As is tradition, Apple has once again used Chinese New Year as brand narrative territory. The company has presented “Glad I Met You”, a new short film in its “Shot on iPhone” series, directed by filmmaker Bai Xue and designed by TBWAMedia Arts Lab Shanghai, with filming that was carried out entirely using the iPhone 17 Pro.
The piece tells the story of Lin Wei and Little White, a lost dog whom he accidentally crosses paths with during the New Year celebration. From that meeting, the short film unfolds a succession of everyday moments, as chaotic as they are tender, that end up becoming a story about company, care and belonging. The focus is on how an unexpected relationship can restore vital momentum to those who experience it.
One of the distinctive features of the short is its hybrid visual language, which combines real action with stop motion sequences. These animated pieces function as an internal dialogue between the characters and provide an additional emotional layer to the story. The animation has been produced by BUCK, with sets, puppets and props handcrafted to highlight the value of manual work, something that Apple has been doing lately as could be seen in its advertisement last Christmas.
From a technical point of view, the campaign once again serves as a demonstration of the cinematographic capabilities of the iPhone 17 Pro, although always subordinated to the story. The production uses the 48MP telephoto lens with 8x optical zoom, ultra-wide-angle camera, 4K slow motion, Cinematic mode and low-light recording to capture everything from crowded streets to intimate moments of connection.
According to director Bai Xue, one of the key moments of the short is the scene in which the dog runs towards Lin Wei: “Slow motion allows you to stretch time and amplify the emotion of the reunion”. The coordination team also highlights that the small size of the iPhone makes filming with animals easier, eliminating common distractions on traditional sets.
The campaign is expanded beyond the main short film, with digital and social content, including pieces behind the scenestutorials and collaborations with local creators. Among them, mascot creator Ke Ming, who participates both by voicing one of the animated characters and by documenting the production process using Dual Capture.
Beyond the technical deployment, “Glad I Met You” reinforces a strategic line that Apple has consolidated in China: using the New Year as a cultural moment to talk about universal values, relying on craft, cinema and emotion, and letting the product integrate naturally into the narrative.
