Samsung Responds to Apple’s Heavily Criticized ‘Crush’ Ad With a 43-Second Clip

Samsung has dropped a new ad to promote the Galaxy Tab S9 called “Creativity cannot be crushed.” The ad is a reaction to Apple’s iPad Pro “Crush” ad, which caused mass criticism online last week.

Apple’s advertisement showcases creative tools such as paint and instruments being crushed in a hydraulic press, revealing the mega-thin and powerful new iPad Pro. The message appears simple, emphasizing the enhanced capabilities of the device in an exceptionally slim design.

However, the internet didn’t interpret the ad that way. The widespread negative reaction online suggested that the ad struck a nerve regarding fears about technology replacing human roles, especially those of creatives. The backlash was so strong that Apple apologized, removed the ad from TV broadcast, and admitted to Ad Age that “its ‘Crush’ spot fell short of its goal of empowering and celebrating creatives.”

One week later, on Wednesday, Samsung dropped this reactive ad created by BBH USA, which is set to run on social media and seems to continue from where Apple’s ad left off, capturing what can be seen as the aftermath of Apple’s ad.

In the ad, the scene is set in a dimly lit room scattered with damaged instruments and debris, with a paint-splattered hydraulic press in the background. A woman walks in, picks up a crushed guitar, and reads music off a Samsung tablet. The motive behind the ad is to celebrate human creativity. This was something that many thought Apple completely disregarded.

The woman is using a Galaxy Tab S9 in the ad. Despite its release in August, the commercial is more than just a tablet advertisement; it also serves as a timely jab at Apple.

Even though sales recently dropped for both Samsung and Apple, both companies are key players when it comes to tablet sales. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), in Q1, Apple shipped 9.9 million units and Samsung shipped 6.7 million.