Apple iPad Pro “Crush” Ad Controversy: What Went Wrong and 3 Lessons for Product Managers
Apple’s iPad Pro “Crush” ad sparked backlash for destroying creative tools. Learn what went wrong and 3 brand trust lessons for product managers.
Apple is one of the best companies in the world at telling stories. For years, it has made people feel excited, creative, and inspired through its ads and products.
Most of the time, Apple gets it right. But in May 2024, something went wrong.
Apple launched a new iPad Pro with a bold video campaign called “Crush.” Instead of praise, the ad got so much hate.
People were shocked, upset, and confused. The same company that spent 40 years supporting creators had suddenly made an ad that felt like it was against creativity.
So, what was the campaign about? And what went wrong?
And how did Apple react to it?
Let's dive in!
What Apple Has Always Promised
Apple is known for making phones, laptops, and tablets.
But the brand stands for more than just devices. For over 40 years, Apple has built its name on one promise: To help people create.
From the beginning, Apple focused on people who think in unique ways.
In 1984, Apple ran a famous ad during the Super Bowl. It showed a woman breaking a big screen in a room full of people who were all sitting still, doing the same thing.
The ad told people that Apple supported creativity and thinking outside the box.
They also featured photos of Einstein, Picasso, and Amelia Earhart in the Think Different campaign, as they were known for doing things in new and bold ways.
Here’s the Think Different commercial.
Apple used this campaign to say that they support those who want to make their own path. Even in recent years, Apple has followed this message.
The “Shot on iPhone” campaign took photos and videos by regular people for ads. These ads focus on what people can make using Apple’s tools.
In all these Apple marketing campaigns, the message stayed clear: The user comes first, not the product.
That’s the promise Apple has protected for decades:
We build products that help you share your ideas with the world.
People have trusted Apple because of that message.
It made the brand feel friendly, helpful, and creative.
But that trust was shaken when the iPad Pro “Crush” ad told a very different story.
The “Crush” Ad That Broke Brand Trust
On May 7, 2024, Apple showed the world its newest iPad Pro.
It was thinner than any iPad before and had a lot of power packed into it. To promote it, Apple made a video ad called “Crush!” The ad begins with a hydraulic press.
Under the press, there’s a table full of creative objects: A trumpet, a piano, cans of colorful paint, a camera lens, an arcade game, and even a small emoji-shaped toy.
While Sonny & Cher’s “All I Ever Need Is You” plays in the background, the machine starts moving down. Slowly, it crushes every item on the table.
The trumpet gets squished. The piano keys break apart. The paint cans explode.
One by one, everything gets flattened into broken pieces.
When the machine lifts back up, only one thing is left:
The new iPad Pro — thin, shiny, and sitting in the middle of the mess.
The words on the screen say: The most powerful iPad ever is also the thinnest.
The main objective for Apple is to create the feeling of: All these creative tools can now fit inside one sleek device.
But what people felt was: Apple destroyed the things that make creativity special.
Instead of feeling inspired, people felt shocked and upset.
And that’s where the trouble began.
What exactly went wrong with the Crush ad?
1. The Message and the Emotion Did Not Match
Apple wanted to show that the iPad Pro can replace many creative tools.
But the way they told that story didn’t work. The ad didn’t feel like a celebration of creativity. It felt like a machine was destroying creativity.
The message said: All your favorite tools are now in one device.
But the feeling was: We crushed everything you love.
A good product story needs to feel right — not just sound right.
2. The Ad Broke Apple’s Promise to Creators
Good brands stay true to their values.
People trust Apple because it has always supported creative people. It shows tools that help people draw, write, film, and make music.
This ad showed none of that. It didn’t show someone creating something.
It showed objects getting destroyed. For many viewers, this felt like a betrayal. The ad went against everything Apple had built over the years.
People don’t just buy Apple products because they work well.
They buy them the brand feels human, creative, and kind.
This ad took away that feeling. And that hurt trust.
3. Apple Missed the Global Mood
In 2024, people were worried about AI taking over their jobs.
Even today, they are scared of AI replacing human creativity.
There are protests. Lawsuits. Online debates.
Apple ran an ad showing a machine smashing all creative tools.
It felt cold. It felt harsh.
The timing made the ad feel worse than it might have otherwise.
The Backlash Was Swift and Brutal
The internet didn’t like the ad. Just after the ad went live, many people spoke out against it, especially artists, musicians, filmmakers, and other creative people.
These are the same people Apple has always supported.
But the Crush ad felt harsh, sad, and cold.
Actor Hugh Grant summed up the sentiment perfectly in a tweet: "The destruction of the human experience. Courtesy of Silicon Valley."
Filmmaker Justine Bateman called the ad "crushing the arts." Others on social media called it "tone-deaf" and "soul-crushing."
Many also said the timing was bad (as discussed above).
This ad made it feel like Apple was happy to be part of that change.
The Verge called it a "rare marketing misfire." They said the ad was the opposite of Apple’s famous “1984” ad, which had a warm message.
Even when Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, shared the ad on X (formerly Twitter), the replies were mostly negative. More people criticized it than liked it.
For a company like Apple, one that usually cares deeply about every detail, this ad felt like a betrayal to its followers.
Apple Says Sorry
The day after the backlash exploded, Apple apologized.
This was a huge deal. Apple also pulled the ad from its TV rotation plans.
The swiftness and directness of the apology showed they understood the severity of the misstep. They didn't double down. They didn't stay silent.
They owned it. This response itself is a playbook in crisis management.
Acknowledge the user sentiment, reaffirm your core values ("Creativity is in our DNA"), admit the failure ("We missed the mark"), and apologize clearly ("We're sorry").
Lessons for Product Managers
Here are 3 lessons for product managers from Apple’s mistake:
1. Test the Story, Not Just the Product
Before you launch something new, don’t just test if the product works.
Also, test the way you talk about it - your ad, slogan, or website.
Show these things to a few users and ask:
What do you think this is trying to say?
How does it make you feel?
Their answers might surprise you. They might see or feel something you didn’t expect.
That can help you catch a mistake before it becomes a big problem.
2. Make a “Brand Check” List
If people start reacting badly to something you launch, ask yourself:
Are a lot of people upset? Or is it just a few comments online?
Did we go against something our brand usually stands for?
Are people already worried about this topic in the real world?
If you answer yes to two or more questions, it’s not just a small problem.
You need to act quickly and fix it.
3. Treat Apologies Like Products
Sometimes, things go wrong.
And when they do, a good apology can help rebuild trust.
A good apology should have 3 things:
Be fast: Don’t wait too long to respond.
Be clear: Say “We’re sorry,” not “We’re sorry if you felt bad.”
Be honest: Remind people what your company truly cares about.
Apologies are tools, not just words.
And like any tool, they need to be built the right way.
Final Thought
Apple’s ad was meant to impress.
But it ended up upsetting the very people it was made for.
The product itself was great. The mistake was in the story they told around it.
As product managers, we must remember:
What we say about a product is just as important as the product itself.
People feel something about what we build.
That feeling can build trust. Or break it.
So, before you launch, always ask if it feels right to the people you made it for. Because great products don’t just work, they connect.
That’s it for today.
See you in the next edition,
Sid.