Apple Cancels 'Crush' iPad Ad After Backlash, No Paid Media Involved

May 10, 2024, 02:10 AM

Apple has issued an apology for its iPad Pro advertisement titled 'Crush,' which depicted a hydraulic press destroying various musical instruments including guitars and a piano. The ad, intended to showcase the iPad Pro's capabilities, sparked significant backlash from the creative community and the public, including criticism from actor Hugh Grant. Apple's Vice President of Marketing Communications, Tor Myhren, acknowledged the mistake, stating that the company 'missed the mark' with the video and confirmed that there was never any paid media involved. Consequently, Apple has decided not to air the ad on television and has scrapped any plans for its TV campaign. The ad was criticized for its tone-deaf portrayal of destroying tools used for art and creativity, which many saw as contradictory to Apple's brand ethos of supporting creative expression.