The release of Apple’s latest iPad Pro with M4 recently drew some attention for more than its speedy chip. Apple accompanied the new device release with a controversial ad, titled “Crush,” which depicts a vast array of creative tools being crushed by a hydraulic press.
Samsung has wasted no time in posting their own comical take on Apple’s misstep with their own rebuttal advertisement posted on X. With its “Uncrush” ad, Samsung claims it will not crush creativity, playing on the Apple ad’s weakness. Here, a nearly broken guitar is picked up and played in a similar environment that Apple had its infamous crushing episode. With a glimpse of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 in the frame, Samsung uses the opportunity to show its own iPad competitor.
The Apple ad drew the ire of creatives the world over, who called it a tone-deaf attempt at showcasing the new iPad Pro. In the ad, Apple shows the new iPad Pro on the press after the debris has cleared, implying that the iPad Pro gives creatives all of these tools in one device. Apple has since apologized for the ad, and will apparently limit the exposure it gets on other media going further.
We would never crush creativity. #UnCrush pic.twitter.com/qvlUqbRlnE
— Samsung Mobile US (@SamsungMobileUS) May 15, 2024
While such displays of crushing items are a popular video genre on social media, it sent the wrong message to creatives who rely on the Apple ecosystem.
The advent of AI has many people worried that traditional creative methods of human art are in jeopardy, and the Apple ad did nothing to assuage this fear.
Part of the reason that the original “Crush” ad stirred emotions so deeply is that Apple has historically been the safe haven for creatives the world over. The iPad lineup has been dominant in the tablet market for years, which is a good reason for Samsung to take advantage of this peculiar situation to drum up some awareness of its own tablet lineup.
This ad response is a funny way for Samsung to poke fun at another big player in the tablet game. Apple will surely be more cautious next time, but as they say, there’s no such thing as bad press—it has garnered tons of eyeballs on its device due to this ad.