The 10-minute vid, directed by Mark Molloy of Smuggler L.A., is running on YouTube, social media, paid digital and Apple Business.

Apple’s second ad highlights the NameDrop feature on iPhone. “Fallen Deep” plays off the Thai expression to fall into a hole of love—”ตกหลุมรัก.”

It’s love at first sight for a man at an airport. Upon seeing his dream gal, he begins falling into an actual hole of love inside the airport. Before the gap grows too deep, the woman reaches down and swaps contact info with him via NameDrop on iPhone 15.

Directed by Wuthisak Anarnkaporn and created by TBWAMedia Arts Lab APAC, the :75 ad is running on broadcast and online TV, social media and digital platforms.

Music/Sports

Beats by Dre Horses Around 

The quest to find the perfect racehorse powers a 7-minute film from Beats by Dre. Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen and Formula One racer Daniel Ricciardo star. Agency Miramar developed the campaign.

Tech

Samsung Says: ‘Unfold Your Moment’

Samsung puts life’s brief but indispensible moments in the picture, hyping its latest Galaxy phones. “We found that, despite all of the catastrophizing narratives out there, young people actually want to feel more connected to the people around them,” says Francesco Grandi, CCO of Ogilvy Canada, which led creative development. “They want technology to work better, and almost get out of the way faster. That’s why our work shows how you can get a bit closer to those close to you—if only for a moment.”

Finance

Money Mart Checks In With Silly Scenarios

Hard Work Club packs silliness and sight gags into fresh spots for Money Mart, hyping the company’s installment loans, cash advance and other services. “Our aim is to drive effectiveness by being distinct, to look unlike anyone else in the financial services category,” says agency ECD Meghan Kraemer. “We wanted to craft a stylized and unique brand world, to really challenge how Canadians thought.”

Telecom

Hear Me Now: Verizon Refreshes Brand

There’s something old and something new at Verizon these days. The telecom giant is reviving its “Can You Hear Me Now?” line (for one ad, at least) while sprucing up its brand identity. Mike Morgan, a real Verizon engineer, plays the “Test Guy” in Ogilvy N.Y.’s commercial below. But a stylized letter “V” is the real star. 

Music 

Bud Light x Post Malone = ‘A Night in Nashville’

First, Beyoncé went country. Now, Post Malone’s got a C&W-flavored album in the works. And he’s teamed up with Bud Light for an intimate one-night-only Nashville event on July 16 to preview tunes from the release.

Grocery

Ben & Jerry’s Challenges Fans: ‘Make Some Motherchunkin’ Change!’

Can ice cream nudge folks toward social activism? Ben & Jerry’s, well known for its commitment to progressive causes, sure thinks so. “We want to inspire everyday people who want to drive meaningful progress in their communities to take action,” says Doug Cameron, creative and strategy chief at DCX, which developed the campaign. Video, billboards and social media are in the mix.

Lottery

Minnesota Lottery Floats Jaws-Themed Commercial

The client goes back in the water for a Jaws tribute from the Betty agency. Every year, as summer approaches, brands of all stripes pay homage to the 1975 blockbuster. Here, we get riffs on the shark flick’s iconic music and beach panic scenes. The work touts a new scratch game.

Grocery

‘Savor the Start,’ Says Purely Elizabeth

Small choices—like picking Purely Elizabeth cereals and granola for breakfast—can yield surprisingly big outcomes. Such is the stuff of fresh work from TDA Boulder. “While many brands focus on the end results, Purely Elizabeth’s new campaign shifts the focus to the power of beginnings in a fun and memorable way,” says agency creative director Maru Bernal.

Financial

PNC, Scott Dixon Put Boredom Before Brilliance

IndyCar racing’s so darn boring these days! Not really. But six-time champ Scott Dixon stars in the first installment of PNC Bank’s “Boring Before Brilliance” doc-style video series. “Society is all about celebrating brilliance: the wins, the success, the fame. But millions of boring moments are what make the brilliant ones possible,” says James Bray, ECD at Arnold Worldwide. “Working in collaboration with DLP Media, we were able to capture these fascinating nuances on film. And for Scott Dixon, speed is definitely in the details.”

Sports

Caitlin Clark Reflects for ESPN x State Farm

Everyone’s fave hoops star gazes into a mirror and receives encouragement from her much younger self in a campaign that also features Kamilla Cardoso and Kiki Rice. The work from Zambezi’s FIN Studios plugs Full Court Press, an ESPN+ series about the three athletes, which State Farm sponsors. Aimee Hoffman directed.

