

#56

Post by xanderlewis »

bowsamic wrote: post #4

I agree those ads are pretty concerning and reinforcing bad human behaviours, but the Ubuntu one shown is boring and vague animations. Hardly a good comparison. Who cares about those?

Overly techie people can’t comprehend marketing and think it shouldn’t even exist. Most Linux users probably think advertising should consist of a bulleted list of features and bugs (set in a standard, easy to read font — none of that hipster shit) followed by the price, perhaps conveniently divided by the expected lifetime of the product.

Re: Gross Apple Marketing

#57

Post by jasonlotito »

thrwaway1985882 wrote: post #8

> I’ve watched that little animation several times, and they tell a better story in a minute twenty-five than all of Apple’s AI commercials combined. If I showed that video to someone who isn't steeped in decades of Linux, I suspect they'd ask me what an Ubuntu is. As compared to the "schlub writes an email" video, which was compelling, funny, and actually shows the product they're marketing.

> If I showed that video to someone who isn't

...the target audience, it wouldn't work. Same with the AI stuff.

Show that to someone with no understanding of Apple and it's products, or AI, and you'll have someone equally confused.

The understanding here is that in both cases the marketing is targeted at a certain group.

More interestingly, you admit that one story promotes interest in the product, while the other promotes the viewer being, as you put it, a schlub.

Maybe you can explain why you being a schlub is better than wanting to learn more about a product (or how quickly you try to pretend like that's not what you mean/said and move the goal post, lol)?

Re: Gross Apple Marketing

#58

Post by windexh8er »

thrwaway1985882 wrote: post #8

> I’ve watched that little animation several times, and they tell a better story in a minute twenty-five than all of Apple’s AI commercials combined. If I showed that video to someone who isn't steeped in decades of Linux, I suspect they'd ask me what an Ubuntu is. As compared to the "schlub writes an email" video, which was compelling, funny, and actually shows the product they're marketing.

I think the write up seems to bring the indirect point that AI has limited use cases currently. So instead of taking the traditional Apple approach with showcasing the technical aspects of the product (an example being Apple has highlighted photography and video a lot in the last few generations of iPhone), instead Apple falls back on cheeky ads, which to be fair, are also not new to Apple marketing.

I do think that Apple's "white lies" series of ads are awkward, however. Apple has seemingly paused ads around privacy and security and are now targeting Apple Intelligence - they seem to be somewhat at opposite ends of the target market in a way.

It does feel as though Apple is conflicted here and I'm curious to see how it plays out for them. I'm, personally not a fan of the current generation or implementation of AI and do not want to use it. If AI could hook apps for more hands free operations at a deeper level I could see usability improvements for hands free environments which might be nice. Beyond that I really don't want it.

Re: Gross Apple Marketing

#59

Post by hbn »

thrwaway1985882 wrote: post #8

> I’ve watched that little animation several times, and they tell a better story in a minute twenty-five than all of Apple’s AI commercials combined. If I showed that video to someone who isn't steeped in decades of Linux, I suspect they'd ask me what an Ubuntu is. As compared to the "schlub writes an email" video, which was compelling, funny, and actually shows the product they're marketing.

It's funny the video is celebrating 20 years of Ubuntu yet the editing style and music choice feels like it should have been for the 10 year anniversary. Real early-2010s chic.

Re: Gross Apple Marketing

#60

Post by yalogin »

jawilson2 wrote: post #13
tw04 wrote: post #2

I’m not sure if the author noticed, but the intent of the commercials is to be humorous. If the image of a middle aged man writing an email like he’s in middle school didn’t tip the author off, I’m not sure what will.

It's like the Google Pixel ads showing how you can take a picture, and change all of the scenery with AI. Nothing is real, and you can't trust anything you see or hear. I would be pretty disappointed in my wife if she A) forgot my birthday, and B) spent 10 seconds putting together a photo collage using AI. I would expect her to feel the same. Personal and financial circumstances aside, it IS the thought that counts,…

I think society will take care of those dystopian feelings in time through non-tech means. Society will always adapt and people can clearly tell a gift or message that is made using AI. So if you want it to be thoughtful you will make it without AI. We are in the cusp of the next phase of growth and so we are seeing/feeling it, but in time it will become seamless
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