Apple says sorry after poorly received iPad Pro ad ‘missed the mark’

A soulless machine crushing symbols of human creativity? It's not quite the 1984 ad, is it?

Apple says sorry after poorly received iPad Pro ad ‘missed the mark’
A frame from the iPad Pro M4 ad featuring artist equipments being crushed.
Credit: Apple
  • Apple has apologized for a new iPad Pro video ad it posted online.
  • The ad shows a hydraulic press crushing musical instruments, camera lenses, and more.
  • The company acknowledged that it “missed the mark” with this video.

Apple released a controversial video ad for the iPad Pro this week, showing a variety of objects being crushed by a hydraulic press. Now, the company has reportedly apologized for the spot and confirmed it won’t be running the ad on TV.

The ad showed everything from a piano and record player to an arcade cabinet and DSLR camera lenses being crushed. An iPad Pro emerged once the hydraulic press was raised. The video drew a negative response from many internet users, particularly creators. Some users felt that Apple was effectively crushing symbols of human creativity, while others drew unfavorable comparisons to Apple’s acclaimed 1984 ad.