In the first Apple spot released since the passing of Steve Jobs, people from all walks of life are seen interacting with the new Apple iPhone 4S, asking it questions (What’s a weasel look like? How do you tie a bowtie?), instructing it to provide reminders (buy milk after work, change my 3 p.m. appointment to 4 p.m.) as well as entertainment (play some Coltrane), inform others (tell my wife I’m going to make it home on time), and find help (a list of nearby locksmiths for a woman locked out of her house, road assistance for a flat tire).
Aptly titled “Assistant,” the commercial shows that users can connect with their phone via verbal instructions, and get verbal and on-screen feedback. The creative ensemble from agency TBWA\Media Arts Lab included chief creative officer Duncan Milner, executive creative director Eric Grunbaum, exec creative director/art director Scott Trattner, group creative director Chuck Monn, creative directors Demian Oliveira and Chris Ribeiro, associate creative director/art director Paula Cristalli, associate creative directors/copywriters Claire Morrisey and Ted Kapusta, art directors Paul Wysocan and Parker Grant, and producers Mallory Gordon, Alexis Stember and Christopher Shaw.
Mark Romanek of Anonymous Content directed the spot, which was shot by DPs Harris Savides and Sal Totino.
Jared Coller of Nomad Editing Company cut “Assistant.” Lead Flame artist was Ben Gibbs of D-Train.
Effie UK and Ipsos Report Concludes Marketing Industry Should Do Its Part To Heal Societal Divisions
Society has never been more divided, according to a new report Healing the Divide in which Effie UK and brand and advertising experts from Ipsos explored brands’ role in shaping society and healing societal divisions.
The report details how instability, inflation, and COVID recovery —the convergence of multiple interconnected crises around the world that coincide with and amplify each other, causing hard to resolve systemic challenges, have become the norm over the past few years. As a result, the use of division as a weapon is now a major theme in today’s culture and politics, and sadly 47% of the UK and 49% of the US agree with the statement that “Within my lifetime, society in my country will break down,” according to Ipsos Global Trends 2024.
While some brands have tried to respond to this, the report finds responsible marketing is now threatened by weaponized division. It points to the World Federation of Advertisers’ decision to shut down the Global Alliance for Responsible Media following an antitrust lawsuit filed by Elon Musk’s X, combined with DEI rollbacks, as significant setbacks.
The report says these setbacks underline the importance of marketing in solving collective problems, such as climate change, food security, and harmful online content. It also points to a need for marketers to take more interest in and more responsibility for healing divisions.
Research claims marketers are ideally placed to build and rebuild the antidote to division (trust, empathy, a sense of control, connection and collaboration). According to the Ipsos Veracity index of trusted professionals, society is becoming more trustworthy of advertising executives. Additionally, 57% of Britons agree that brands should communicate their... Read More