Apple revealed a new page, ‘Shot on iPhone 6’, dedicated to showcasing great pictures taken on the phone. The page has some truly haw-dropping pictures making one wonder if such pictures are possible through a phone camera. In a clever move, the images are used in an outdoor campaign (apparently synchronised to be launched globally including markets in India) – all of which are meant to evoke a ‘wow!’ reaction. I don’t know if the campaign was timed to launch alongside the Samsung S6 launch but it appears to be so. At the Samsung S6 launch event the brand took pains to compare pictures taken on that device along with those from an iPhone 6, obviously showing the latter as worse off.
The ‘Be Together. Not the Same’ addresses a critical need for an identity among all of us. We all want to showcase, express who we are and the most personal device we carry with us – the smart phone does just that. Such a proposition appeals to both current users (reinforcing their choice) and potential users – creating doubts about them being unable to ‘stand out’.
Many luxury brands – be it in jewellery or fashion & fashion accessories segments follow a template in static advertising – they all have models posing and staring into the camera. What sets apart such campaigns is the styling and execution. The props, celebrity models, quality of photography and even a quirky, memorable element helps in breaking clutter. In audio-visual advertising, luxury brands may not have a template but have a signature style – superb production values, luxe settings, an element of mystique are common. A new campaign for Motorola’s Moto 360 smartwatch lampoons luxury advertising for watches.
We are now in the ‘post-event critique’ phase of the Apple launch, with every element of the launch event and launch plans being analysed and critiqued. Herewith my unsolicited views on the event and the reactions thus far: Part 1 of the post is here. The big screen: about a year late Steve Jobs is said to have made the ‘7-inch tablets are DOA’ comment. He has also reportedly mocked large screen phones. On the…
Life is what happens when you are busy making other plans, goes the famous quotation. With Apple, it can be modified to say, ‘Record sales is what happens when media & critics find fault with almost everything the brand does’. The reason: news about Apple gets attention; bad news about Apple gets even more attention. When it comes to product launches, the brand is under the microscope like no other brand. A media circus has…
It has been a year since the first rumours started about Apple launching a wearable device, most commonly speculated to be a watch. In a couple of days from now, we will know if Apple delivers on expectations. Actually, the company will never actually deliver on expectations because (a) the expectations themselves are spectacular, even unreal and (b) there will always be a section of consumers & media who either dislike Apple (hence pooh-pooh any…
Apple’s success in retail, through its company-owned Apple Stores has been a subject of many articles & case studies. The fact that it is a success against all odds and its high sales- per-square-foot has been highlighted by many. My experience of a true-blue Apple Store is limited as I have frequented the reseller operated smaller outlets in India mostly. Though I have visited the Apple Store in Zurich a few years ago, I was…
There’s been much brouhaha over Apple’s move to create an in-house agency. Ad industry trade portals and tech blogs have written truck loads about it. The common streak of the opinion pieces: Apple has lost its mojo and the ad agency is paying a price. Read Part 1 of my thoughts on this and related issues here. And now on to Part 2 of the post: Advertising is a shared responsibility. It is said that…
Apple is reportedly in the process of setting up an internal ad agency. This development is seen as a result of Apple being unhappy with the output from their long term ad agency TBWA\ Media Arts Lab. The conclusion that Apple is unhappy with their agency came about in media, as a result of internal emails and the fact that some new ads have been made by an internal team. Not just the advertising trade…
It is a bit hard on TBWA. Imagine a series of emails, which you once thought were confidential, are out in the public domain. What’s more, they are being dissected threadbare and judgements being passed on. I am of course referring to the email exchanges between long-time ad agency of Apple, TBWA/MediaArtsLab and Phi Schiller, Apple’s marketing honcho. Let met state upfront that I have nothing but respect and admiration for TBWA\Chiat as an agency…