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Apple airs new “Powerful” TV ad, promoting content creation on the iPhone 5s

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODmfmUWqlSA]

Update: Apple has now posted an accompanying microsite for the ad, featuring the ads shown in the video.

Apple has begun airing a new iPhone 5s ad this evening, first premiering on ABC during Agents Of SHIELD. This ad, featuring the interesting song ‘Gigantic‘ by the Pixies, takes a very different tone than the “Metal Mastered” ad released in October, which showed that gold really is best.

The ad shows common and uncommon tasks people can accomplish with their iPhone, such as creating music, tracking their health, shooting videos and photos, and playing games. The ad ends with the tagline “You’re more powerful than you think”. A new page on Apple’s website shows off the ad along with the featured software.

Advertising for the iPhone 5s has been sparse, especially in comparison to the campaigns for the iPhone 5c. Aside from just 3 commercials, the only other 5s advertising we’ve seen are some print ads that ran shortly after the phone’s introduction.

[tweet https://twitter.com/tim_cook/status/458989659146571776]

Thanks Dan for the video!

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Comments

  1. Ed D (@MochaChai) - 10 years ago

    I like the approach. It’s about what you can do / can be inspired to to with the product… not about trash talking the competition. The harmonies are a little edgy, but I think not being ultra slick gives it a certain appeal.

    2¢ free.

  2. Michael Perry - 10 years ago

    Finally! Now let’s get more and keep going. Maybe they decided to finally stop taking this fight lying down.

  3. liquidwolverine1 - 10 years ago

    lol noticed they showed that the iPhone could also be a heart rate monitor without having an additional sensor.

    • Greg Cinco - 10 years ago

      its an app from Azumio called “Heart Rate” . You can download from AppsStore

    • PhoenixNFA (@PhoenixNFA) - 10 years ago

      i downloaded that app and it works pretty well. uses the camera somehow to check your pulse. im not sure how accurate it is, but i checked it after exercise and it said my heart rate was up.

    • caleb glenn (@calebglenn) - 10 years ago

      lol I was wondering if I was the only person who noticed that. It’s like they took a shot at Samsung but not really and moreover showed what their product could do with the brilliant developers behind the technology. Greatly done advertising

      • liquidwolverine1 - 10 years ago

        Smooth move, new advertising company isn’t bad so far lol

    • Kathy Hays (@khays619) - 10 years ago

      They’ve actually had that tech for awhile. I had an app that did the a couple years ago now, I cant believe it wasnt known about until this.

  4. Christopher Glen Aukerman - 10 years ago

    I was confused the first time I saw it but I couldn’t stop pressing repeat after the second watch. Brilliant. Fun. Creative… Apple.

  5. shazamo - 10 years ago

    You know, apple has become a differant company, and the ads are reflecting that. I don’t know if I like it better, but I can say this is not the goosebump wow perfection apple once was. This new take is emphasizing the humanistic side of technology, and embracing the fun and imperfect lives of those who use the products. I can say it is nice that a tech company shows more than just some specs that are a geekasm of words no one really cares about anyway. Also they don’t trash anyone in their ads, not like many others do, but it’s nice, and I always feel good after watching them. So apple congrats, you did what you probably set out to do.

    • shazamo - 10 years ago

      Also they always have such inspiring quotes, “you are more powerful than you think” is a excellent example… Apple is the king of marketing still

    • Anthony Gill - 10 years ago

      I agree. It’s neither good nor bad, exactly. Or perhaps time will tell whether this new direction is good or bad. I just can’t help but feel like it’s somewhat an abandonment of what made Apple great. It’s no longer “think differently,” but possibly “think passionately” or “think creatively.”

      It’s not hard to tell the difference between this and, say, Jeff Daniels’ iPhone 5 commercials, which I thought were brilliant. It’s no longer about the product. It’s about how the product makes you feel. Is it working? Time will tell. But suffice it to say that I’m on the side of Schiller.

  6. va1an - 10 years ago

    I really like the new humanistic approach.

    There are bits where we can all say, ‘oh! I do that’.
    And then other bits where I think ‘oh yes, I want to do that’.

  7. What is the name of the app which translates the signal? at 1:01

  8. gugulino1 - 10 years ago

    I thought that you can do such things only on the iPad :-o

  9. Use Reed - 10 years ago

    what is the list of apps used in the above ad?

  10. Alex Kaess - 10 years ago

    What is the app used to launch the rockets at 1:14? It’s not featured on the microsite.

  11. Michael Napier (@NapMan) - 10 years ago

    I was wondering about that app the woman used with her iPhone strapped to her palm to make music. It’s called Luminair and it costs $130!!! Wow!

  12. Scott D. Brown (@hwdyb) - 10 years ago

    Love me some Pixies. Way to start the day :)

    • herb02135go - 10 years ago

      They must use children’s fingers.
      Creating content on such a small screen is extremely difficult- more so for those who do it while they are moving.
      Swing/miss.

  13. benavides0308 - 10 years ago

    Love this marketing approach and love the Pixies. Though I wonder if a discussion was had since the band has previously said the song is about a “large male member.”

  14. I can’t find the app used by oriental girl with that special case …

  15. Topher Merriman - 10 years ago

    I can’t watch that commercial without think of a huge member having teen banging a married woman while the singer watches. Like when Disney started using Semi Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind in adds for new kids movies that didn’t have a developed soundtrack yet. Someone should look into what the songs are about before they use them in an ad campaign. It cracked me up thinking Disney has no idea that a song about a musician in SF spiraling into meth addiction, while having drug fueled sex with anyone he could lay his hands on, was their go to ad song. Seriously this commercial is just big dark penis’ across the screen for between 31 and 91 seconds depending on what cut they are showing. So funny.

  16. 19 (@San_Jabar) - 10 years ago

    what is the app at 00:10?

  17. jakimona - 10 years ago

    Does anyone know how the iphone is mounted onto the guitar in the first few seconds of the video?

  18. Jroanne Bergman - 8 years ago

    What musical instrument is playing the notes?

Author

Avatar for Michael Steeber Michael Steeber

Michael is a Creative Editor who covered Apple Retail and design on 9to5Mac. His stories highlighted the work of talented artists, designers, and customers through a unique lens of architecture, creativity, and community.

Contact Michael on Twitter to share Apple Retail, design, and history stories: @MichaelSteeber