Is the commercial for the iPad Air offensive?

[Ophelia23]

There are many people who it seems are waiting for an opportunity to be offended and jump rather easily. I personally tend not to be one of them. However, I saw this commercial on tv this evening and was rather startled by one of the quick statements in it. It all seems rather nice–even almost inspiring–until just about a minute in. It is a piece about poetry. With each line spoken, a corresponding image is shown. At about the 57 second mark, the line “Cities filled with the foolish,” is read and the image is the inside of what appears to be a Cathedral. Am I over reading this? It struck me as rather blatant and bold to show cathedra architecture as a representation of the foolish. But perhaps I’m just reading too much into it. What do you think?

 

[LilyM]

The image was of what were obviously tourists inside what does appear to be a Cathedral, rather than worshippers. The implication more likely being that tourists mindlessly gawping at things is foolish. That’s if the image was indeed intended to be related to what was said - plenty of times the other images shown in the ad do not appear to relate to what is said.

 

[RPRPsych]

The image was of what were obviously tourists inside what does appear to be a Cathedral, rather than worshippers. The implication more likely being that tourists mindlessly gawping at things is foolish. That’s if the image was indeed intended to be related to what was said - plenty of times the other images shown in the ad do not appear to relate to what is said.

If that’s the case, then this ad is to be commended.

The way tourists behave inside the two Basilicas I’ve been to (in my home town, and in the place I live in now) is nothing short of shameful. Talking, laughing, giggling, dressing immodestly, playing the fool, and taking photographs even when they’re not allowed to. During Mass.

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

Yeah, I think you’re reading way too much into that. Most of the images do not seem related to the specific words being spoken at that time. They all seem instead to want to capture the human experience as a whole, with emphasis on the grand and the spectacular.

 

[NeedsMercy]

You know, Ophelia23, I noted the same thing when I first saw this ad. I’m hoping that our first impressions are incorrect…

 

[Larry1700]

I got the same impression, Ophelia23, and I was definitely offended. I hope I’m wrong about their intent.

However, whatever Apple’s intent was, I am concerned about the effect it will have on young, impressionable minds, as well as those who might have been considering becoming Christian. Since several of us got the same impression–that the church-goers are foolish, I’m sure others did as well.

 

[VeritasLuxMea]

Wow, so you two got that impression as well?

I’m befuddled.

Watch the ad again: do you not see how most of these images are not connected with the specific words being spoken at the time?

Guy working in the water: “medicine, law, business, engineering”

Woman standing alone next to butterfly mural: “romance, love”

Two people standing on a mountain: “the endless trains of the faithless”

Granted there are some:

Waterfall: “beauty”

But eh… I think you guys are going way overboard here, no offense.

 

[Larry1700]

Watch the ad again: do you not see how most of these images are not connected with the specific words being spoken at the time?

Guy working in the water: “medicine, law, business, engineering”

Woman standing alone next to butterfly mural: “romance, love”

Two people standing on a mountain: “the endless trains of the faithless”

Granted there are some:

Waterfall: “beauty”

But eh… I think you guys are going way overboard here, no offense.

I just saw it again, and paid very close attention to it. While I can’t remember all of them, I do remember two of them.

One is “love,” depicting a woman gracefully waving her arms with big smile (true, you could make a case that it’s not connected to “love”, but an equivalent case could be made to say it is).

The other one is “engineering,” which occurs with an ocean-based windmill. (Engineering was used to design a windmill for clean energy.)

I still think it might be intentional.

 

[Ophelia23]

Wow, so you two got that impression as well?

I’m befuddled.

Watch the ad again: do you not see how most of these images are not connected with the specific words being spoken at the time?

Guy working in the water: “medicine, law, business, engineering”

Woman standing alone next to butterfly mural: “romance, love”

Two people standing on a mountain: “the endless trains of the faithless”

Granted there are some:

Waterfall: “beauty”

But eh… I think you guys are going way overboard here, no offense.

In all fairness, I’m not going overboard or up in arms or anything like that. I just struck me as bold, that’s all.

 

[Havard]

I agree with Veritas, it’s far from clear that there was an intended connection. So IMO… benefit of the doubt, and all.

 

[mikekle]

There are many people who it seems are waiting for an opportunity to be offended and jump rather easily. I personally tend not to be one of them. However, I saw this commercial on tv this evening and was rather startled by one of the quick statements in it. It all seems rather nice–even almost inspiring–until just about a minute in. It is a piece about poetry. With each line spoken, a corresponding image is shown. At about the 57 second mark, the line “Cities filled with the foolish,” is read and the image is the inside of what appears to be a Cathedral. Am I over reading this? It struck me as rather blatant and bold to show cathedra architecture as a representation of the foolish. But perhaps I’m just reading too much into it. What do you think?

