I love, Love LOVE this article! Finally! Someone who has brought the correct perspective to the recent Apple commercials which debuted during the Olympics.

When I first saw them, I thought they were cute and, somewhat, hilarious.

And, the fact that they were focused on the important role of the Apple Genius located in all their stores was something that we have never seen before.

However, all across the tech blogosphere, these commercials were criticized and berated because they lacked the refined ingenuity of previous Apple commercials. Aren’t we all getting just a little bit pompous and condescending here?

These commercials were never aimed for the Apple fanboys or girls. Surrounded by multiple Apple products, they don’t need to be convinced about the merits of Apple.

No – these commercials were produced to augment sales and communication in the Apple retail sector, attracting potential customers – those who, perhaps, would feel intellectually intimidated by interacting with Apple employees. Regular people with regular problems interacting with Apple staff who are more than willing to assist you in understanding your Apple project or device.

Here is what Philip Michaels of Macworld.Com had to say:

Apple isn’t making these ads to get an approving nod from Forbes or a pat on the back from Ken Segall or even to make me feel good about myself as a Mac user. It’s trying to sell stuff. Specifically, it’s trying to sell stuff to people who feel flummoxed by computers, who think that sitting down in front of a computer screen and creating something worthwhile is as unimaginable as building a rocket ship. Other PC makers leave you high and dry, Apple is telling these folks, but we’ll still be there to help you out.

Whether that message resonates with its target audience, of course, is a different question, and one we’ll see the answer to over the next few quarters. But Apple certainly has enough muscle to put some oomph behind its marketing message. The company ended its last quarter with 373 retail outlets that brought the company $4.1 billion in revenue. Around 83 million people walked into an Apple Store last quarter, and while they were there, they bought 791,000 Macs—nearly half of which were bought by consumers who had never owned a Mac before. At a time when the rest of the PC market saw contracting sales, Apple enjoyed a little bit of growth last quarter. Clearly, its retail arm helped out some in that regard, and Apple is banking that it can drive even more sales with those blue-shirted helpers.

The secret to Apple’s ongoing success and strong visibility lies within these remarkable Apple Retail Stores. It is a playground for people of all ages and, more important, all levels of technological ability. The stores via their Apple employees foster growth, appreciation and passion for technology, and in particular, Apple technology.

Steve Jobs had a vision for Apple – to create a Disney-like experience where consumers would return to time and time again. And what better place to experience the Apple magic than your nearest Apple Store.

His child-like wonder was what sustained him and allowed him to visualize a world that none of us could foresee. It is also this kind of special mind-set that catapulted Walt Disney World to success.

I actually think that we will see an Apple Store at Disneyland and Disneyworld someday soon. With Apple’s strong connection to Disney, it is a no-brainer.

When this happens, then the sky is indeed the limit for Apple. They will have a captive audience at the greatest family vacation center in the world.

Did you enjoy the recently aired Apple commercials? Please share your thoughts in the comments section.