A Stanford University student kicked up a storm after he claimed that Apple CEO Tim Cook has criticised the company's latest iPad Pro advertisement, denouncing it as a "major fumble" in response to the widespread backlash it faced last week. Indian student Shaurya Sinha unexpectedly met Cook on a hike and tweeted a picture with him along with his two friends.
He claimed that Cook called the advertisement a "major fumble" but went on to clarify in comments hours later after Indian media houses picked up the quote claiming Cook actually made the comments.
"Met the one and only Tim Cook on a dish hike run at Stanford. Asked him about the new Apple iPad campaign and here’s what he said: yeah twas a major fumble," Sinha initially wrote, around 12 hours back. He also praised Cook, adding, "He was high key super sweet and I'd never wanna disrespect him."
yeah twas a major fumble— Shaurya Sinha (@shaurya_sinha7) May 15, 2024
"Wait on a super real note - this post was a joke. I meant to say I’d never disrespect him by asking about a huge controversy like the iPad ad to his face. Why is this becoming news in my country. Tim would never use the word fumble," he wrote in the comments.
WAIT ON A SUPER REAL NOTE - this post was a joke. I meant to say I’d never disrespect him by asking about a huge controversy like the iPad Ad TO HIS FACE.Related stories
WHY IS THIS BECOMING NEWS IN MY COUNTRY. Tim would never use the word fumble ‼️ pic.twitter.com/Eafl0G3PyP
— Shaurya Sinha (@shaurya_sinha7) May 16, 2024
Apple's advertisement for the iPad Pro aimed to highlight the device's sleek design and versatile capabilities, showcasing features like streaming, gaming, and music. However, the campaign faced a barrage of criticism for a specific scene where a hydraulic press obliterated art supplies, gramophones, guitar, gaming console, speakers, sculptures and other creative tools sparking accusations of insensitivity and fostering the perception that technology stifles creativity.
A trumpet was the first thing to be crushed and then the compressor goes on to flatten a row of paint cans. Then came the grand piano. When the hydraulic press crushed everything, including popping the eye out of a ball-shaped emoji, it rose to reveal the brand new and the sleekest iPad Pro.
The idea behind the commercial was to show how the tablet lets the user do everything like playing or creating music, take photos, make videos, among others, in a more sleek format.
The fallout was swift, with critics lambasting Apple as "tone deaf" for the ill-received commercial. Even Tim Cook's social media post, sharing the new ad, urging users to "imagine all the things it'll be used to create" failed to quell the uproar.
Meet the new iPad Pro: the thinnest product we’ve ever created, the most advanced display we’ve ever produced, with the incredible power of the M4 chip. Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create. pic.twitter.com/6PeGXNoKgG— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 7, 2024
"The destruction of the human experience. Courtesy of Silicon Valley," British actor Hugh Grant wrote about the ad. Even actor Hrithik Roshan called the advertisement "sad" and "ignorant".
In response to mounting pressure, Apple promptly pulled the ad from circulation and issued a formal apology. Tor Myhren, Apple's VP of marketing communications, acknowledged the misstep, stating, "They missed the mark."
The iPad Pro, touted as the thinnest iPad ever, is available in 13 and 11-inch models with silver or black finishes. It was launched at Apple's recently-concluded virtual event, "Let Loose".
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