To achieve dreams you have to believe in yourself, but it also helps for others to do so. Apple’s Christmas ad, titled “The Dreamer,” is a moving statement about the importance of having the backing and support of the environment to achieve goals, a metaphor for what the company promises with its tools, services and devices to users.
The ad, a nearly four-minute short film created with creative agency TBWAMedia Arts Lab, follows the footsteps of a boy whose talent and inner world come to life through art. However, as he grows up and enters adulthood, he puts aside his creativity due to obligations or social pressures. But his parents continue to see the artist within him and the love and trust they place in their son helps him rediscover his talent, also thanks to one of the brand’s computers.
At a strategic level, the piece celebrates the power of imagination and pays tribute to those who promote and encourage it, linking Apple to those same attributes and positioning the company as a promoter of creativity. At the same time, it explores what it means to give someone something more than a simple object: in the ad the MacBook Neo is more than a tool, it is the means for the protagonist to become the artist they want to be.
The spot, which takes place to the rhythm of the song “Give Me a Dream”, by Strawberry Guy, has been directed by Melina Matsoukas, with photography by Bradford Young and the works and creations of the artist Hebru Brantley. Their personal stories and experiences as young creatives inspired the story Apple tells in its Christmas ad.
Along with the announcement, the company has shared the piece “Creating the Art”, which shows behind-the-scenes material and the making of the piece. It also shows the work done by Brantley in creating all the illustrations that appear in the spot, from the children’s drawings to the animated character created by the protagonist, all through a MacBook Neo, alternating between analog and digital techniques during the process.
With the campaign, Apple conveys a conviction that it claims is part of its DNA, that we all have the potential to create something extraordinary, we just need the right tools to unleash creativity. In the era of artificial intelligence, Apple is committed to craftsmanship and traditional creation to express its commitment to the creative community and transmit a message of inspiration that encourages people to pursue their passions.
