“At long last, nearly six months after Apple Watch started shipping, Apple has launched a Watch campaign that might turn some heads. Or better yet, open some eyes,” Ken Segall writes for Observatory. “The new ads are actually the polar opposite of the previous ones.”
“If you’re the kind, forgiving type, you might see the change as TechCrunch does: ‘These ads signal somewhat of a value shift in Apple’s Watch advertising as the product matures and the company looks to showcase its utility a bit more seriously,'” Segall writes. “Interesting. Where I come from, the best time to showcase a product’s utility is when it’s launched.”
“The simple truth is, the first Watch campaign was soft and fuzzy — long on emotion and short on lust. Way too many people reacted to those spots by saying “’I still don’t get why I’d want one,'” Segall writes. “The new campaign is not only 100x more clear — it actually gives the Watch a personality.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Yes, the new ads are a signifiacnt improvement – and just in time for holiday shopping season and (finally) wide Apple Watch availability, too!
SEE ALSO:
Apple debuts six new TV commercials for Apple Watch – October 6, 2015
Apple debuts three new TV ads for Apple Watch – July 28, 2015
Apple debuts four new TV commercials for Apple Watch – July 16, 2015
Apple debuts three new Apple Watch TV commercials for launch day – April 24, 2015
What’s with the un-Apple-like ALL CAPS? Really jarring and brand contrary.
And the watch typeface (Box? Recta? Myriad?) is just awful compared to the Frutiger Light Apple uses in the iPhone 6S commercials.
Caps because it needs to make instant impact and contrasts with the soft focus backgrounds. Typeface looks fine to me just a little different to what we expect (hey people were whinging about fine fonts), no bad thing considering the up and down nature of Apple ads in recent years. These remind one of the original iPod ads without mimicking them. Is this the same agency?
Nostalgia for Apple II?
““The simple truth is, the first Watch campaign was soft and fuzzy — long on emotion and short on lust. Way too many people reacted to those spots by saying “’I still don’t get why I’d want one,'”
Exactly. That has been the problem with a lot of Apples ads. (compensated for mostly by the fact that the products generally sell themselves, but thats another subject)
Soft and fuzzy may seem “sophisticated” But what it actually often means is that “if I create an ad that is so soft and fuzzy, people will think I am sophisticated” No, its just vague and unfocused.
Good job this time, lets have more of it.
I think the first ads were fine in concept and looked great too they just failed in their prime function which was to clearly tell the viewer what those in it were actually doing with the watch some tasks were clear and some obscure and thus as you say vague and unfocused. SJ would never have let them get through in that form.
Terrible commercials. All I see are hipster people doing dorky things. The Watch isn’t a focal point. These ads aren’t memorable neither do they explain why a person should buy an Apple Watch.
Now there’s a surprise.
Your points are sophomoric at best. They do tell us with an emotional connection that everyone can understand and it doesn’t even need words.
Please, tell me what would you would say that would make me buy an Apple Watch? It tells time, you can do….on it, read emails, etc….
I think they did a great job telling us exactly what we can do with it without sounding like some pushy used car salesman. Oh by the say, they translated into every language extremely well with little or not cost. It’s a global company advertising in a global way.
Grow up, get an education and move out of your parents basement for gawd sakes.
Adman:
Grow up, move out of your parent’s basement, and get a life. You just described yourself.
These ads suck. What did they show us? A text message and heart rate tracking drown out by hipsters. That’s all I can recall from watching all of the ads. You have no idea yourself whether these ads are effective, none. You have no evidence. Neither do I.
But I’m not American and I don’t live in the US, and from my household’s perspective, these ads do not resonate with us neither to they convince us to buy an Apple Watch. Because it’s not clear what the product can do from these ads. The most memorable thing was a guy shadow boxing.
Jobs… the ads were more focused on the product itself, or just the product with a white background. And particularly for new products. That helps ensure the focus is on the product and the ads can work all over the world.
Some people are just going to see what they want to see.
The ads don’t suck
Great ads. Someone finally let the PR department in on what the device did. I still say they need to highlight the blue collar worker with their hands always full. Far bigger market than moped driving teens or even exercise buffs.
The mom market they nailed, glad to see that up there.
The Apple Watch doesn’t need a “personality”—it needs a reason to exist. It is undoubtedly very useful to some people, but possibly a completely unnecessary gadget in the eyes of the vast majority of consumers—at least those who are awake enough not to be lured into buying one just because they can.
How I would have loved to have this watch when I worked construction. Having the phone ring and pulling it our of your pocket was painful. You couldn’t ignore the calls because it was either work related or time sensitive. Being able to see who’s calling, see the message and ignore or reply would have been a godsend.
There is definitely a use case and a huge market for it way beyond what we see here.
“At long last…”
“Where I come from, the best time to showcase a product’s utility is when it’s launched.”
Except there is no point to advertising — meant to increase demand for a product — if the company can already sell every unit they can make. (Advertising in this context would just produce frustrated customers…)
In any event, now seems like the _perfect_ time to advertise the Watch: worldwide rollouts are well underway if not accomplished, production is ramped up and presumably going full tilt, partners are starting to sell the product, and it is a great time to start stoking demand for an insanely great Christmas buying season!
You’ve pinpointed the pragmatism of Apple’s ad strategy. Carpet bombing television with Apple ads at the outset, when they knew supplies and distribution were problematic, would have been stupid. Advertising now, with supplies assured and with seasonal awareness, shows management is on the ball.
Hope I’m nowhere near scooter girl trying to read tiny maps on her arm while she’s driving…. ….dangerous enough on my dash-mounted large screen phone.
I watched the Ride spot a couple of days ago during a sporting event and it definitely stands out compared to most of the mundane/campy same, same thrust upon the zone out. I thought, “Hmmm, hip girl asking Siri for directions on Apple Watch. Kids are smart. What will they think of next?”
The new ads are an improvement in my opinion. But I also feel the ads lean more towards “wearables are useful” than “Apple watch”..