TPS 'dissappointed' with Apple's Intel Ad

The "Such Great Heights" video is now on the home page of the iTMS under "Video Just Added."

Controversy over a copycat TV ad? I don't even remember the Post Office ad. (Really effective, wasn't it?)

Media types live in their own little world. You'd think someone copied the Mona Lisa...

The Postal Service video was NOT an ad - it was a MUSIC VIDEO. Apple's video is a COMMERCIAL touting their new Intel-based Macs. Both were made by the same people. I see no problem here. The Postal Service will lose NO MONEY and no one will confuse Apple and their band.

Bunch of crybabies.

I don't find the two that similar really. The feel is pretty different and besides, if you want to make a commercial showing chips made in a clean room, there's not much variety available to you. Anything shot in there is going to look the same. Are computer companies not allowed to show manufacturing anymore? Sheesh.

Free publicity for the band... I had never even heard of them until this "controversy". The "copycat" ad is good for them -- but if no one had pointed out the similarities, I still wouldn't have heard of them. But instead of whining about it, they should be saying -- "Hey, cool -- you like the ad? Check out the original idea!"

A group that calls itself "The Postal Service" is accusing Apple of being a copy cat? The irony is absolutely palpable. I think the USPS ought to sue them for copyright infringement...

anyone who doesn't see the shot-for-shot similarities here is blind. and where do you people get off criticizing the postal service? if you're under 35 and haven't been living under a rock for the last 3 years, you'll certainly know who they are. they derived their name from the fact that the whole project is a collaboration between ben gibbard and dntel, and the parts were sent back and forth through the mail.

in fact, the USPS did have an issue with the name, but they ended up reaching an amicable agreement which led to cross-promotion of the band along with USPS services. see? large bureaucracies and indie bands *can* learn to coexist!

I see no problem here. Let us assume the worst: that someone at Apple saw this music video before making its ad (as opposed to merely Apple's ad company pitching the ad to Apple, without Apple recognizing the similaties between the ad and the music video, which is a much more likely senerio).

Apple instead of hiring anybody to emulate the ad, instead went to the people who created the music video and said, "could you do something for us we like the music video you did?" The music video people agreed, and produce the following ad. What is wrong with that?

The band did not create the video. The band probably did the same thing that Apple is accused of doing. They saw the work from the video people, and had them make the video. The video people have a right to make other videos using their style.

In all likley hood, Apple had very little to do with the creation of this video other then telling the ad company generally what they were trying to sell. The ad company then came up with the idea, not Apple. The ad company did the right thing by going to the actual people who created the ad. They should get credit, not criticism.

A music video IS an ad (or used to be).

Still, Apple has made this heretofore unknown band slightly less unknown, so they should be happy and flattered. (I had prevously heard the song, but had no idea who the band was.)

.....Is good publicity. Now I actually know who the "Postal Service" is. Before this little "snafu", they were about as obscure as the belly-button lint on my cat.