Bollywood star Hrithik Roshan has openly criticized Apple’s latest iPad Pro advertisement, which features a hydraulic press crushing various artistic objects to reveal the ultra-thin iPad Pro. The ad has faced widespread backlash from celebrities and social media users.
Roshan expressed his disappointment on Instagram, calling the ad “sad” and “ignorant.” He wrote, “How sad and ignorant is the new Apple ad,” on his Instagram Stories.
Roshan’s criticism is just one example of the negative reactions to the ad. The backlash has been so intense that Apple CEO Tim Cook’s tweet promoting the ad, which said, “Just imagine all the things it’ll be used to create,” has been met with a barrage of negative responses.
Social media users were quick to express their disapproval of Apple’s new iPad Pro ad, with many criticizing it as a metaphor for today’s creative dark age. They lamented the destruction of creative tools like musical instruments and cameras and expressed disbelief that Apple would run such an out-of-touch commercial.
Some users compared the ad to Apple’s iconic “1984” commercial, noting that the roles have now been reversed, and Apple has become the dystopian force it once stood against.
Apple has apologized for the ad, stating that it will not be airing it on cable. “Creativity is in our DNA at Apple, and it’s incredibly important to us to design products that empower creatives all over the world,” said Tor Myhren, Apple’s VP of marketing communications. “Our goal is to always celebrate the myriad of ways users express themselves and bring their ideas to life through iPad. We missed the mark with this video, and we’re sorry.”