Apple has always been famous for its ads dating back to its 1984-themed Super Bowl ad, its Think Different campaign and others, but its most recent iPhone ads conjured up science fiction fears among boomers, says a new customer experience study.
The User Testing study, 2018 CX study: Apple iPhone ads, examined the reactions of 200 iPhone and Android customers to three recent iPhone ads.
“The new iPhone ads feature confusing situations, fast cuts and saturated colors, said Michael Mace, vice president of product marketing at User Testing in a statement. “There is no question that Apple is thinking different again, but this time it’s not clear what the company is intending.”
Key findings from the report include:
Many iPhone and Android users in the boomer age group felt the ads were aimed at a much younger audience and called them “silly,” and “chaotic.”
Brand loyalty affected response to the ads. Android users of any age were less likely to be interested in the ads.
The ads evoked science fiction fears among boomers. Apple’s face recognition technology created discomfort and fears about privacy and security, for some conjuring fears of being tracked by ads in stores or streets or the subway a la the movie Minority Report.
Nevertheless, Apple’s marketing seems to be paying off with younger customers. A 2018 Piper Jaffray survey found that 84 percent of U.S. teens expect to get an iPhone, up from 65 percent in 2014. Mace said that because smartphone brand loyalty starts early and is difficult to change, Apple is trying to appeal to teens and pre-teens.
