Apple issued an apology on Thursday following backlash over an advertisement promoting its latest iPad Pro model, the Ad Age magazine reported.
The ad, titled “Crush,” came under fire for depicting animated musical instruments and other symbols of creativity being crushed by an industrial crusher.
“We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry,” Ad Age quoted the iPhone maker as saying. Apple emphasized its commitment to celebrating users’ diverse expressions and apologized for the insensitive portrayal in the advertisement.
The controversial ad, which has amassed over a million views on Apple’s YouTube channel and was shared by CEO Tim Cook on social media platform X, features various creative tools such as a camera, guitar, piano, and paint being destroyed before revealing the new iPad model.
Critics condemned the imagery as tone-deaf and inconsistent with Apple’s brand image of being innovative and human-friendly.
Actor Hugh Grant took to X to express his disapproval, labeling the ad as “the destruction of the human experience courtesy of Silicon Valley.” The advertisement’s portrayal sparked discussions about the ethical implications of technology and its impact on creativity and human connection.
Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California, unveiled the new iPad Pro on Tuesday, boasting a new chip for artificial intelligence computing as the company endeavors to keep pace with its Big Tech counterparts in the burgeoning technology landscape.
The revamped tablet, available for order since Tuesday, features upgraded displays and is hailed as “the thinnest Apple product ever” by the tech giant.
