iPhone 5

The new iPhone 5 hit stores this past weekend, queueing up lines of consumers a week or so in advance of the new cell phone actually hitting stores. I have always been fascinated with the need to have the most up-to-date, top of the line gadget when most cell phone companies replace your phone for free every two years when you renew your contract with them. Most phones are designed to last the full two years with some minor and annoying problems coming up in the last year such as slowing down, less space for music and photos, etc. Furthermore, most people seem to exaggerate their need for a new phone claiming that their phone has an inordinate amount of problems that they simply NEED the newest technology. 

This obsession with new things can be traced back to other everyday possessions, such as cars and clothes, that symbolize one's social status and socioeconomic class. American society values being the best, even with something as trivial as a cell phone trend. Portraying oneself as wealthier than one really is and feeling accepted by one's peers is the point of owning the new iPhone before you truly need the new phone.

Apple knows that they have a great product that consumers want, so they use simple advertisements which display the features of the new phone that make it different from the last model. The first TV commercial demonstrates the bigger screen on the new iPhone. The second ad explains that the iPhone defies the "laws of physics" because it is thinner and more light-weight, but has a larger screen. The third TV commercial illustrates a new feature that allows you to take pictures that are bigger than the screen using a panoramic view, which no other phone can do. The final commercial talks about the new headphones that come with the new phone, which have been redesigned to fit better in people's ears. All of these ads are 30 seconds long, but their simplicity makes them very effective and cool.