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?

We Stores, more is more.

We stores simply asks "don't you miss it?" with a Benjamin Franklin popping up from behind the torn grey design (which could have used of a bit more visibility on a billboard). But still, the ad does catch the attention, my issue is that sadly it took me forever to understand the logo behind the ad (We Stores), of course there are a billion phone numbers (OK fine, 5 numbers). Also note that they charge you the Dollar 1500 LBP (with now the Dollar soaring at more than 8000!), and in the end there's the "Open an online portal and sell your products internationally). Yes, pity, too many things happening in an ad one needs to literally stop to understand (though obviously it could have gone more minimalist!).