There is a large segment of the market that isn't tech savvy. Computers scare them, they know they're not very good with machines, and they know they'll need help. Now imagine this consumer presented with two potential options; 1) A laptop with paid phone support. 2) A laptop with face to face human support.
Apple is attempting to communicate the human support they offer with their products.
These ads look bad to you and I because they're not marketed to you and I. We don't need a 'Genius', we don't need to be condescended, we know how a Macbook works. We will make purchase decisions completely outside of what these new ads communicate. There will be and are other marketing techniques used to appeal to our market.