One sneaky way to market a product is to make it hard to find. Scarcity creates the demand, right? That’s about the size of it with Apple’s new AirPod wireless earbuds. The folks at Cupertino have kicked off their TV advertising campaign for the pricey little item with a set of four different spots. A dancer named Lil Buck is featured prominently in the streets of Mexico City.
First up is the Stroll, (above) with Buck showcasing how the product differs so much from its wired counterparts. You can’t get all tangled up with these now, can you? Though as The Verge points out, Bluetooth headphones offer the same freedom of mobility. Buck is doing some totally impossible gravity-defying dancing — but the theme of these spots is “practically magic,” so Buck and Apple get a pass with their artistic license.
Much-maligned Siri gets some love in the next clip:
We get to see the charging case and pairing feature. Plus some dancing on the side of a car. Maybe it’s the shoes.
This last clip shows the buds as musical notes. Another report mentioned how this spot reminded the author of the original iPod campaign, and that’s a spot-on observation. Ah, nostalgia.
If you were on the fence about purchasing the new headphones, you might feel inclined to head over to your closest Apple Store for a set after seeing these spots. Or maybe not. The Verge adds that “The Apple Store currently shows a six-week shipping time frame, so your best bet is hoping to catch a shipment as it comes in at the Apple Store. If you simply order a pair for in-store pickup, Apple’s website says you might be waiting until March.”
However, that’s totally part of the Apple mystique, right? Leave them wanting more. The AirPod isn’t a totally new product segment designed to set the marketplace on its ear like the iPhone and iPod were — merely an add-on to enhance the end-user experience for existing products like the iPhone 7. If Apple’s vibe (and cost) isn’t your bag — there are always alternatives.
