Five years into its journey, Apple TV+ has delivered critically acclaimed shows, snagged Emmy awards, and even produced a cultural phenomenon in Ted Lasso. Yet, despite its deep pockets and tech giant pedigree, the streaming platform has struggled to carve out a dominant space in the crowded world of entertainment. For one frustrated producer, the reason is crystal clear: Apple’s marketing for its TV content is, in his words, “the worst in the universe.”

In a recent interview with Variety, Alex Berger, the producer behind Apple TV+’s French-language drama La Maison, didn’t mince words about his experience with the streamer. Berger, whose show has garnered praise in France and parts of Europe, expressed exasperation over Apple’s apparent indifference to promoting it. “Marketing makes a show,” he told Variety’s Rafa Sales Ross. “Apple, for example, is probably the worst marketer in the universe — the best for iPhones, the worst for television. They don’t do marketing, and it was an issue for us with La Maison.”

La Maison, a sleek drama set in the cutthroat world of Parisian haute couture, had all the ingredients for international success: a talented cast, a glamorous backdrop, and a compelling storyline. In France, it resonated strongly with audiences, and it found a foothold in other European markets. But globally? It barely made a ripple. Berger places the blame squarely on Apple’s failure to promote the show. “They never promoted it,” he said. “It drove me crazy.”

So why did Berger, fully aware of Apple’s marketing shortcomings, choose to partner with them in the first place? His answer is disarmingly honest: “Hope. We had hope.” He saw an opportunity to break new ground with Apple TV+, a platform that had yet to produce a major series in France or much of Europe. Shows like Slow Horses, a British spy thriller, had started to gain traction, but they were still tethered to Anglo-American audiences. Berger believed La Maison could be a turning point, a chance to showcase Apple’s ambition on a global stage. Instead, he found himself battling what he describes as a self-inflicted wound: Apple’s refusal to invest in marketing its own content.

The Apple TV+ paradox

Apple’s struggles with marketing its streaming service are not a new revelation. Since its launch in November 2019, Apple TV+ has operated in a peculiar limbo. On one hand, it’s backed by one of the world’s most valuable companies, with a brand synonymous with sleek design and cultural cachet. On the other, it’s competing in a ruthless streaming landscape dominated by Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video, and Disney+, all of which have mastered the art of capturing eyeballs.

Apple’s marketing prowess for its hardware — think iPhones, MacBooks, and AirPods — is legendary. Its product launches are global events, meticulously orchestrated to generate buzz and demand. Yet, when it comes to Apple TV+, the same company seems oddly reticent. Critics and industry insiders have long noted that Apple’s promotional efforts for its shows feel like an afterthought. Billboards and social media campaigns exist, but they lack the relentless, omnipresent energy of, say, Netflix’s push for Stranger Things or Disney+’s Star Wars spinoffs.

Why does Apple struggle?

So what’s holding Apple back? One theory is that the company’s corporate culture, so finely tuned for hardware and software innovation, doesn’t translate seamlessly to the chaotic, creative world of entertainment. Marketing an iPhone is about showcasing tangible features — a better camera, a faster chip. Marketing a TV show, by contrast, is about selling an emotional experience, a story that resonates. Apple’s minimalist, brand-first approach may work for sleek gadgets, but it can leave viewers unaware of the stories waiting to be discovered on its platform.

Another factor could be Apple’s global strategy. Unlike Netflix, which aggressively localizes its content and marketing for different regions, Apple TV+ has taken a more uniform approach. Shows like La Maison or Pachinko, a critically acclaimed drama set in Korea and Japan, are tailor-made for specific cultural audiences, yet Apple’s promotional efforts often feel generic and U.S.-centric. Berger’s frustration with La Maison echoes this: a show that could have been a breakout hit in Europe was left to fend for itself.

There’s also the question of priorities. Apple TV+ is a small cog in the company’s trillion-dollar machine. For Apple, the streaming service is less about profit and more about enhancing the ecosystem — a value-add for iPhone and Mac users. This might explain why the company seems content to let its shows simmer in relative obscurity, relying on word-of-mouth and critical praise rather than splashy campaigns. But for creators like Berger, who pour years of their lives into these projects, that approach feels like a betrayal.

The cost of invisibility

Berger’s critique isn’t just about his own show; it’s a broader lament for the potential of Apple TV+’s slate. “These are shows that nobody will see most of the time, which is a pity,” he told Variety. And he’s not wrong. Apple TV+ boasts a catalog of high-quality, ambitious series — from the dystopian thriller Silo to the alternate-history epic For All Mankind — but many of them remain under-the-radar. Even Ted Lasso, the platform’s biggest success, owed much of its popularity to organic buzz on social media rather than a coordinated marketing blitz.

The stakes are high. In an era where streaming platforms live or die by their ability to capture and retain subscribers, Apple’s laissez-faire attitude risks alienating both audiences and creators. For every Ted Lasso that breaks through, there are dozens of La Maisons that don’t. And in a competitive market, obscurity is a death sentence.

A glimmer of hope?

Despite its struggles, there are signs that Apple TV+ is starting to find its footing. In 2024, the platform saw renewed interest thanks to buzz around returning seasons of Severance and Silo, as well as high-profile projects like Masters of the Air, a World War II drama produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks. Apple has also begun experimenting with more aggressive marketing, including partnerships with major sports leagues to stream live events like Major League Soccer and Major League Baseball games. These moves suggest that the company is waking up to the need for a louder megaphone.

For creators like Berger, though, the question is whether Apple can translate its marketing genius from hardware to storytelling. “I was hoping I would change them,” he said of his decision to work with Apple. That hope may have been misplaced, but it’s not too late for Apple to prove him wrong. If the company can harness even a fraction of its iPhone marketing magic for its TV shows, it might finally give its stories — and its creators — the audience they deserve.

Until then, producers like Berger will keep making great shows. And viewers, if they’re lucky, might just stumble across them.