If images of shoppers camped outside Apple stores for days waiting on the new iPhone show us anything, it’s that Apple fans can be pretty fanatical.
Whether it’s the launch of a new iPhone or an update to the MacBook, Apple has seemingly mastered the art of creating hype around its products and building a loyal customer base.
But in some clever new work, Intel has tapped into Apple hysteria as a way to promote its own products.
Breaking the Spell: Social Experiment is a new video from Intel, which sees 12 Apple fans experiment with – what they believe to be are – ‘new’ Apple products.
Features such as touchscreens, customisations and gaming tools are touted as futuristic upgrades to Apple’s devices.
However, the customers soon learn that these are not new Apple devices, rather they are pre-existing Intel products.
“Total customization. Many modes. Endless play. We brought 
fans together to help them see the power of PC,” Intel says.
You can see the video here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xp0xzapm-zY
And while the ad is certainly a clever take on Apple’s popularity, it hasn’t been well-recieved across the board.
Renowned US computer journalist Philip Elmer-DeWitt has shared a scathing review of the campaign, questioning the authenticity of the ‘Apple fans’ and describing Intel as a “whiny toddler”.
Intel’s marketing activity has taken a sharper focus on Apple in recent times. Earlier this year, former Apple ambassador Justin Long fronted a campaign for the computer company which played on the famous ‘Get a Mac’ ads from the 2000s.
But behind the playful advertising campaigns is a significant challenge for Intel when it comes to Apple.
Apple last year revealed its long-awaited M1 chip, which is being used to power new MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini devices.
Apple’s development of an in-house chip means the iPhone-maker no longer has to rely on Intel’s chips, which have been used in Apple’s laptops and desktops since the mid-2000s.
And if Intel’s anti-Apple campaigns are anything to go by, it might be feeling the threat of the world’s largest company.
