Apple withdraws controversial ad, offers an apology

The Apple company has offered an apology for the recent release of the fifth instalment of its “Underdogs” series of promotional films, which sparked outrage in Thailand. They have also agreed to stop disseminating it.

In its statement, Apple said that the shooting of the fifth instalment of the “Underdogs” series in Thailand, in cooperation with a Thai company, was intended to reflect Thai culture in a positive way.

The ad was not, however, seen as appropriately or adequately reflecting the contemporary Thai way of life, said Apple, as it offered an apology.

Earlier, Apple had suspended the comments section on its YouTube page for the ad. As of July 28, it had attracted 5.1 million views, approximately ten days after its release.

The ten-minute featurette, described as a comedy thriller, featured four company employees racing around Thailand to meet their clients’ demands for design and quantity.

One team member, located in the US, followed along using Apple Vision Pro, while the others faced a series of mini-adventures showcasing 31 features from Apple devices.

The film’s scenes were given a sepia tint in post-production, seemingly to depict Thailand as it was 30-50 years ago.

Many Thais questioned the motive behind this choice, arguing that it made Thailand look like an underdeveloped country.