Sony — "Please accept Sony's sincerest apology for making all car stereos obsolete."

A masterclass in confident framing: disruption packaged as etiquette.

What this ad is really doing

It turns a product launch into a public announcement of supremacy. The "apology" is a permission slip to upgrade, and a nudge to feel behind if you don’t.

Why it worked then

A new category needs certainty. This headline makes the choice feel inevitable: the future is here, and it has a logo.

Why it feels unhinged now

It’s blunt, hierarchical, and unconcerned with your feelings. Modern copy would try to sound like your friend.

Status: Alive (as a scan). Cause of death: confidence got replaced by “community guidelines.”