Apple has launched a surprising marketing campaign on TikTok to promote the new MacBook Neo. Instead of traditional advertisements, the company released a series of unusual short videos that rely on humor, color themes, and curiosity to grab attention.
This strategy marks a rare shift in Apple’s advertising style. The company typically uses polished visuals and direct product messaging. However, its TikTok approach embraces playful and sometimes confusing content that blends naturally with the platform’s culture.
The goal is simple. Apple wants to reach younger audiences who spend much of their time on social media.
A Campaign Designed for TikTok Culture
Modern social media moves fast. Users scroll quickly and ignore content that feels like traditional advertising. Because of this behavior, brands must create content that looks authentic and entertaining.
Apple recognized this challenge and chose a different path. Instead of forcing popular internet slang or outdated memes into its marketing, the company used a technique known as absurdist hinting. This style relies on strange or playful imagery that sparks curiosity without explaining everything immediately.
The campaign began shortly after Apple introduced the MacBook Neo. Apple wiped earlier posts from its TikTok account and uploaded a fresh set of vertical videos. Initially, three clips showed typical product promotion, including feature highlights and an unboxing filmed at Apple Park.
However, the following videos took a very different approach.
Colors Become the Real Message
Nine of the TikTok clips focus on the MacBook Neo’s color options rather than the laptop itself. Each group of videos subtly references a specific color theme.
For example, the “Citrus” set includes scenes featuring limes and lemons. One clip even shows a playful FaceTime call between the two fruits. Another set, called “Blush,” uses makeup imagery and sunrise tones to represent the pink color option.
The “Indigo” videos become even stranger. They include retro Macintosh footage, binary text captions, and scenes featuring indigo-colored clothing and dye-stained hands. These artistic visuals hint at the laptop’s color without directly showing the product.
The silver model has not yet received its own themed videos, but similar content could appear later.
“If You Know, You Know” Marketing
At first glance, many viewers may not understand the purpose of these clips. Some comments even question whether Apple’s account was hacked. Yet that confusion is part of the strategy.
The videos encourage viewers to pause their scrolling and search for meaning. Curious users eventually discover that the colors relate to the MacBook Neo lineup.
This subtle approach reflects a popular internet idea often summarized as “IYKYK” — If You Know, You Know. By creating intriguing content rather than direct ads, Apple increases engagement and keeps people talking about its new laptop.
In the crowded world of social media marketing, the company’s strange but creative strategy may prove surprisingly effective.
