Microsoft pulls bizarre anti-Apple ad poking fun at new iPhones

By Trevor Mogg September 16, 2013

microsoft pulls bizarre anti apple ad poking fun at new iphones — Image used with permission by copyright holder

A bizarre Microsoft ad poking fun at Apple and its new iPhones has been pulled by the computer company after it admitted it was “off the mark”.

The ad, posted on Microsoft’s Windows Phone YouTube channel over the weekend, is titled ‘A fly on the wall in Cupertino?’ and comprises a skit with Apple ‘employees’ pitching ideas to ‘executives’ in “early 2013” for the design of the new phones.

It kicks off with two employees apologizing for arriving late to the meeting because “my iWatch had to go back to R&D.” And from there it really doesn’t get any better.

“We’re gonna give the people what they want, we’re giving them the finger…” the guy says, before his co-worker jumps in with “…print – fingerprint Touch ID.”

Another line: “We made you an iPhone that’s the color gold, because think about it, everybody loves gold – pirates, leprechauns….”

But the part that makes it really weird is the depiction of the two executives in the ad. Shown from behind, one appears to resemble Apple design chief Jony Ive. The other, however, looks more like Steve Jobs than the current Apple boss, Tim Cook. What’s that all about?

The employee does call the executive “T” at one point, but take a look for yourself – he really looks more Jobs than Cook.

The two-minute ad ends with the hashtag #timetoswitch.

Following the removal of the ad, Microsoft issued the following statement via TNW: “The video was intended to be a light-hearted poke at our friends from Cupertino. But it was off the mark, and we’ve decided to pull it down.”

One YouTube user grabbed a copy of the ad before it was taken down, so check it out (though it may be gone by the time you get to it) and let us know what you make of it….

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