Honestly, I don't have much respect for "Lifestyle" advertising. Just because you can use pictures of Einstein, Ghandi, Earhart, and Russel on the screen before your logo, doesn't mean you know shit about making a product.
It feels deceitful, and the fact that it works so well disturbs me.
For Apple, 'Think Different' is not about marketing or PR speak. It's their way of life. They actually believe in it. Their products, iPod/iPhone/iPad, is a living proof of their philosophy. Apple with their products have literally reinvented the category. iPhone and iPad both have completed redefined smartphone and table category respectively.
The beauty is that their 'Think Different' Ad is also very different from the usual ads you see.
In the ad, they are not selling you a product. They are telling you what they believe. It would only be deceitful if what they told you they believed didn't match up with their actions.
Many companies make promises that don't match up with their realities and in America, we're all a lot more skeptical of "marketing speak" for this very reason. However, when what you promise is congruent with what you deliver, it's a magical thing.
It feels deceitful, and the fact that it works so well disturbs me.