Apparel

SAXX Returns With a New Bag of Tricks

The Canadian underwear brand slings more ballsy humor via Quality Meats. The work seeks to generate bounce in the U.S. “The goal is to make more guys, and those who love them, question their underwear habits, and realize that both they, and their balls, deserve better,” says brand marketing VP Shawna Olsten.

Gaming

Toyota Dealers Hit the Road With 8-Bit Video Game

Seeking to up its game with nostalgia-obsessed twentysomething consumers, the Northern California Toyota Dealers and agency H/L have introduced a throwback 8-bit experience. “The game touches on GenZ and Millennials’ interests in nostalgia, traveling, and the stunning NorCal landscape, connecting with young buyers’ lifestyles,” the association says.

Finance

Blackstone’s All About ‘Making the Connection’

In stylish commercials that eschew data-center cliches, asset management firm Blackstone illustrates how spotting broader trends helps it identify connections that bolster the enterprise. Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Man vs Machine, FundamentalCo and Bully Pulpit developed the campaign.

Music

Luke Grimes Stars for Carhartt

Apparel maker Carhartt explores the work ethic and global rise of actor/singer Luke Grimes in a 5-minute film called “Setting the Stage.” Anomaly and Stept Studios collaborated on the project. “When I thought about doing a collaboration with a brand, Carhartt was the first company that came to mind because of what they’re about and who it’s for,” Grimes says in press materials. “I grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and one of the first jobs I ever had was working concrete. I still have this blue-collar way of approaching things—the get-it-done attitude and taking pride in what you do.”

Forget about the Paris Olympics. We want to know which athletes will dominate their sports a dozen years from now!

Gifted young competitors across golf, baseball, gymnastics, soccer and swimming show off their moves and moods in “2036 Hopefuls,” an iPhone 15 Pro Max campaign led by TBWAMedia Arts Lab.

Legendary photog Walter Iooss Jr. created the images for OOH and digital elements launching today. The kids range from 5 to 10 year old and hail from Finland, Singapore, Mexico, the U.S. and elsewhere. A few already rank as champions in their peer groups.

Shot on iPhone (of course), the pics capture a range of emotions. The determination and confidence on some of these faces belies their years. Others appear a tad weary, but primed to hit the field, mats, pitch or pool tomorrow and do it all over again.

Following its “Crush” debacle, Apple’s been more in the pocket, with effective, artful demos once again portraying its products as essential adjuncts to daily creative life.

Along with “2036 Hopefuls,” TBWAMAL recently launched a flighty paean to privacy (with surveillance cameras as birds), and produced a dramatic take on Música Mexicana.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by apple (@apple)

Sure, those metallic menaces steal passwords. But at least they can’t poop on our heads. Yet.

Clang-y tones created by sound engineer Gus Coven—and that flighty flute!—heighten the sense of unease to the edge of distraction. But maybe that’s the point.

And of course, wags might argue that a Big Tech promise to protect users feels insincere—and that keeping a watch on us is more their style.

Ah well, it’s easy to snark at Apple. Low hanging fruit, as it were. Truth is: Cyber-safety reminders are always relevant, and “Flock” soars above most. 

The ad drops today across TV, social, cinema and digital platforms.

As part of the push, a separate set of videos will mimic browser hijacks in real time:

CREDITS

Agency: TBWAMedia Arts Lab 
Production Company: Smuggler
Director: Ivan Zacharias
Bird design: Legacy FX
Editorial: Rock Paper Scissors Editorial
VFX: House of Parliament
Color: TRAFIK
Sound Design / Mix: Barking Owl
Music Editorial: Model Citizen

Telecom

Hear Me Now: Verizon Refreshes Brand

There’s something old and something new at Verizon these days. The telecom giant is reviving its “Can You Hear Me Now?” line (for one ad, at least) while sprucing up its brand identity. Mike Morgan, a real Verizon engineer, plays the “Test Guy” in Ogilvy N.Y.’s commercial below. But a stylized letter “V” is the real star. 

Music 

Bud Light x Post Malone = ‘A Night in Nashville’

First, Beyoncé went country. Now, Post Malone’s got a C&W-flavored album in the works. And he’s teamed up with Bud Light for an intimate one-night-only Nashville event on July 16 to preview tunes from the release.

Grocery

Ben & Jerry’s Challenges Fans: ‘Make Some Motherchunkin’ Change!’

Can ice cream nudge folks toward social activism? Ben & Jerry’s, well known for its commitment to progressive causes, sure thinks so. “We want to inspire everyday people who want to drive meaningful progress in their communities to take action,” says Doug Cameron, creative and strategy chief at DCX, which developed the campaign. Video, billboards and social media are in the mix.

