https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCbWyYr82BM
In this new Siri iPhone ad, they’ve brought in the big guns. Cookie Monster bakes with the voice assistant, making use of its timer, music and other functionalities while trying to kill time until his cookies are done. We’re a little surprised that it could actually make out Cookie Monster’s gruff voice (it’s not that good for some of us, particularly those of us with non-Western English accents), but it’s a cute, hungry, hands-free ad. As a chef, Cookie Monster is probably more relatable than your usual TV fare: There’s no into-the-oven and miraculously out again instabatch here. Cookie Monster is battling with time. And hunger.
Although Siri is available on all iPhones, the hands-free version with the voice-activated functionality advertised in the ad is only for iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. iPhone’s latest ads have focused on its 3D Touch and Live Photos, though it did previously have another hands-free ad with Jon Favreau.
Battle of the Ad Budgets
Apple’s rival Samsung has recently increased its R&D budget at around 7.4% to KRW 15.3 trillion, that is $13.8 billion, while the ad budget is getting cut by 9.4% (Though, as at 2013, its ad budget was an enormous $13 billion). In contrast, Apple’s ad budget is relatively tiny, at $1.2 billion as at September 2014. Curious!