Black Friday: Fake Apple ad excites and disappoints fanboys
Filed under: Technology, Black Friday, Cyber Monday
Popular and boisterous tech blog Boy Genius Report this week ran what one of their contacts claimed to be Apple's Black Friday ad. The ad claimed that Apple would be going against tradition and offering huge cuts across the Apple lineup.Just how big were the claimed discounts? The ad claims that Apple will offer up to 30% off of all iPods, up to 25% off of all Macs and up to 15% off of accessories, software and other Mac hardware. Needless to say, these would be big, and I mean BIG, discounts for Apple to pull out on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If they were true, that is.
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The bad news for anyone hoping to stuff an Apple in their stocking is that Apple's Black Friday ad is as fake as that $30 iPod touch you saw at a flea market this summer.
A phone request for comment from Apple was not answered.
If the compelling evidence put forth by TUAW, which includes a look at the discounts on Apple products of years past and the fact that Apples are already popular at their premium prices doesn't convince you that this is a fake ad, then perhaps Boy Genius Report user MacDuke's link to the fan made background, that is the base image of the fake ad, will clear things up for you.
Even though this Apple is rotten, the actual deals on Apple products are already leaking out at several other stores. Best Buy is rumored to be offering the new Macbook for $999 and a $150 gift card on Black Friday and several stores such as MacMall have already offered discounts of up to $200 off of the Macbook Pro notebooks as part of pre-Black Friday promotions.
Fakes are one of the unfortunate issues surrounding Black Friday ads. So many consumers want to see the Black Friday ads that there is an incredible amount of pressure to come up with leaked ads first. This leads to pranksters with too much time on their hands creating fake ads in Photoshop and tricking many consumers into expecting discounts that will never appear.
This is one of the biggest reasons that more retailers should take ownership of their Black Friday ads like Meijer and Staples have. Even though this ad has nothing to do with Apple, you can bet on Black Friday some poor Apple retail staffer will have to explain to an irate customer that the printout of the Boy Genius Reports page isn't a real ad. Then again, that's probably better than doing the newly required dance at Microsoft retail stores.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-18-2009 @ 7:18PM
Pete said...
I myself want NOTHING Apple makes. I had an Apple McIntosh computer, what a piece of junk. To me, the i-anything stands for IDIOT
Reply
11-18-2009 @ 9:20PM
Gaetan Roy said...
Your generalization on Macs based on one case of old may indicate that indeed you may not be suit for today's Macs??
11-19-2009 @ 9:02AM
PC and iPhone user said...
No, it stands for Idiot-proof, which means that even an idiot can use one. I don't know what that says about those who feel they can't.
11-18-2009 @ 7:57PM
teltech543 said...
Anyone that falls for these "leaked" sales deserves what they get.
Reply
11-18-2009 @ 7:19PM
David S. said...
Ah, too bad. I guess the greedy vultures can't stomp all over each other trying to get one on "Black Friday." Oh, well, there will be plenty of other opportunities to do so on other items.
Reply
11-18-2009 @ 8:18PM
gsd said...
Take ownership of their ads? Why so greedy consumers can get away with paying nothing and poor shop clerks making minimum get to be run over when the door opens?
Screw this early black friday crap.
Reply
11-18-2009 @ 9:19PM
agcbsckab said...
I don't go out on black Friday. I just like to be out there in the hustle bustle. I've never witnessed anything unruly or unusual while out there. I do pick up a few small items. I like going to the mall super early that day. There is breakfast, coffe, and nice people just walking around. Can't wait!
Reply
11-19-2009 @ 12:20AM
2009 Black Friday Ads said...
People always feel excitement and glad about black Friday. Because on that day people got big discount and sale on your various things. Also now a days people are facing recession problem so sale and discount are really important for everybody. Black Friday Ads provide great discount on various things during this 2009 black Friday. I have also one nice suggestion about black Friday shopping. Black Friday Ads 2009 provide really great discount and sale on various things on black Friday shopping.
Reply
11-19-2009 @ 9:02AM
JPuzzleWhiz said...
Enough with the "ista" words already. Didn't we go too far with putting "gate" at the end of the name every scandal? ENOUGH! If it doesn't stop HERE AND NOW, I'll be forced to coerce Congress to pass a law making it a crime PUNISHABLE BY DEATH WITHOUT A TRIAL to use such words.
That said, I wonder how long it will be before those ubiquitous phony ads start appearing on this message board, advertising phony dating services, fake financial advice, etc.? Just wondering.
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11-19-2009 @ 9:02AM
le le said...
i never leave the house that day well one year that i had to work i was almost killed in a car accident by a little old lady driving like a demon
Reply
11-19-2009 @ 9:02AM
Mary said...
First of all, I think the stores themselves are "leaking" the ads and this is all bs. Second of all, the writer "Josh Smith" sounds like a fake name and is probably someone in someone's marketing department. Third, this stupid Black Thursday and Black Friday garbage is going to be responsible for another poor sales clerk to get trampled to death this year again for a pc notebook.
Reply
11-19-2009 @ 9:02AM
sara said...
"Yes, Mary, There is a Josh Smith" LOL He is a real, live, helpful, giving and kind human being. He manages a college database (sorry - not he's not employed in marketing - tho he'd be a natural)
As far as the Black Friday garbage - I tend to agree. Due to the hype and the crazies that will be out next week - I'll be putting up my Christmas tree, safe and sound at home. The sales be damned.
Reply
11-19-2009 @ 9:45AM
lucas said...
I was Josh Smith's RA in college, he's definitely real :) he's one of those guys that always knows the best place to buy something and he often has good food in his office... maybe "mary" is a fake commenter just trying to detract readers from josh's blog for some jealousy reasons? (totally JK but i had to stick up for my boy! )
11-19-2009 @ 9:45AM
*pixie* said...
Mary, I'm going to just confirm what Sara said. Josh Smith is very real and is a genuine guy. To be a troll and question the validity of this article is just ridiculous.
As far as the Black Friday madness goes? I agree that it has gotten so out of hand lately and people need to just relax and remember their fellow man as they try to snatch up those deals like a pack of wild dogs come the wee hours of the morning next week. I'm just going to stay home. Maybe I'll do all my shopping online this year. Etsy anyone?
Reply
11-19-2009 @ 10:21AM
AlanBarber said...
I'm with many people on this. I'm staying away from black friday, saturday and sunday!
I'll start my shopping after the wack job nuts get their consumer lust out of the way.
Actually I think i'll end up buying most of my gifts online. Easier and less effort on my part.
Nothing like shopping in your underwear! :) LOL
Reply
11-19-2009 @ 2:11PM
tom said...
If the ad is fake, Apple should just issue a press release saying so. To me it seems that Apple is enjoying the "drama" surrounding this Black Friday ad. The truth is, they risk losing lots of new clients who believe the ad to be correct. These are Moms and Dads who will go into the stores looking for a bargain for their kids, and will come out greatly disappointed for wasting an hour.
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