Lottery

Minnesota Lottery Floats Jaws-Themed Commercial

The client goes back in the water for a Jaws tribute from the Betty agency. Every year, as summer approaches, brands of all stripes pay homage to the 1975 blockbuster. Here, we get riffs on the shark flick’s iconic music and beach panic scenes. The work touts a new scratch game.

Grocery

‘Savor the Start,’ Says Purely Elizabeth

Small choices—like picking Purely Elizabeth cereals and granola for breakfast—can yield surprisingly big outcomes. Such is the stuff of fresh work from TDA Boulder. “While many brands focus on the end results, Purely Elizabeth’s new campaign shifts the focus to the power of beginnings in a fun and memorable way,” says agency creative director Maru Bernal.

Financial

PNC, Scott Dixon Put Boredom Before Brilliance

IndyCar racing’s so darn boring these days! Not really. But six-time champ Scott Dixon stars in the first installment of PNC Bank’s “Boring Before Brilliance” doc-style video series. “Society is all about celebrating brilliance: the wins, the success, the fame. But millions of boring moments are what make the brilliant ones possible,” says James Bray, ECD at Arnold Worldwide. “Working in collaboration with DLP Media, we were able to capture these fascinating nuances on film. And for Scott Dixon, speed is definitely in the details.”

Sports

Caitlin Clark Reflects for ESPN x State Farm

Everyone’s fave hoops star gazes into a mirror and receives encouragement from her much younger self in a campaign that also features Kamilla Cardoso and Kiki Rice. The work from Zambezi’s FIN Studios plugs Full Court Press, an ESPN+ series about the three athletes, which State Farm sponsors. Aimee Hoffman directed.

Apparel

SAXX Returns With a New Bag of Tricks

The Canadian underwear brand slings more ballsy humor via Quality Meats. The work seeks to generate bounce in the U.S. “The goal is to make more guys, and those who love them, question their underwear habits, and realize that both they, and their balls, deserve better,” says brand marketing VP Shawna Olsten.

Gaming

Toyota Dealers Hit the Road With 8-Bit Video Game

Seeking to up its game with nostalgia-obsessed twentysomething consumers, the Northern California Toyota Dealers and agency H/L have introduced a throwback 8-bit experience. “The game touches on GenZ and Millennials’ interests in nostalgia, traveling, and the stunning NorCal landscape, connecting with young buyers’ lifestyles,” the association says.

Finance

Blackstone’s All About ‘Making the Connection’

In stylish commercials that eschew data-center cliches, asset management firm Blackstone illustrates how spotting broader trends helps it identify connections that bolster the enterprise. Goodby Silverstein & Partners, Man vs Machine, FundamentalCo and Bully Pulpit developed the campaign.

Music

Luke Grimes Stars for Carhartt

Apparel maker Carhartt explores the work ethic and global rise of actor/singer Luke Grimes in a 5-minute film called “Setting the Stage.” Anomaly and Stept Studios collaborated on the project. “When I thought about doing a collaboration with a brand, Carhartt was the first company that came to mind because of what they’re about and who it’s for,” Grimes says in press materials. “I grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and one of the first jobs I ever had was working concrete. I still have this blue-collar way of approaching things—the get-it-done attitude and taking pride in what you do.”

Telecom

Swedish Phone Company Vimla and BBDO Bring the ‘Good Vibrations’

Sweden’s Vimla tries to shake up the phone category in ’90s-style ads from BBDO Nordics. “Vimla wanted to create a visual world that incorporate the brand’s good vibrations and relaxed approach,” says agency art director Isaac Bonnier. “We opted for a concept that could stand on its own without a lot of text or voiceovers. The films speak for themselves. It felt important for us to create something that really stands out.”

Health

Everything Causes Hair Loss. Everything!

Do babies, sushi, deodorants and binge-watching accelerate hair loss? We learn the truth in Mischief’s cute campaign for Nutrafol, a hair-growth supplement. “Creatively, we wanted to tap into that eyebrow-raising moment,” says agency ACD Tanner Thompson. “The goal was creating something that really draws you in, sparks your curiosity, and leaves you asking the question: ‘Hold on, what does this have to do with my hair?'”

Grocery

Want Some Coffee Mate, Mate?

G’day! Coffee Mate enjoys some Aussie-accented fun in fast-talkin’ commercials directed by Terri Timely through Soft Citizen. “We wanted to play with how Coffee Mate communicates both its creamy, indulgent quality and that sweet brand recognition they’ve worked so hard to achieve,” says Joel Holtby, co-CCO at Courage, which helped develop the campaign.

Health

Ritual Vitamins Goes Beyond Transparency

Ritual Vitamins tapped Giant Spoon to create “Trace Like a Motherf*cker,” directed by Kate Jean Hollowell. It goes beyond transparency, revealing that the brand’s ingredients can be tracked and explaining why they’re present. In the spot below, a potty-mouth mom won’t put anything in her body unless she knows where’s it’s from and why she needs it.

