Advertising

‘Designed by Apple’ ads fail to impress viewers

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 24, 2016

Apple's new mission-statement ad campaign is epitomized in a television commercial which highlights Apple's California roots and celebrates the firm's famous 'Designed by Apple in California' tagline etched on the back of its products. It's unfortunately not testing very well with viewers.

Ad effectiveness firm Ace Metrix polled at least 500 television viewers who gave the latest commercial a score of 489 on its scale. That's below an industry average of 542 and the lowest score of more than two dozen Apple TV ads in the past year.

By comparison, Apple's past ads often topped 700, so the new campaign isn't as effective as Apple's ad shop TBWA/Worldwide thought it would be...

Designed by Apple in California, ripped off wholesale by Samsung in South Korea

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 25, 2013

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So if Samsung created Apple's awesome 'Intention' video (part of the new 'Designed by Apple' ad campaign), the results would no doubt look something like this...

‘Designed by Apple in California’ campaign extends to print

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 19, 2019

Along with a host of software-related announcements at this year's five-day developers conference, Apple cleverly used the WWDC venue to kick off a new brand awareness campaign entitled 'Designed by Apple in California' and created by the company's long-time ad shop TBWA\Worldwide.

First, the company rolled out videos that strive to explain the design philosophy driving its product development and subtly highlight its California roots epitomized in the 'Designed by Apple in California' tagline etched on the back of every Apple product.

The company has now taken the campaign to print media, with a two-page ad spotted in The Toronto Star newspaper...

Microsoft releases another ad dissing iPad

Jeff Benjamin ∙ June 13, 2013

Microsoft — the company behind the Surface RT (lol) — has posted another attack advertisement going at Apple's iPad. The ad makes fun of the iPad's lack of SD Card compatibility, its inability to run apps side by side, and its price. It's a decent ad, but their comparison points just don't stack up if you ask me.

Apple posts iAd Workbench tool, eases minimum ad spend requirement

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

It is no secret that iAd, Apple's mobile advertising network based on its Quatro Wireless acquisition, is struggling. Originally conceived to help app makers improve their bottom line by injecting highly engaging interactive iAds into their warez, the platform has been marred with high ad rates, big brand exodus, executive reshuffling and Apple's relative inexperience in running a mobile ad network.

But Apple isn't standing still. Today, the company launched a new iAd Workbench tool that helps its registered developers better target their users, manually, automatically or both. This allows for a much finely-graded targeting criteria, down to the specific device, gender, age, location and preferences...

Apple’s marketing goes back to its roots

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 12, 2013

Earlier this week, Apple showed the WWDC crowd what could only be described as a pair of mission-statement videos. As we reported, these highlight Apple's renewed focus on simplicity in iOS 7 and underscore its famous 'Designed by Apple in California' signature.

The commercials didn't escape the attention of the eagle-eyed Bloomberg reporters who found out that Apple's long-time advertising agency TBWA\Chiat\Day is responsible for these videos.

Watchful readers will remember that the same agency is behind the company’s most memorable advertisements like the 'Think Different' campaign and the now legendary '1984' ad that launched the original Macintosh.

These clips are reportedly part of Apple's ongoing branding campaign and more will follow soon...

Watch this now: Apple design philosophy

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 11, 2013

Yesterday, we highlighted Apple's mission-statement ad that deals with its famous signature, 'Designed by Apple in California'.

Today, the company has made WWDC commercials available on its YouTube page, among them a minute and 30 seconds long clip.

The video is titled 'Designed by Apple - Intention' and Apple used it to open the WWDC keynote. In it, the company explains how it goes about designing its products so it's definitely worth a watch from start to finish...

New ad: ‘Designed by Apple in California’

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 28, 2016

Apple executives on several occasions during the just-finished WWDC keynote made note of both the fact that the new Mac Pro is being built in the United States and that the redesigned iOS 7 software and other apps are being conceived, designed and implemented by its team of engineers in California.

In fact, Apple's been proudly putting stickers on its products saying 'Designed by Apple in California' for years and has now even made a compelling new ad which focuses in its California design roots...

Advertising legend Lee Clow on Steve Jobs and brainstorming Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 7, 2013

Lee Clow, the Chairman and Global Director of one of the world's leading ad agencies, TBWA\Worldwide (and also its former Chief Creative Officer) is something of a living legend in advertising circles.

Advertising Age likened him to "advertising's art director guru" and he was a personal friend of Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs. This is the guy who co-created Apple's 'Think Different' slogan, the iPod silhouettes ad series and the company's famous '1984' ad.

The '1984', as you know, is now widely regarded as one of the most memorable and successful American television commercials of all time.

In this video captured at the PTTOW! summit, Clow talks the challenges of branding Apple and reveals interesting tidbits about his productive 30-year relationship with Steve Jobs...

Apple patents hints at ad-supported budget iPhone

Ed Sutherland ∙ June 6, 2013

An intriguing Apple patent application was discovered Thursday, hinting at a solution to how smartphones could be owned in developing nations, such as India. The patent filing describes a way a handset owner could defray the cost of a smartphone's data plan by viewing advertising.

The patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, is entitled 'Method and system for managing credits via a mobile device.'

In the same way Apple's Passbook feature stores coupons and such, this proposed technology would expand the concept of digital wallets...

iRadio tidbits: audio ads, iTunes Match syncing, no search/song skipping

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 5, 2013

As you may have heard, Apple is now rushing to close music licensing deals for iRadio. And with Warner Music apparently finally on board, the company should formally take the wraps off its Pandora-killer at the WWDC keynote next Monday.

Bloomberg yesterday explained Apple's ad team is prepping to sell in-app iAds to major brands, which apparently can’t wait to advertise on iRadio. And now a new report by a major advertising trade publication claims Apple is also keen on monetizing the free service by injecting traditional audio ads...

Apple retains mobile ad lead, but Samsung getting more clicks

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

A mixed-message on the state of mobile advertising is out today. In an announcement expected to hearten both the iOS and Android camps, a UK ad firm reports Apple retains its lead in mobile ad share, while mobile ads rendered on devices by rival Samsung are increasingly being clicked.

Combined, Apple's iPhone and iPod touch account for more than a third of all ad requests handled by the UK-based Adfonic. However, Samsung - with just twelve percent of the mobile ad share - finds the first quarter 2013 click-through-rate on ads served by its Android devices increasingly stronger than Apple...