Apple turned off by iGasm advertisements

After LoveHoney, electronics behemoth Apple Inc now has a challenge from another adult retailer, Ann Summers.

Apple had earlier dealt with the sex toy encroachment on its iPod advertising campaign by UK-based LoveHoney’s iBuzz vibrator, it is now Ann Summers who has brought out an adult product and an accompanying commercial campaign that appear to borrow heavily from the influence carved by Apple’s hugely popular iPod and iTunes brand. It may be noted that following a cease and desist order, LoveHoney Ltd subsequently altered its advertising design. But will Ann Summers do it?

Ann Summers has released an iPod-compatible vibrating sex aid, the iGasm, which employs an advertising campaign that closely resembles the dancing silhouette commercials used successfully by Apple’s iconic iPod. In the iGasm commercial, one image shows a white trailing lead from the iGasm clearly disappearing beneath the invisible underwear line of a provocatively silhouetted female, while another lead runs to a pair of head phones. This is so similar to the iPod commercial.

The sex toy, a small egg-shaped device that plugs into the iPod’s headphone connector and provides vibration at different strengths as dictated by the music playing through the host iPod, urges users to load up their iPods go at it hard and fast with a pounding drum and bass track or chill with an ambient classic.

According to a report on the product, the iGasm costs around $60 and comes complete with two silicone ticklers along with a handy connection splitter that allows the user to enjoy actually listening to the iPod’s music while it also provides the necessary vibration dictation to other areas of the body.

Meanwhile, it has also been suggested that Apple should offer Ann Summers a deal as any association with iGasm would be positive for the electronics giant.

With the iGasm commercials catching, Apple is not happy. It considers the iGasm move as a blatant ad-based cash-in on the success of the iPod. Apple’s legal representatives have issued a cease and desist order to Ann Summers, instructing the retailer to remove all iGasm advertisements and posters from its high street stores and also its official web site. However, Jacqueline Gold, CEO of Ann Summers, is sticking fast to both the iGasm product and its contentious ad campaign. She even said that she might send Apple an iGasm of its own in order to “put a smile back on their faces!”