Tech giant Apple on Thursday issued an apology following widespread backlash over a new commercial released earlier this week for the latest iPad Pro which shows an array of artistic tools and objects being destroyed.
Titled "Crush!," the ad was posted Tuesday to Apple's YouTube channel and CEO Tim Cook's social media account. It features a myriad of objects getting smashed in a large hydraulic press. Set to Sonny & Cher's "All I Need is You," the casualties include musical instruments, cameras, paints and books.
"The most powerful iPad ever is also the thinnest," a voice narrates as the press lifts back up to reveal Apple's latest product.
"Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it's incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world," Apple vice president of marketing communications Tor Myrhen said in a statement to Ad Age. "Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we're sorry."
The commercial drew ire from the creative community, including actor Hugh Grant and director Reed Morano.
"The annihilation of the human experience," Grant shared on X Wednesday.
"Hey @tim_cook GET A CLUE, PAL," Morano, who helmed multiple episodes of "The Handmaid's Tale," posted to X. The filmmaker has been vocal about the integration of artificial intelligence in art.
Plans for a televised broadcast of the advertisement have been canceled, as reported by Ad Age.
