News has been circulating since Monday that Apple is looking to sever their relationship with TBWA\Media Arts Lab, the agency that has been partnered with Apple for three decades now. The New York Post has reported that Apple, who have moved much of their creative marketing in-house, might soon be leaving TBWA\Media Arts Lab for a new agency, with many saying the company are looking towards Jimmy Iovine, the famous record producer and co-founder of the Beats electronic audio company, to help inject a little extra sparkle into the brand's marketing strategies.

The New York Post has reported that Apple, who have moved much of their creative marketing in-house, might soon be leaving TBWA\Media Arts Lab for a new agency

Apple bought the fashionable Beats brand earlier this year for a shade over $3 billion, and an unnamed executive believes that “Apple bought Beats for a lot of reasons” besides the brand's streaming service, headphones and speakers, chief amongst which being that they think the company are “Marketing geniuses.” Indeed, the brand recently outmanoeuvred Sony, the official sponsor of this year's World Cup with its “Game Before the Game” campaign, which showed top players in the tournament using Beats headphones and proved so effective that Sony had to start banning Beats headphones from Brazilian football stadiums.

Apple's Eddy Cue and Tim Cook with Beats' Dr Dre and Jimmy Iovine

It's no secret within the industry that Apple are displeased with TBWA's recent efforts, so the news doesn't come as much of a surprise. Apple's Phil Schiller is currently in charge of all Apple's in-house marketing, having taken over after Steve Jobs passed away in 2011. Schiller has been frustrated with the performance of TBWA's Apple ads for some time now, as evidenced by a series of emails between Schiller and Apple CEO Tim Cook from early 2013 that were recently revealed to the public. Emails that suggested Apple were not pleased at how Samsung appeared to be outdoing them in the creative marketing stakes.

Apple's Phil Schiller is currently in charge of all Apple's in-house marketing, having taken over after Steve Jobs passed away in 2011

Apple created their own internal team in response to these issues, but the response to the ads created by this new team haven't been much better, in fact, they have actually been faring even more poorly than the TBWA ads. Apple has plans to hire 1000 employees for its in-house team, which will more than likely replace all outside agencies eventually. For now, though, the company still needs outside help, and it would appear Iovine is current the most liable candidate. If nothing else, he's certainly the face that fits.

Official Beats Website

Official TBWA\Media Arts Lab Website

Official Apple Website

Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK who is a resolute Apple user, but is not a fan of the Beats equipment. If you're a fan of tooth-rattling bass, however, then look no further.