Apple's not-so subtle dig at Samsung proves a turn-off

Apple's latest adverts are proving to be a turn-off with viewers as they make a not-so-subtle dig at Samsung. Titled 'Designed by Apple in California', the adverts ask "If everyone is making everything, how can we perfect anything?"

But the folks who measure the success of adverts have discovered that the latest Apple adverts score well below the average, and far far below Apple's usual scores.

The leading animated advert doesn't feature or even mention a single product, instead making some vague promises about the quality of Apple design, mixed in with hidden digs at the opposition. It's barely an advert at all -- just a sickly yet prickly manifesto for the company.

In a thinly veiled dig at Samsung and its vast selection of confusingly similar devices, the Apple ad suggests we "confuse abundance with choice."

In gestating a new device, Apple says it asks of its designers, "What do we want people to feel?" The answer to that, according to the advert, is "delight, surprise, love and connection".

Apple only signs its name to a new design until "every thing we touch enhances each life it touches."

Sorry, I just had to go and vomit. It feels to me there's something defensive about these adverts, a prickliness that skirts close to arrogance. But at least previous adverts usually focused on the product rather than veiled barbs.

It seems knocking the opposition is all the rage these days. Nokia and Samsung have both started taking pops at Apple and Apple fans in their advertising.

What do you think of the Apple advert? Should rival companies take a pop at each other or stick to talking about the products? Tell me your thoughts in the comments or on our Facebook page.