#7 Humor Meets Legacy: Apple’s Bold Play for Trust
The "wackier, the better.
Hello everyone!
Welcome back to Insights by Hybrid Rituals. Hope you are enjoying the early Spring.
This week, we explore Apple’s shift toward humor, AI’s growing role in business and music, and brands using real-world activations to stand out. Apple’s iPhone 16e ad embraces absurdity, Rivian and Bloom Nutrition leverage third spaces for engagement, and GoDaddy Airo + SUNO AI show how AI is moving from mystery to mainstream. Across the board, brands taking risks with playfulness, immersion, and clear positioning are winning.
Apple’s latest ad for the iPhone 16e features a Wacky Waving Inflatable Arm Flailing Tube Man—yes, like the ones you see outside car dealerships, and yes, straight out of that Family Guy gag. It’s absurd, goofy, and oddly out of character for Apple’s typically polished, aspirational branding.
Is Apple trying to be quirky and fun? Are they leaning into absurdity as a strategy? Maybe. But either way, they’re making a choice—and that’s more than we can say for brands afraid to loosen up.
But here’s the bigger question: Why is Apple doing this now?
For a company that defined tech advertising for decades—from 1984 to Think Different to the iPod silhouette ads—this feels like a departure. Apple, once synonymous with sleek mystique, is shifting toward humor, relatability, and object-driven storytelling.
Is this a strategic move or a sign of uncertainty? And more importantly—what does it say about where consumer tech branding is headed next?
Humor is Here to Stay: Drop the Fantasy of Being "Cool & Mysterious”
No brand stays effortlessly cool forever. For years, Apple’s brand positioning was clear: polished, aspirational, untouchable. But the cultural tide has shifted, and in today’s economic and political climate, aspiration is harder to sell than relatability.
Apple’s latest wave of ads suggests they’re acknowledging that shift—ditching the perfectly curated “cool people using Apple products” aesthetic in favor of something more casual, weird, and broad-reaching.
Playfulness creates emotional stickiness—something many consumer tech brands struggle to achieve. By embracing the absurd, Apple is signaling that they’re willing to loosen up—and that might be a smart bet.
As competitors push into AI-driven futurism, hyperrealistic renders, and luxury aesthetics, Apple is zagging—making their tech feel less precious, more fun. They’re memorable, shareable, and disarming in a way that slick branding isn’t.
Brands obsessed with being “cool” for an in-crowd will lose out to those who embrace a wider audience and aren’t afraid to have fun.
Apple’s Mass Appeal Leaves Gaps—Other Brands Can Own Specificity
Apple isn’t just marketing a phone—they’re marketing an ecosystem that needs to work for everyone. Their advertising needs to resonate across multiple generations, industries, and geographies, which means their messaging has to go broad, not deep.
For other brands, this is an opportunity. Where Apple broadens, competitors can narrow in. Niche brand positioning, sharper messaging, and targeted aesthetics can cut through Apple’s everything-to-everyone approach.
If you’re building consumer tech, don’t try to out-Apple, Apple. Lean into what makes you different. Compete with specificity —own your niche, your aesthetic, and your community.
Apple Is in Experiment Mode—You Should Be Too
Apple’s recent marketing isn’t just about iPhones—it’s also about Apple Intelligence, chips, wearables, and keeping users locked into their ecosystem. If there’s one thing this shift makes clear, it’s that Apple is testing. They’re throwing ideas at the wall, testing what resonates, and playing offense before the competition forces them to.
Even the biggest brands don’t have all the answers right away—so what makes you think waiting longer will help?
Don’t assume the playbook is written. The brands that test and iterate will figure out what works. The ones that wait will just be following trends.
Stop Running Out the Clock—Make a Move
Apple can afford to throw things at the wall because they own the wall. Most brands don’t have that luxury. If Apple is testing fast and making weird choices, what does that mean for smaller brands?
This should be a wake-up call for every brand in the space: if even Apple is experimenting, what are you waiting for?
It means there’s no time to sit back. The consumer tech space is shifting fast, and the brands that are too cautious, too perfectionist, or too slow to act will miss their moment.
Consumer tech is shifting fast. Sitting back and waiting for the “perfect” moment is how brands fall behind. Take risks, move quickly, and don’t be afraid to play.
Apple’s latest ad might feel random, but it signals a deeper trend: tech marketing is evolving.
The brands that embrace humor, double down on their identity, and aren’t afraid to make big swings are the ones that will stay ahead.
