Best Buy Removes Ad Depicting iPad In Bad Light
April 5, 2011
Best Buy has quietly pulled an ad depicting the iPad in a negative light, according to news first reported by AndroidSPIN. The Asus International promotion advertised its upcoming Eee Pad Transformer tablet by sitting it next to a duct-taped iPad.
The ad was shown on the Best Buy website for less than 24 hours, and depicts an iPad lookalike taped to a keyboard with light lettering that reads “Like That.” Next to it is a Transformer, with the “Only Better.” tag line in strong typeface.
The ad itself certainly puts the iPad in a bad light, but the story it tells is probably worse for the Transformer.
The Android-based Eee Pad uses a dockable keyboard. This functionality alone appears the reason the ad was created, since Apple does not provide a dockable keyboard for its iPad 2.
Is this an advantage, the Eee Pad looking like a laptop? After all, if the message is to get a laptop and not a tablet, would anyone buy a tablet in the first place? Probably not.
Minnesota-based Best Buy was probably wise to pull the ad. After all, Apple is one of its biggest clients. And it was the first non-Apple retailer to sell the original iPad in 2010.
We've love to know: Did Best Buy pull the ad on its own or did someone from Apple call them first?
What do you think? Leave your comments below.