Remember that TV and all advertisers treat people like they are children who cannot understand but the simplest things. They dumb down most commercials to the point of being offensive to me actually. I dont know where these advertisers get their education or training to create ads, but IMO, from the commercials I see on a daily basis, they need to ask for a refund!! LOL

 

[Bulbasaur05]

Remember that TV and all advertisers treat people like they are children who cannot understand but the simplest things. They dumb down most commercials to the point of being offensive to me actually. I dont know where these advertisers get their education or training to create ads, but IMO, from the commercials I see on a daily basis, they need to ask for a refund!! LOL

This simply isn’t true.

 

[Bulbasaur05]

But to to the topic creator, no, I did not get that vibe from watching the video.

 

[ringil]

It takes a lot to offend me.

I can only think of one which did offend me. It was a doritos ad that had doritos being given out in a Communion line. That was too much I thought.

 

[Tenofovir]

Never mind the iPad Air. Nobody cares that the iOS / XBOX 360 game, “Deathsmiles”, which is a demon shooter (your character blasts demons) has its semi-final stage inside St Peter’s Basilica with the altar plainly identifiable. That stage occurs just before the final boss. Of course it’s not identified as such, but the backdrop is used and it’s obviously the inside of St Peter’s. You also get to blast a few statues and chandeliers as well as armies of monsters/demons.

 

[Granum_Frumenti]

At about the 57 second mark, the line “Cities filled with the foolish,” is read and the image is the inside of what appears to be a Cathedral. Am I over reading this?

The image was of what were obviously tourists inside what does appear to be a Cathedral, rather than worshippers. The implication more likely being that tourists mindlessly gawping at things is foolish.

The woman depicted at that point, though, is using an iPad. Apparently she’s sketching the architecture.

Look at the scene at 0:58 for a closeup of the iPad (in the background is light through the stained glass). Then look at the bottom of the following general scene: this shot passes quickly and moves upward, but when this shot is paused towards the beginning, the iPad is clearly visible in her hand.

 

[Larry1700]

The woman depicted at that point, though, is using an iPad. Apparently she’s sketching the architecture.

Look at the scene at 0:58 for a closeup of the iPad (in the background is light through the stained glass). Then look at the bottom of the following general scene: this shot passes quickly and moves upward, but when this shot is paused towards the beginning, the iPad is clearly visible in her hand.

Okay, but I don’t understand the point you’re making. (I’m not condemning what you said; I just don’t understand you’re point.)

 

[colliric]

Anyone else think this is a bit of juxtaposition?

The previous line is,
“Of the endless trains of the faithless” cut from a picture of a couple at a mountain to the picture of the woman in the cathedral.

“Of cities filled with the foolish”, cut to sea brimming with life.

The words are being juxtaposed, or even contradicted, by the visuals shown.

 

[Granum_Frumenti]

The woman depicted at that point, though, is using an iPad. Apparently she’s sketching the architecture.

Look at the scene at 0:58 for a closeup of the iPad (in the background is light through the stained glass). Then look at the bottom of the following general scene: this shot passes quickly and moves upward, but when this shot is paused towards the beginning, the iPad is clearly visible in her hand.

Okay, but I don’t understand the point you’re making. (I’m not condemning what you said; I just don’t understand you’re point.)

This commercial doesn’t happen to juxtapose the spoken phrase “cities filled with the foolish” only with the image of what may be a cathedral (or other large church) or only with the added image of someone, possibly a tourist, looking at it. The person is holding and using an iPad, even though the whole scene passes quickly and I can easily see why someone may miss it.

If the commercial is meant to have a tight association between the spoken and the visual, then not only are we supposed to associate a church with “the foolish” or the woman with “the foolish”–she’s also an iPad user. Are iPads and their users supposed to be “foolish” as well?

In other words, noticing the iPad there makes me less likely to find this commercial offensive, at least in terms of the thought behind the original post.

I can imagine a few alternative explanations for the juxtaposition, but I have a febrile imagination and they’re all at least slightly bizarre.

 

[janeway529]

There are many people who it seems are waiting for an opportunity to be offended and jump rather easily. I personally tend not to be one of them. However, I saw this commercial on tv this evening and was rather startled by one of the quick statements in it. It all seems rather nice–even almost inspiring–until just about a minute in. It is a piece about poetry. With each line spoken, a corresponding image is shown. At about the 57 second mark, the line “Cities filled with the foolish,” is read and the image is the inside of what appears to be a Cathedral. Am I over reading this? It struck me as rather blatant and bold to show cathedra architecture as a representation of the foolish. But perhaps I’m just reading too much into it. What do you think?

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought this.

The cathedral featured in the commercial is the Cathedral Basilica Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.

EDIT: On second thought, the Sagrada Familia Cathedral has a reputation for seeming “foolish” in the context of its history and its original architect. Like the jester of a royal court seemed foolish, but was actually the wisest one because only the fool could reveal the shocking truth about the king’s corruption in a way that even the king could not realize but everyone else could pick up.