Yesterday night I posted about this Apple TV CM that I saw for the first time:
It took me 20 seconds to start thinking about the company and another few to dispel the idea it might be another Samsung challenge to Cupertino.
Why was I so surprised? Because I couldn't remember a time in recent history when they did branding. So that emotional TV CM raises questions for me: what is the intent? And who is targeted to?
I think it is a sign of times, where the company feels the need to reaffirm what it stands for. It's either because they feel threatened or a message to their fans showing they still stand strong. I tend to go for the former.
Although recent financial results show that Apple certainly is strong, I see iPhone old timers openly talking about switching to Samsung, Sony or HTC when their contract is up. And South East Asia is now clearly Android territory (from my own observations that is). Diverse offering and price points are appealing to many.
So, what about the target? They will not wow back switchers but Apple users will feel better about their choices, reassured. And I believe that is the original intent.
The ad will help buy time until the next product release, which will be a success, but I'd be interested to see what their next campaign look like and if they feel the need to continue on this path. If they do, that will definite be a sign of change for the market, but also in the way Apple sees itself. Interesting times!
