Apple's In-House Advertisements Scoring Lower Than Its Outsourced Ads

Apple's in-house advertisements are scoring lower than those created by TBWA\Media Arts Labs, a unit of Apple's longtime ad partner TBWA\Chiat\Day, according to Ace Metrix ad-watching data compiled by Bloomberg.
ifWRirb7l3q0

Image via Bloomberg

So far, ads made by the in-house team have received a cooler reception from viewers on average than those made by the agency. Ace Metrix gathers data from hundreds of TV watchers to discern how persuasive and entertaining an ad is.

"Chicken Fat" is the Apple in-house team's biggest ad success so far, scoring a 611 from Ace Metrix. However, the ad scored lower than two Media Arts ads, "From the Heart" and "Gigantic", since late last year. "Gigantic" is Apple's highest scoring ad since late last year. The highest ever score for an Apple ad was 696 for a 2010 FaceTime commercial.


The lowest scoring ads for Apple include its "Your Verse" campaign, showing off how people are using their iPads in various parts of the world doing different activities, like traveling the world, climbing mountains or directing a Bollywood dance number. None of those ads scored higher than a 600 in Ace Metrix's scale.

Comparatively, Samsung and its agency have had better luck, netting a 739 score for a Samsung Galaxy S5 commercial showing the water-proof phone being used during a water fight. The ad is the second Galaxy ad to top the 700 mark for Ace Metrix.

Rob Siltanen, an advertising consultant who wrote the ad copy for "Here's to the crazy ones" told Bloomberg that Apple's struggles may be coming from trying too hard to represent themselves.

"The hardest ads I've ever worked on were ads for myself," Siltanen says. "There's a truism out there that applies: 'The lawyer who represents himself in court has an idiot for a client.' It's very hard to have the necessary perspective to do the job right."

Alternatively, Boston University ad professor Edward Boches says Apple could be struggling selling itself as a leading company and may be more comfortable playing off other companies, like Microsoft.

Apple has found it difficult to find its footing with advertising recently, expanding marketing efforts and creating its 1,000 person in-house ad team in recent months. While the Cupertino company has taken greater efforts to control its advertising, it is still collaborating with TBWA\Media Arts Labs.

Popular Stories

iPhone 17 Pro 3 4ths Perspective Aluminum Camera Module 1

New iPhone 17 Pro Details: Brighter Display, Best Battery Life, and More

Wednesday September 3, 2025 5:33 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max models will feature a number of significant display, thermal, and battery improvements, according to new late-stage rumors. According to the Weibo leaker known as "Instant Digital," the iPhone 17 Pro models will feature displays with higher brightness, making it more suitable for use in direct sunlight for prolonged periods. The iPhone 16 Pro and...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Prices Estimated Ahead of Apple Event Next Week

Tuesday September 2, 2025 1:50 pm PDT by
Just one week before Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series, an analyst has shared new price estimates for the devices. Here are J.P. Morgan analyst Samik Chatterjee's price estimates for the iPhone 17 series in the United States, according to 9to5Mac: Model Starting Price Model Starting Price Change iPhone 16 $799 iPhone 17 ...
iPhone 17 Pro Iridescent Feature 2

iPhone 17 Pro Clear Case Leak Reveals Three Key Changes

Sunday August 31, 2025 1:26 pm PDT by
Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 17 series on Tuesday, September 9, and last-minute rumors about the devices continue to surface. The latest info comes from a leaker known as Majin Bu, who has shared alleged images of Apple's Clear Case for the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max, or at least replicas. Image Credit: @MajinBuOfficial The images show three alleged changes compared to Apple's iP...
iphone 16 pro ghost hand

iPhone 17 Pro: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade This Year

Monday September 1, 2025 4:35 am PDT by
Apple will launch its new iPhone 17 series this month, and the iPhone 17 Pro models are expected to get a new design for the rear casing and the camera area. But more significant changes to the lineup are not expected until next year, when the iPhone 18 models arrive. If you're thinking of trading in your iPhone for this year's latest, consider the following features rumored to be coming to...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

iPhone 17 Release Date, Pre-Orders, and What to Expect

Thursday August 28, 2025 4:08 am PDT by
An iPhone 17 announcement is a dead cert for September 2025 – Apple has already sent out invites for an "Awe dropping" event on Tuesday, September 9 at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino, California. The timing follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. At the event, Apple is expected to unveil its new-generation iPhone 17, an all-new ultra-thin iPhone 17...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3 Coming Next Week: Eight Reasons to Upgrade

Thursday September 4, 2025 7:38 am PDT by
We're only days away from Apple's "Awe dropping" fall event scheduled to take place on Tuesday, September 9 – and along with the new iPhone 17 series, we're going to get a new version of the Apple Watch Ultra for the first time since 2023. By the time the Ultra 3 is unveiled, it will have been two years since the previous model arrived. The intervening period has left plenty of room for...

Top Rated Comments

Burger Thing Avatar
146 months ago
Kick out the in house Ad-Team, employ more software engineers and use the facilities to develop Pro-Software and stick to your legacy :apple:
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kas23 Avatar
146 months ago
I'm thoroughly unimpressed with Apple's in-house advertising people. This "chicken fat" song is disgusting. I don't care if it has nothing to do with "chicken fat" but the song is just a turn-off. Second, the "what would your verse" narrator, whoever he may be, sounds like he's about to die. Just a very grating, unpleasant voice. I don't know what they were thinking.
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Chocolatemilty Avatar
146 months ago
I find this really interesting, because even though I own quite a few Apple products, I don't consider myself an Apple fanboy. I really like all the major mobile and PC players and am well-versed in all of them. However, I feel the "Verse" campaign is quite compelling. Of course, I am biased being a music graduate student, but Esa-Pekka Salonen's commercial is quite remarkable. When the initial Your Verse commercial first premiered, I felt it was the most compelling Apple ad in some time. I guess not all felt the same. What Apple is most likely counting on is all of their different ads resonating with different factions of people instead of one with all.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
146 months ago
Don't be too hard on yourself, Apple, I'm just happy when I see a commercial from you that doesn't feature the condescending Genius guy.

(it's fun to give immensely successful companies consolation messages from the comfort of my chair)
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
SchneiderMan Avatar
146 months ago
Nothing will ever match up to Apple's old Mac vs PC ad campaign.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
mKTank Avatar
146 months ago
Really, "Gigantic" rated that high? I couldn't stand that commercial for one reason: the music. that irritating refrain over and over again. I'm so glad they don't play it anymore, because I was at the point of muting the TV when it came on and occasionally changing the channel.
Not to mention, the actual song is about large black penises (seriously, go look it up). When the internet noticed this, that helped give the ad more attention.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)