As fans of the show continue to lament the end of popular TV series Breaking Bad, the guy behind the main character of Breaking Bad – Walter White – has already managed to wrangle himself a pretty decent new role – as the voice of one of Apple’s new ad for the iPad Air. The device, which succeeds the fourth-generation Apple tablet as of next month, has already caused a bit of a stir among tech fans, and with Cranston’s influential tone now a part of the ad campaign, expect the tactically-entitled slate to sell well in its first week on sale.
Apple’s advertisements tend to follow a similar prose no matter what product is on offer, and Pencil, the very first iPad Air advert, uses the width of a pencil to showcase just how thin and Air-like the new device happens to be. Of course, we’ve known for quite a while that the fifth-generation iPad would be lighter and thinner than ever before, and in borrowing much of the iPad mini’s design language, has now been afforded a more fitting moniker.
In light of the fact that the full-size iPad is now all-but identical to the iPad mini with Retina display, Apple will need a way to differentiate between the two, and by simply naming it the iPad Air, people already seem to be looking at it in a different light. It’s not as though the new mini isn’t every bit as “Air” like as its larger cousin, but by giving the more expensive model a catchy, tried-and-tested title, the Cupertino will be hoping that the consumer market takes the bait.
Ads like Pencil will certainly do the iPad Air no harm, and using Cranston’s voice is a stroke of genius. Hundreds of millions of TV lovers worldwide tuned in to Breaking Bad during its tenure, and even if the link to the show doesn’t immediately register in the minds of those watching the ad, the use of Cranston will still have a subconscious effect.
Still, back on the topic of the device itself, I can see no reason why anybody would require the iPad Air, save the larger display. Analysts have already predicted that, provided Apple doesn’t suffer too much with yield, the new mini will outsell the iPad Air by a ratio of 2:1 in the early stages.
If you only have eyes for that Air, though, be sure to check out the ad below, and listen closely for that familiar voice:
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