Why is no one comparing Google's ad "Loretta" to this (better!) ad by Apple?
It has been a week since Google's ad "Loretta" first aired during Super Bowl LIV with tremendous fanfare from both viewers and critics. Ad Age rated the spot 4.5/5 footballs (creative), and both the NY Post and Admeter on USA today ranked it as the #3 ad of the Super Bowl. While it is difficult to find fault with the ad, I was a bit a surprised when it first aired due to its similarities to Apple's "Holiday" which ran in December 2019. More shockingly, I am yet to find a single article that connects the similarities between "Loretta" and Apple's "Holiday." Both the short form that aired on TV and the digital long form of "Holiday" are included at the bottom of this article.
The similarities between the two ads are striking. Both ads are powerful, emotional-led spots that use the sadness experienced from loss to captivate the viewer. They both do an exceptional job of making sometimes intimidating technology seem more approachable by incorporating an elderly character. Lastly, and most impressively in the eyes of a brand marketer, they both manage to keep the product prominently placed during the ad, even though few would call this a product focused ad.
However, while the similarities are jarring, there are a few nuances that make the Apple ad reign supreme. Apple's ability to incorporate multi-generations of a family shows how important someone can be not just to their spouse, but to the GENERATIONS that come after them. This emotion is particularly well placed during the holiday season when families across the US are spending time together. Including various characters of different ages also helps from a product standpoint as it demonstrates that the Tablet is versatile enough to appeal to people of all ages.
I agree that "Loretta" was an exceptional ad and deserves a top 5 rating of this year's Super Bowl crop. However, I do feel like the execution of this ad is a little too close to what Apple executed better just a couple of months ago. It makes me wonder how long it will be until we see Amazon jump in the ring with a similar ad. Mother's Day, anyone?