Despite impressive ads, Media Arts Lab execs reportedly frustrated with Phil Schiller’s lack of focus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Zr1s_B0zqX0

Yesterday at its WWDC keynote presentation, alongside the expected design overhaul in Apple’s upcoming iOS 7, the company briefly showed off a slightly new direction for its ad campaigns going forward. While it kicked off the presentation with a video describing its focus for the new simplified design elements in iOS 7 (below), Bloomberg reports that its latest ad (above), which just started appearing on TV last night, marks a new direction for Apple’s marketing efforts. It also claims that Apple’s meetings regarding the company’s marketing message have become less focused following Steve Jobs’ death now that Apple’s senior vice president of marketing Phillip Schiller is in charge:

After years of product-oriented ads that have failed to stem market-share losses to devices built on Google Inc. (GOOG)’s Android software, the campaign will emphasize the quality and reliability of Apple’s ecosystem of products, apps and content, said the people, who asked not to be named because the plans aren’t public.

Since his death, the meetings are run by Philip W. Schiller, senior vice president of marketing, which has meant less clarity about what the company wants its ads to say, people familiar with Apple’s advertising said…Once Jobs had made a decision, no one at Media Arts Lab argued for long. Now, its creative staff becomes frustrated more often when Schiller shoots down ideas, they said.

Apple has received some criticism in recent months over the direction of its ad campaigns, most notably with its ads for the Olympics that were later taken down by the company. 

According to today’s report from Bloomberg, you can expect Apple’s ads in the coming months to focus largely on its ecosystem of content and the people that use it. Specifically, the report says Apple will highlight the “quality and reliability” of its products rather than focusing on a specific device. I’m thinking Apple will likely go back to focusing on devices when it finally unveils its next generation iPhones and iPads this fall.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=VpZmIiIXuZ0