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Apple airs three new Apple Watch ads: ‘Rise’, ‘Up’ and ‘Us’

In coordination with the Watch’s worldwide release, Apple has ramped its marketing campaign further with three new ads that are airing starting today. The ads titled ‘Rise’, ‘Up’ and ‘Us’ focus on everyday activities being enhanced by the Watch. Unlike some of Apple’s product-focused marketing, this is more in the style of iPad commercials.

The ‘Rise’ ad focuses on morning activities, such as using the Watch to wake you up or answer text messages in the breakfast queue. ‘Up’ is focused on the Workout and Activity apps, highlighting the ‘Stand’ notifications and related fitness features. ‘Us’ focuses on communication highlighting Digital Touch sketch, tap and heartbeat sharing features as well as the controversial animated emoji.

All three videos are embedded after the break …

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8GtyB3cees

Up

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qQcFvamzdno

Rise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4TbOiaEHpM

Us

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Comments

  1. philboogie - 9 years ago

    “Rise”, “Up” and “Us”? A word comes to mind:

    Apple usurped the throne of smartwatches.

  2. thoughtsonthingsblog - 9 years ago

    Remote controlled people.

    • Lee Palisoc - 9 years ago

      In these ads, yeah. But in real life, if you have friends, you can’t be controlled by technology. Have some friends or if you have some, hangout with them so you’ll know.

  3. Joel Forsyth - 9 years ago

    If you say “Rise” “Up” “Lights” in an American accent, it sounds like you’re saying “Razor Blades” in an Australian accent.

  4. Terry Ambrose - 9 years ago

    Yayy! Finally a view of people wearing the watch on their right hand! Something a lefty like me has been waiting for.

  5. I really like these ads because they’re emotional. They tell a number of stories that we’ve all experienced at some point in our lives. That connection makes the watch far less alien and more realistic. People (myself included) have been asking what the watch is good for, what use cases Apple has imagined, and these ads show them plainly. And what’s more, they show, instead of technology driving us apart, how a new piece of technology can bring us back together, help us communicate in ways we’ve forgotten and ways we never knew existed. Mark my words, it’s these types of ads that will make the Apple Watch a hit.

  6. iphone6splus - 9 years ago

    The ads that just showed the product on a white background may have been the key to iPhone’s success. These ads make me want the watch less.

    • RP - 9 years ago

      Yeah, I’m getting one but these ads are truly bad. Produced In-house? My guess is yes.

  7. incredibilistic - 9 years ago

    Simply beautiful.

    This reminded me a lot of Pixar shorts where you understand exactly what’s happening without (well, mostly without) any dialog.

    Just makes the wait that much tougher but glad to see Apple hasn’t lost its touch in making compelling and emotionally engaging commercials. I think these ads will play well once they’re aired.

    No doubt they’re working on another heart tugging Christmas ad now.

  8. Mark Sutton - 9 years ago

    Aren’t these Peter Gabriel albums?

  9. Greg Kaplan (@kaplag) - 9 years ago

    I liked all of them but the last one was a little too mushy for my taste. I thought all of the use cases were believable but I think something about the romance shots immediately juxtaposed with product shots broke my suspension of disbelief.

    aside from that the acting and cinematography was great and they told small stories of how a variety of people, both male and female, could use them in different situations.

    Compare this to… any ad from any other smartwatch. All of the ones I’ve seen are pretty bad. Like the samsung ones where you could only imagine a rich and powerful man could have a smartwatch or like many OEM wear commercials that only care about showing off their hardware and tying to look like traditional watches. The moto 360 commercials are funny, but many of them make smart watches seem more annoying than useful.

    I just don’t get the rest of the electronics industry. They still haven’t caught on to how to sell products to people. As a tech geek, I’m glad Apple exists. Even if you don’t think the Apple watch is “revolutionary” what will be is if Apple manages to convince people this tech is worth adopting.

  10. RP - 9 years ago

    “Up” is bad as anything Samsung ever aired. Truly terrible. Are they selling Abilfy? I was expecting it to finish with “may cause drowsiness, discontinue if you have suicidal thoughts or depression worsens.
    Expect this one to be universally derided and mocked.

  11. prukel - 9 years ago

    “…Expect this one to be universally derided and mocked….” Wow! Maybe it’s a bit more ‘Amìlie’ than ‘Downton Abbey’ but some foolish humans like to reminisce about love…won and lost. Keeping somebody or a memory alive in the moment. Makes my day..some days. But this post is exactly the reaction my old maid aunt had her entire life, and was proud of it. Admittedly when she called me ‘girl goofy’ she also grinned. I think all three spots speak to a contemporary audience, or a sizable portion of it..

  12. jimgramze - 9 years ago

    I liked in the third video where the person is sent an arrow, causing the person to look over at his friend. That was really creative.

  13. This is what I call an ad!

  14. I’ll probably be lambasted for this observation, but anyone else find it curious that the “Us” ad didn’t feature any homosexual couples?

    • Ari - 9 years ago

      I was thinking the same thing. After all Tim Cook has done in favor of homosexuals, I was waiting for a gay couple to show up in the ad.

    • Rebecca Jones Imre - 9 years ago

      How do you know they didn’t? Several of the scenes were ambiguous as to the gender of the other person.

  15. bmwca - 9 years ago

    These are wonderful, beautiful, inspiring and totally captivating ads all featuring beautiful young people. I am 75 years old and I just got my Apple watch yesterday. I am convinced it will change my world and I think you should also have some ads for seniors who truly should embrace this exciting new way to connect. I’m not put off by the ads being populated with only the young and beautiful but it would be nice to see that another demographic, mine, might also be shown to enjoying all that this new technology will offer us.
    Thanks.

  16. Rob Hall - 9 years ago

    Good ads…I’m curious as to the instrumental piece played over them…it sounds like a remix of something very familiar, that I know but can’t place.

  17. trich1228 - 9 years ago

    I was wondering what the song was as well can’t seem to find the answer anywhere. Reminds me of the iPhone music everyday commercial that song was amazing

  18. wendynorrismyers - 9 years ago

    What song is featured in Rise?

  19. Linda Noyola - 9 years ago

    I am a proud Android user, but as others have said I love the Rise/Us commercial music It is familiar but I cannot find any info on it.

  20. Holly Heeren - 9 years ago

    Whose music is featured in the ads? It’s beautiful.

  21. Kimberly Whittaker Shire - 9 years ago

    I think the music from Rise is a new arrangement of Gungor’s “Beautiful Things” any other guesses?

Author

Avatar for Benjamin Mayo Benjamin Mayo

Benjamin develops iOS apps professionally and covers Apple news and rumors for 9to5Mac. Listen to Benjamin, every week, on the Happy Hour podcast. Check out his personal blog. Message Benjamin over email or Twitter.