A new Apple ad sparked backlash from viewers who said it was wrong

A new Apple ad sparked backlash from viewers who said it was wrong

When an ad goes viral, it’s usually for one of two reasons — it resonates so deeply with viewers that they can’t stop talking about it … or it upsets people so much that they rush to social media to vent their outrage.

Apple’s ad for its new iPad Pro seems to fall into the latter category. Posted on social media Tuesday by Apple CEO Tim Cook, the ad began as a time capsule for human creativity.

There is a metronome. Record player. Then the lights come on in a warehouse-like room, where you see the item and dozens of other creative tools sitting on a metal slab in the middle of the shot. There are also CRT TVs, paint cans, Earth globes, pianos, 80s arcade video games, human head sculptures and trumpets. Another giant metal slab hung over it all.

When we hear the opening words of “All I Ever Need Is You,” the 1972 single by Sonny & Cher, the metal slabs begin to descend.

The stuff goes into a giant hydraulic press, and in about 40 seconds it’s all gone — crushed under a lot of force in often dramatic fashion.

After the destruction, the hydraulic press starts to rise again. The shard is now gone. In its place is a shiny new iPad Pro. A voiceover says, “The most powerful iPad ever was also the thinnest.”

Cher closed out the minute-long spot, singing “All I need is you.”

Videos of hydraulic presses destroying everything from electronics to candy have become very popular in recent years, in part due to the often fascinating nature of how things collapse under pressure.

Apple seems to be trying to capitalize on this trend, touting how its new iPad Pro is so powerful it could replace other means of creative expression.

But for many viewers, the ad didn’t hit the right note.

“I’m not sure ‘indiscriminate destruction of all that is good and beautiful is (sic) this world’ is really the vibe you’re trying to get,” said one commenter on X.

“I can’t relate directly to this video. It disrespects creative tools and mocks creators,” said another.

CNN has reached out to Apple for comment.

Others said that while they understood what the ad was trying to say, it didn’t resonate with them.

“It’s a creative concept & good execution, but wow that ad makes me shocked (sic) sad!” said one user X. “The song selection also seems to idolize technology more than real life. Now I just want to avoid screens & spend more time enjoying the offline world.”

“It should be about capturing and honoring the essence of what’s so special about all those things and experiences to bring them together in one device, not tear the soul out of it,” said another at X.

Many people agree with this sentiment, saying that the ad is better in reverse.

This isn’t the first time an ad might not land the way a company hopes — think Peloton’s famous vacation ad or Kendall Jenner’s ad for Pepsi. But with concerns that AI could replace workers in many industries – and increasingly alarming research into how prolonged use of social media affects us – many consumers are increasingly wary of the technology.

“This ad perfectly encapsulates the view that people think technology is killing everything we’ve ever found joy in. And then presents it as a good thing,” said a reporter for the Wall Street Journal. “I haven’t seen such a deep response to a place in a long time.”