Err, if you want to advertise effectively to X market you generally try to make it appealing to X people?

Have some compassion.

Let me take something of your prize possession and crush it for an iPad. Not all can afford one and such items brings them entertainment.

For some advert to advertise, "your a schmuck for having these, buy an ipad" is just out of order.

Who would take this ad literally? As in "go toss the piano in trash and buy an iPad Pro"?

I'm sure many. Many who are gullible to adverts as if folk weren't there wouldn't be advertising.

It's not that they will go and do so. But more the symbolism of "you don't need any of these ever again because you can do it on this!"

While okay; sure but again those who can't afford an iPad, were instruments are of an important value to see them destroyed is heart breaking.

It’s more like “your cool thing is uncool, but our soulless machine”.

Fairly certain a lot more western “technologist” types are looking up to them.

You missed the point. Apple want to make money in Japan.

I'm honestly shocked. This is not okay, specially when the parent post is not even praising that country in any exaggerated way, just stating a fact.

There are no acceptable targets when it comes to culture.

I agree that the comments on Japanese culture were unwarranted, off-topic, unnecessary, offensive… and while I know very little about Japan, I feel I should ignore random internet opinions on it.

But can you elaborate on your second paragraph? Should culture always be immune to criticism?

I always understood the whole point of political correctness was to not spew hateful words about anyone and that should be the standard.

Criticism is one thing, but the poster felt the need to "educate" all of us about how an entire country's opinion is invalid because "it's not an utopia". Nobody brought that up, and disregarding an entire culture's opinion of an advertisement campaign because weebs have unrealistic expectations, in a discussion with a valid and informative point about said culture, is tastelessly petty. And why belittle liberal arts majors anyway?

Let's call it what it is: racism and intolerance of other cultures.

I feel like this ad is also a litmus test for empathy: if someone can't spot the inferred symbolism or understand why people have a problem with it...they are very impaired in that regard.

I guess I wasn’t sure what you meant by “target”. I agree with you on all counts, except that I’m not sure I interpret the comment as “hateful”. Wrong and offensive, yes.

I think they didn’t really understand the criticism of the ad, and decided that the reason people were so opposed was out of some irrational reverence for the Japanese, themselves irrational due to some spiritual heritage.