Wednesday, March 19, 2025

Apple - when advertising is divorced from sales.

Today an ad for Apple pocked my interest. Called "the matchmaker". In typical Saudi culture, a matchmaker finds "a suitable groom" for the girl in question. See the film here. The ad marks a very clear shift to the GCC culture. But it was not the first. If you look at the ads above combined show that they are entrenched in an Arabic pseudo-slang way far from the super copywriting on the iphone 15 (here). I have heard clear rumblings that the brand has lost its direction with this copy. But my point of argument is elsewhere: These ads, if they bother the purists or do not, have zero effect on sales. And I don't say this negatively, but rationally. Apple will still sell by the bucketload. Women will still want the newest phone in their "mahr" or dowry. The newest Apple gizmos will still be a claim to bragging. Whatever the tone of voice of the ads is irrelevant. 

Which of course begs the question:

Is advertising in any way related to sales?