Former Apple Ad Man Slams 'Genius' TV Spots as "Landing With A Thud"
Ken Segall was a creative director at TBWA\Chiat\Day and worked with Steve Jobs for years, including at NeXT and Apple. He wrote a book about his experiences called Insanely Simple that posited "Simplicity" as the driving force behind everything Steve Jobs did.

In a post on his personal site, Segall dissects the new 'Genius' television ads that Apple began running during the Olympics last Friday.
Repeat after me: “The sky is not falling. The sky is not falling.”
I know it’s hard to say after viewing the new batch of Mac ads that debuted on the Olympics. I’m still in a bit of shock myself.
Sure, Apple has had a low point or two in its advertising past — but its low points are usually higher than most advertisers’ high points.
This is different. These ads are causing a widespread gagging response, and deservedly so. I honestly can’t remember a single Apple campaign that’s been received so poorly.
Segall goes on to address a number of hypothetical points relating to the ads, including "I did wonder if it was a good idea to make customers seem so clueless." (No.) and "Ken, you’re missing the obvious. Clearly these ads are targeted at first-timers, not for you." ("That’s a seemingly logical defense. It’s also a horrible one.")
He finishes by pointing out that no one can know what Steve Jobs would have done, and it's a foolish question to ponder.
None of us can possibly know what Steve would do. Steve was a master marketer, but he was also perfectly capable of a lapse in judgment. It’s unfortunate that this campaign is appearing now, nine months after Steve passed away, because the timing only fuels the argument that everything will crumble now that Steve is gone. I don’t buy that.
One of the ads, '
Basically', is embedded above. '
Labor Day' and '
Mayday' are viewable on YouTube.
Popular Stories
In June 2022, Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay, promising deeper integration with vehicle functions like A/C and FM radio, support for multiple displays across the dashboard, personalization options, and more.
Apple says the first vehicles with support for the next-generation CarPlay experience will be announced in late 2023, with committed automakers including Acura, Audi,...
Multiple rumors have suggested that the next-generation iPhone 15 models will adopt the Wi-Fi 6E standard that Apple has already introduced in the iPad Pro and MacBook Pro, and now a leaked document appears to confirm Apple's plans.
Sourced from researcher and Apple leaker Unknownz21 (@URedditor), the document features diagrams of the iPhone 15's antenna architecture. D8x refers to the...
Apple's next-generation iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are expected to be announced in September as usual. Already, rumors suggest the devices will have at least eight exclusive features not available on the standard iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus.
An overview of the eight features rumored to be exclusive to iPhone 15 Pro models:A17 chip: iPhone 15 Pro models will be equipped with an A17...
Following last week's hardware announcements, this week saw the actual release of several of the new products as well as operating system updates bringing new features and bug fixes across Apple's platforms.
This week also saw some fresh rumors about the iPhone 15 lineup and Apple's upcoming AR/VR headset, while we shared some tips to help you get the most of your macOS experience, so read...
Apple will launch a foldable iPad with a carbon fiber kickstand sometime next year, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a series of tweets, Kuo said he expects an "all-new design foldable iPad" to be the next big product launch in the iPad lineup, with no other major iPad releases in the next nine to 12 months. The analyst said he was "positive" that the foldable device would arrive in...
As we near the end of January, this week we saw a collection of deals on Apple's iPad Pro, iMac, and the 2021 MacBook Pro. Additionally, we're tracking new sales on TVs and memory accessories from Samsung.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Samsung...
Top Rated Comments