Financial

PNC Gets ‘Brilliantly Boring’ These Days

Arnold Worldwide launched a fresh campaign for PNC Bank with “Brilliantly Boring” as the theme. Ads stress stability, pragmatism, consistency and trustworthiness. They’re not boring. But the bank is. In a good way. Silicon Valley actor Chris Diamantopoulos stars.

Apparel

Does Comedy Suit Men’s Wearhouse?

Party Land dresses Men’s Wearhouse in goofy comic stylings through a frenetic campaign. Clothes make the bro, whose apparel changes and adventures become intertwined. It’s pretty silly. Hannah Levy directed.

Yeah, profs are so dense. Off-campus kegger tonight?

These are apparently the first Macintosh spots to use dialogue since the legendary “Get a Mac” series of yore.

Naturally, this new work doesn’t rise to those heights. But it’s enjoyable stuff with a slight edge, the latest in a long line of engaging product demos that sail above the PC pack.

The work breaks today across TV, digital, social and various other venues.

Nothing to offend the masses there. Probably.

As with most Apple efforts, the music really pops, particularly in “Ladder,” with a Greek chorus of sorts commenting on the action. “Täysikuu” by Olavi Virta accompanies “Sweater,” and “A Turn of Events” by Labrinth serves as the soundtrack for “Sock.” Both choices add extra dimension.

The videos will run across TV, YouTube and paid digital.

Also this week, Apple iPad’s first post-“Crush!” campaign focused on flesh-and-blood creators in work starring actress Sofia Wylie:

Viewer takeaways from the respective outings might be…

Apple = malevolent, menacing, misguided. Samsung = mellow, melodious … and you gotta love those torn jeans.

Apple, kneecapped. What’s not to like?

“More than a response, this is a celebration of all creative souls. True artists, makers and creators know that creativity always finds a way,” says agency ECD Estefanio Holtz.

The House of Jobs will just have to think different next time. And that goes double for Bumble.

Here’s the mea culpa:

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Bumble (@bumble)

Last week, of course, Apple found itself crushed by the weight of objections to a spot showing an industrial press demolishing various elements of creativity. Battered to a proverbial pump, the House of Jobs said it was sorry and pulled the video.

Perhaps the key takeaway is that in our touchy times, it’s imminently preferable for brands—even beloved ones like Apple—to play it safe.

More vetting with diverse audiences could help. Still, how much can you test?

In Bumble’s case, the outcry might still have been tough to predict. As for Apple, even stripped of context—heartless machines in the age of AI and layoffs smashing human endeavor—the commercial felt gleefully destructive. That alone should’ve raised red flags.

So, riffing on sex/religion (Bumble) and violence (Apple) caused problems. As ever, these are themes best raised with caution. Though, really, what’s a cheeky dating app to do?

It’s worth noting that neither brand casually trades in hot-button topics or questionable imagery on a regular basis. They veered off script and paid the price. For Apple, the approach felt woefully out of character.

Upstarts like Liquid Death can get away with so much more. That’s because they’ve established a foundation of quirky quasi-depravity in the marketplace.

No one expects them to behave. So, within limits, they don’t have to. Yet.

The company that Steve Jobs built released a new ad this week that has creatives up in arms. The spot shows a hydraulic press flattening musical instruments, paint cans, toys, TV sets, production equipment, arcade games and even books.

After the huge machine destroys everything in its maw, a new, thinner iPad is revealed. Insert horrified-face emoji here.

Apple surely intended to emphasize the innovation and advancement represented by its Reality Pro. But the commercial clearly missed the mark by failing to take into account the emotional and financial impact Apple products have had on creatives through the years.

Every item flattened represents an industry, from music and publishing to gaming. These are pursuits that technology giants like Apple have fundamentally altered, putting the livelihoods of countless real people at risk.

To call the spot tone deaf might be an understatement. Apple disregarded every individual and industry it flattened in the name of technological innovation. It also dismissed the significance of passion, skill, craft and personal expression—the keys to shaping culture—as meaningless.

Just as troubling was the brand’s obviousness in the moment. With Apple—and all the big tech companies, for that matter—racing toward AI, the spot screamed what many have feared: The size and speed of advancement will threaten the foundations of the creative industries themselves.

If Apple’s intention was to get people to think, the spot did just that. Based on early reactions, it seems like everyone, especially folks in the creative industry, will be thinking—and talking—about getting “crushed” by technology for days and weeks to come.  

Per AdAge, Apple has issued an apology and says the ad, which broke online, now won’t run on TV.