Today Apple released a batch of four new 30-second commercials for Apple Watch. They're very close to the launch ads we saw back in April; two of them — Berlin and Beijing — carry over the same music. These latest commercials yet again illustrate that Apple Watch is harder to advertise than any iPhone or iPad. Apple's marketing machine is still struggling to hit the perfect message that will make the company's smartwatch seem just as essential in your life, and maybe that's why we're getting multiple adverts at a time.
The best of these new ones is probably Goals, which focuses on the Apple Watch's fitness features. Anyone who has worn one can relate to the last shot, which shows someone putting in that last extra bit of exercise to close out the activity ring before midnight. The other ads focus on exploration, travel, and parenthood, each highlighting Apple Watch features like digital touch, third-party apps, and making calls from your wrist.
But many people may see these and simply say, "Yeah, but my phone already does that." And they wouldn't be wrong. Making a compelling case for why the Watch offers something different and something more is Apple's main challenge. Selling people on a smartwatch — even the best one out today — in 30 seconds is extraordinarily difficult.