Motorola has taken in interesting approach with their new ad for the Moto Z, a new smart phone in their arsenal. Their argument: that smart phones haven't progressed as much as they should have already, and that their new phone is a step in the right direction. The ad features a number of strange scenes, some of them with futuristic and artistic elements, and others that are purely comical and random. It effectively conveys the mindset behind the new product: you can make it what you want.
However, the commercial is not without its faults. In the beginning, a man who is portrayed as Steve Jobs is seen holding up a new iPhone to people in 2007. This is supposed to represent the beginning of the smart phone revolution. Motorola takes things to the next level when Steve Jobs starts fumbling with the smart phone before he ultimately drops it to the ground. This is clearly a jab at the Apple brand, symbolizing that they have been careless with their smart phones by not making them innovative enough.
Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, as it's fair play in competitive advertising to set your product above the rest. Although, Steve Jobs died relatively recently in 2011, and some people may find it tasteless that they portray him as a fumbling fool in the ad. Is it truly ethical to mock someone who is deceased in an effort to discredit a competing brand? People who were formerly committed to Apple products would find no joy in this commercial if they valued Jobs, and so they would be less likely to be swayed into switching to Motorola. There are certainly other ways that Motorola could have taken jabs at Apple without bringing Jobs into play.
What do you think? Is Motorola's jab at Jobs tasteless, or is it harmless humor?
Link to ad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH318gs2iOY
I definitely think the jab at Apple was fine, however it's the way they did it with the late Steve Jobs that is a problem. If they would have used Tim Cook instead with a more recent iPhone being teased, the commercial could have been more tasteful and everyone would have moved on with their lives. To pick on a recently deceased genius though was done in very poor taste and should have been much more carefully considered.
ReplyDeleteI agree that there is definitely moral boundaries being pushed here. Android and Apple have had on ongoing feud to who has the superior technology. Back in, what was it, 2006? when Apple had those commercials with two actors, one being a hip smart new aged fast guy representing Apple, the other being an older out of date slower guy representing Microsoft. This was a perfect comparison Apple created to a competitor without being too morally straining, this commercial you analyzed Jake crossed that moral boundary in my opinion. I believe that this advertisement made many people upset because of Steve Job's emotional battle and death with cancer.
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