Apple | Misunderstood | 2015
Was He Observing, or Just Left Out? / Apple "Misunderstood"
I'm seriously obsessed with this one. I can still vividly remember what I felt the first time I watched it. It shows a shy teenage boy who isn't exactly disliked by his family but definitely isn't the center of attention either, acting in his usual unimpressive way. The mood turns slightly sour, with a vibe of "come on, it's Christmas, put the phone down and spend time with the family" — and then the whole thing flips completely around. I love how skillfully it plays with your emotions.
The problem
At the time, Apple was facing cultural criticism suggesting that the spread of the iPhone was pulling families apart. A teenager is brought to a family Christmas gathering, and while everyone else bakes cookies and goes sledding, he just keeps staring at his iPhone. On the surface, he looks distracted, distant from the family enjoying their snowy Christmas together — a perfect picture of the criticism that "technology makes people antisocial."
The insight
This ad taps into the cultural tension around people's technology use, leading the audience to judge the teen's behavior — which sets up the chance for a dramatic reversal. Emotionally, it brings up people's favorite holiday memories and that phase every teenager goes through, while making a statement about what role technology can actually play in our lives. It leans on the preconception that "technology isolates people," only to flip it on its head. The structure is just perfect.
The idea
What's revealed later is that the teen had been using his iPhone to film his family throughout the holiday, making a movie that captured all the love and warmth they share. When he plays it for them, his mother, father, and relatives are deeply moved. He had shot and edited this heartwarming family montage using his iPhone and iMovie. There's no spec sheet, no fanfare, no worship of the device — just a simple story about a family's Christmas. The iPhone and AirPlay stay in the background, supporting the characters who use them, and that's exactly what makes this ad stand out. The song is by Cat Power, which is also wonderful.
What happened
On August 18 (8/18), 2014, this ad won the Emmy Award for Most Outstanding Commercial of the Year. The award went to TBWA\Media Arts Lab and the production company Park Picures, beating out competitors like General Electric, Budweiser, and Nike. It later won a Primetime Emmy as well, and also took home a Silver Pencil at The One Show. Within two days of release, it had been viewed about 2.8 million times on YouTube, touching a great many people's hearts.
Afterthought
This is a so-called "misdirection" structure, but it never feels cheap. That's because it's built around the audience realizing they, too, had misunderstood the situation. The ad trusts the audience to misread what's happening, and then lets them correct that interpretation themselves. The emotional reaction isn't about surprise — it comes from recognition. A lot of viewers realized they'd made the exact same judgment as the family in the ad. It's a structure that makes you suddenly catch yourself thinking "technology is ruining people" — and yet it never feels preachy. It's the best. I couldn't stop crying the first time I saw it, honestly. A masterpiece that hasn't faded one bit, even after all these years.
