Samsung has responded sharply to an Apple advertising that has sparked controversy and condemnation among the creative community in a recent tech titans spat. This article explores the specifics of advertising as well as the subsequent public and business responses.
The “Crush” Campaign by Apple
During its May 7 product launch event, Apple debuted a new “Crush” commercial for its most recent iPad Pro. The commercial showed a number of artistic objects—including paintbrushes, musical instruments, and camera lenses—being squashed under a hydraulic press before revealing the svelte and cutting-edge iPad Pro. The commercial aimed to demonstrate how the gadget could house several artistic instruments within a small technological package.
But this idea’s metaphorical application did not meet with much approval. Both viewers and critics saw the advertisement as a metaphorical depiction of how technology is consuming traditional artistic outlets in an overwhelming way. This criticism was significant enough for Apple to retract the advertisement from its scheduled broadcast spot and offer an apology, admitting that their creative endeavour had “missed the mark”. However, it is still available on the internet.
Samsung’s Ingenious Reaction
Soon after the “Crush” advertisement’s demise, Samsung released its own commercial, a witty rejoinder that seemingly continues up where Apple’s hydraulic press left off. In this advertisement, a young lady is shown stumbling across an artistically destroyed setting in order to recover a broken guitar. She reads and plays music on her Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, which is a key element of the setup.
As the slogan and guiding principle of the advertisement, “Creativity cannot be crushed” declares Samsung’s commitment to artistic integrity. Samsung’s statement that they would “never crush creativity” furthered this position with a subtly critical tweet that skillfully combined brand promotion with subtle criticism.
Market and Public Response
The reaction to Samsung’s commercial has been overwhelmingly favourable, with many applauding the business for its deft handling of its rival’s gaffe. This event has occurred at a period of variable sales figures for both firms; in the most recent quarter, Apple shipped 9.9 million devices, while Samsung shipped 6.7 million, according to IDC.
The BBH USA-produced advertisement for Samsung is scheduled to appear on a number of social networking sites. In addition to capitalising on the current relevance of Apple’s error, this tactic highlights the continuous competition between the top two tablet producers.
In summary
The opposing strategies used by Samsung and Apple in their most recent commercials highlight a larger discussion about how technology influences creativity. Although the original message from Apple was meant to emphasise how technology and art are merging through their gadget, the way it was carried out was seen as disrespectful to the fundamentals of artistic expression. In addition to profiting from this error, Samsung’s prompt and diplomatic response helped to strengthen its brand image by positioning it as a champion of creativity and countering its rival’s misguided narrative.
Source: https://x.com/SamsungMobileUS/status/1790824457365594487
