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British cider company ribs Apple in latest advert

A British cider company's latest advert mimics Apple's ads, complete with plinky-plonky music.

Joe Svetlik Reporter
Joe has been writing about consumer tech for nearly seven years now, but his liking for all things shiny goes back to the Gameboy he received aged eight (and that he still plays on at family gatherings, much to the annoyance of his parents). His pride and joy is an Infocus projector, whose 80-inch picture elevates movie nights to a whole new level.
Joe Svetlik
2 min read

This isn't the first advert to mock Apple, but what makes it different is the fact it's not made by a rival tech company.

It's made by Somersby Cider, which is owned by Carlsberg. Somersby's produce is made from apples, so it decided to take a few potshots at the Cupertino company's ads, complete with plinky-plonky music. It's more hit than miss in my eyes, but I've embedded the ad after the break so you can judge for yourself.

Somersby has done a pretty good job of recreating the feel of an Apple Store, with the minimalist decor, airy open spaces, and bare wooden surfaces. The staff are in green rather than blue, as a nod to Somersby's company colours. And they're excited about the launch of a new product. That product being a pint of the apple-flavoured stuff.

There are plenty of gags about the cider's new operating system (Pump), it coming in 16- and 32-pip varieties, and the pint being wireless. It also works in the standard docking station (your hand). One major difference between the two companies' products is made clear: the pint works "perfectly in direct sunlight". Ouch.

Samsung has taken aim at Apple's fanboys before, portraying them as sheep, but to the best of my recollection this is the first non-tech firm to land a hit against the Cupertino company. Just goes to show how distinctive Apple's marketing is, I suppose, that it's deserving of parody. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and all that.

Meanwhile, a cider shop in Norfolk has been forced to change its name to avoid any confusion with the California-based tech giant. Since the Apple Store opened in Norwich, The Apple Shop (which sells local cider) has been inundated with queries concerning iPads and iPhones. Hopefully renaming it The Norfolk Cider Shop should put a stop to that.

What do you think of the ad? Let me know in the comments, or on our Facebook page.