Apple Advertising Partner Media Arts Lab Cuts ~50 Employees
Apple advertising partner Media Arts Lab has let go of approximately 50 employees, reports Bloomberg. Media Arts Lab is owned by TBWA\Chiat\Day and Apple is its only client.
Staff cuts were made in multiple divisions, but many of the employees who were let go worked in the strategy division that helped Apple create ads for its newest products.
In a statement to
Bloomberg, a Media Arts Lab spokesperson said that the firm's relationship with Apple "has never been stronger."
"Yesterday was a difficult day, as we had to part with some of our talented colleagues," a Media Arts Lab spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. "Our relationship with Apple has never been stronger, but as the needs of our client continue to evolve, we must adapt and continue to evolve the composition of our teams."
Apple's VP of Marketing Communications Tor Myhren said that Apple asked Media Arts Lab to evolve its marketing approach as Apple evolves its own approach too.
Apple's confidence and trust in MAL as our singular ad agency is as strong as it's ever been. As we continue to evolve our marketing approach, we've asked MAL to do the same.
Media Arts Lab has worked with Apple for decades and has been responsible for some of Apple's most compelling ads, including the famous "1984" ad for the original Macintosh, the "Get a Mac" series with Justin Long, and the well-known silhouette ads used for the iPod and iTunes.
More recently, Media Arts Lab was responsible for the "Welcome Home" video for the HomePod starring FKA Twigs, Apple's 2019 "Shot on iPhone" tour featuring bands like Florence and the Machine, and the "Bounce" ad for the AirPods.
Apple started creating some of its ads in house approximately
five years ago, but has also continued to work with outside ad agencies. Apple two years ago began focusing more heavily on digital and regional ad campaigns, which previously
led to layoffs at TBWA\Media Arts Lab.
Popular Stories
Following nearly two years of rumors about a fourth-generation iPhone SE, The Information today reported that Apple suppliers are finally planning to begin ramping up mass production of the device in October of this year. If accurate, that timeframe would mean that the next iPhone SE would not be announced alongside the iPhone 16 series in September, as expected. Instead, the report...
Key details about the overall specifications of the iPhone 17 lineup have been shared by the leaker known as "Ice Universe," clarifying several important aspects of next year's devices. Reports in recent months have converged in agreement that Apple will discontinue the "Plus" iPhone model in 2025 while introducing an all-new iPhone 17 "Slim" model as an even more high-end option sitting...
Apple supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared alleged specifications for a new ultra-thin iPhone 17 model rumored to launch next year. Kuo expects the device to be equipped with a 6.6-inch display with a current-size Dynamic Island, a standard A19 chip rather than an A19 Pro chip, a single rear camera, and an Apple-designed 5G chip. He also expects the device to have a...
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series around mid-September, which means we are about two months out from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design differences and new features to take into account. To bring ...
Apple’s iCloud Private Relay service is down for some users, according to Apple’s System Status page. Apple says that the iCloud Private Relay service may be slow or unavailable. The outage started at 2:34 p.m. Eastern Time, but it does not appear to be affecting all iCloud users. Some impacted users are unable to browse the web without turning iCloud Private Relay off, while others are...