ADdicted: Fumble the Phone

I'm generally enamoured by the creativity and brilliance of most Apple ads.

But their "Fumble" spot doesn't fall into the "creative and brilliant" category for me.

Granted, the music is really catchy.

And the actor does a fantastic job of getting you to empathize with her situation; after all, who among us hasn't accidentally fumbled their phone, and panicked at the thought of it smashing to the ground.

The ad is pretty good right up until the very end when the phone drops... and it's fine.

"Ceramic shield"? Never heard of it.

"Relax, it's iPhone"? Are you kidding me?!? The fact that it's an iPhone is exactly why I have an elevated heart rate watching this spot. I know how much those things cost!

I don't like this ad because I can't believe it to be true.

And I can't believe it to be true because I've cracked my fair share of iPhone screens in the past, and know from experience you don't have to drop them with much force before they shatter. It's the reason why so many manufacturers of shock-proof protective phone cases exist, and also why Apple tries to sell you an AppleCare plan with every phone you buy.

I realize it's possible (and even likely) that the "ceramic shield" is a new feature that might legitimately let me stop worrying about dropping any iPhone I may own in the future.

But without any sort of acknowledgment that iPhone screens were previously very susceptible to damage when dropped, and without an explicit note that the "ceramic shield" is a new upgrade to the product that will add an extra layer of protection, this ad simply isn't believable for anyone who's suffered the panic of a fumble themselves.

You can say almost anything you want in an advertisement.

That doesn't mean your audience is going to believe you.