Apple's Dystopian Ad Enrages Japanese Netizens: "Worst Commercial Ever"

If you haven’t heard by now, Apple released an eerie ad for its "thinnest product ever," the latest iPad Pro, which promises to replace human creativity for the sake of efficiency. 

CEO Tim Cook proudly shared their latest invention via a short ad on X (formerly Twitter). The clip featured a dark, large room full of instruments, paint, art, sculptures, books, cameras, an old video game cabinet, and so on – all of the things that seem to be dying in this smartphone and artificial intelligence era. Most of the tools in the video have empowered individuals to bring their creations to life. 

In just ten seconds, these cherished items were crushed under the weight of a large hydraulic press resembling the iPad. Thus, Apple – the company that boasts “simplicity, creativity, and humanity” – has done the exact opposite of its ethos, shattering not only the artifacts of creation but the meaning of humanity itself. To be human is to experience, make art, sing, play games, read, and take photographs. Yes, painting beautiful scenery takes time, and so does producing music. And sometimes, the outcome is messy. All of that work, time, imperfection, and discipline through the use of our bare hands and traditional tools is what makes creation so meaningful, but it seems we've forgotten that amidst the pursuit of efficiency and convenience.

Apple was trying to convey that its newest iPad can do everything these tools can and more. Why bother with old-fashioned items when you can do it all with a sleek device? (As if we're not already glued to our phones all day, every day.)

Our lives are dominated by technology. We start our day squinting at a tiny screen to check our text messages then upgrade to a medium-sized one for emails and work, then we turn to the big screen for Netflix when we clock out. It makes sense, then, why Gen Z – who grew up only knowing phones and iPads – has suddenly turned to instruments, film cameras, flip phones, vinyl records, and books. We yearn for the tangible and analog; we want to feel grounded for once, to truly exist in the real world instead of virtual realities.

The comment section on X has made it clear to me that many people feel the same way, and the discussion has even spread globally. Japanese netizens were incredibly vocal about their frustrations with the ad and its destruction of the human experience. Many creatives feel that these tools are necessary for craftsmanship and the preservation of traditional methods.

"You destroyed all the creative tools and effort of humans. Worst. Commercial. Ever," wrote @Hidarino_Machi.

"Many craftsmen value their tools. Musicians value their instruments, architects value their rulers, painters value their brushes and painting materials more than life itself," added @takasugi_mbsjk. "The video you presented 'all in one', but it will only disgust them. They may never want to engage with your company again. Your predecessors showed us their dreams, you showed us our nightmares."

The ad even prompted high-profile individuals to take to X to share their frustrations. The Verge reports that English actor Hugh Grant called it a “destruction of human experience,” and Handmaid’s Tale director Reed Morano bravely told Apple CEO Tim Cook to “read the room.”

The backlash prompted an apology from Tor Myhren, the tech giant's vice president of marketing communications. “Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world. Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad,” Myhren said. “We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.”

According to AdAGE, Apple no longer plans to run the ad on television.

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