Because at the end of the day, the future of consumer tech branding isn’t about perfection—it’s about participation.
Bloom Nutrition's Pop-Up Strategy Blends IRL Engagement with Mascot-Driven Marketing
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Bloom Nutrition is making a splash with Bloom Pop, its new sparkling energy drink, through high-energy pop-up events in Austin and Los Angeles. The Bloom Energy Bar activations have drawn in crowds with free samples, exclusive merch, custom keychain stations, and live DJs, turning product promotion into an immersive experience. But the real standout? Bloom’s playful new mascot, a personified version of its energy drink can, taking a page from Duolingo’s viral mascot marketing playbook. This character has been central to Bloom’s TikTok and Instagram strategy, driving engagement and amplifying excitement around the product.
This campaign taps into two key trends we’ve been tracking—interactive brand experiences as a way to build deeper connections with consumers and mascot-driven marketing as a tool for social virality. By blending IRL engagement with a personality-driven digital presence, Bloom Nutrition is carving out space in a competitive market where differentiation is key. Link
Takeaways:
Interactive Pop-Up Experiences: Hosting in-person activations builds direct consumer engagement, creating memorable brand touchpoints beyond traditional advertising.
Mascot-Driven Marketing: Playful brand mascots make products more relatable, extend campaign reach across social, and drive organic engagement.
GoDaddy’s “Act Like You Know” Campaign Uses Humor to Sell AI-Powered Entrepreneurship
GoDaddy’s “Act Like You Know” campaign has been rolling out a series of lighthearted ads featuring Walton Goggins, using humor to highlight how GoDaddy Airo simplifies launching and running a business. The campaign, which kicked off during the Super Bowl, has continued with a range of scenarios where Goggins confidently takes on different professions—only to rely on GoDaddy Airo’s AI tools to make it all look effortless. From selling custom eyewear to crafting slick social media posts, each ad positions AI not as a futuristic mystery, but as a straightforward, practical tool for small business owners.
Takeaways:
Humor is a powerful differentiator. In an AI landscape often filled with sleek, futuristic branding, GoDaddy takes a more relatable and playful approach to show how AI fits into real-world entrepreneurship.
AI should feel effortless, not intimidating. By presenting GoDaddy Airo as a tool that makes business ownership look easy, the campaign reinforces a growing trend—AI tools should simplify and empower, not overwhelm.
Timbaland Joins SUNO AI: A Major Co-Sign for AI-Driven Music
SUNO AI just secured one of the biggest industry co-signs yet, bringing Timbaland on board as a strategic advisor. After months of actively using the platform, the legendary producer is now shaping its product development and creative strategy, positioning AI as an accessible tool for both established and emerging artists. To kick off the partnership, Timbaland is previewing his latest single, “Love Again,” exclusively on SUNO and launching a remix contest with over $100,000 in prizes—offering winners a chance to release their tracks on major streaming platforms.
As AI-generated music moves further into the mainstream, celebrity endorsements like this could become a key strategy for legitimizing and normalizing AI in creative industries. Will we see more high-profile artists and creators aligning with AI-powered tools? And as AI-generated music continues to evolve, how will it reshape artist workflows and creative ownership?
"Driven by Rivian": SXSW 2025 Sponsorship Puts EV Brand in Front of Creatives & Brands.
Rivian has taken center stage as the headline sponsor of SXSW 2025, transforming its Austin space into the Electric Roadhouse—a vibrant venue featuring live music, guest speakers, and daily events. This strategic move allows Rivian to showcase its electric vehicles to a captive audience, differentiating itself amid the media buzz surrounding competitors like Elon Musk's Cybertruck.
By embedding itself within SXSW—a festival renowned for its fusion of creativity and technology—Rivian effectively reaches a target demographic of creatives who value innovation and sustainability. This approach underscores the efficacy of sponsoring third spaces and events to foster direct engagement and resonate with audiences beyond traditional product marketing. Link
Takeaways:
Leveraging Third Spaces for Brand Differentiation: Sponsoring immersive events like SXSW enables brands to capture attention and create unique experiences, setting them apart in competitive markets.
Aligning with Creative Communities: By engaging with festivals that intersect creativity and technology, brands like Rivian can connect with audiences who prioritize innovation, aligning product values with consumer interests.
It took everything in our power not to binge watch old Apple Ads this week (or Family Guy Clips for that matter) but it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t. Enjoy.
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