I can't seem to escape Apple's "Powerful" commercial, which during some primetime programs airs two, or even three, times. The TV spot is aspirational marketing done right, with booming tagline: "You're more powerful than you think".
Apple's response to new smartphones like HTC One M8 or Samsung Galaxy S5 isn't something new but more aggressive advertising highlighting iPhone 5s benefits. The campaign, particularly the main commercial, is emotive and empowering. The message is simple: You can achieve your dreams when using the Apple handset. While Android competitors focus on features, like larger displays and quad-core processors, Apple singles out benefits -- what you tangibly get by using iPhone 5s and a dozen different apps the ad campaign highlights.
I link to the full 90-second spot but find the tighter, 60-second version to evoke more emotional response. Human beings are naturally creative, aspire to improve, and want to belong -- all attributes ticked off one by one. Yeah, it's "Powerful".
Some advice to Apple competitors: Your advertising should also highlight benefits and make people feel their lives will be better for buying your product. As important: Frequency. During two nights of TV watching (and I'm no tube glutton), I saw the Apple advertisement about a dozen times. HTC: None. Samsung: Twice.
Something else: Little nuances matter and the connotations people associate with them. On its website, Apple doesn't call the TV spot a commercial but "the film". The word is loaded with meaningful connotations about creativity, quality, and value. "Film" also ties to the larger message the campaign seeks to communicate about achieving dreams.
A decade ago, Apple's iMovie website beckoned: "You’re the producer. You’re the director. You’re the editor" -- rather than drone on about features. You. Your dreams. The marketing approach remains the same: Empowering you.