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Jul 21, 2023

What makes this ad great: Apple’s The Greatest

Dayna Lang
Author Dayna Lang

Apple is known for having eye-catching, ground-breaking ads and The Greatest is their most impactful yet.

From their Mac vs. PC ads to their iPod silhouettes, Apple’s ads are entertaining, fun, and impactful. This ad, which they have dubbed The Greatest, has a different sort of impact.

 

Apple comes through with another impactful ad

Instead of simply being fun, informative, or colorful, this ad boldly communicates the importance of accessibility and communicates brand value through emotionally charged visuals, powerful stories, and strong representation. 

The Greatest opens with a new morning, setting the scene using the brand’s very own Siri and building a story around the daily lives of those with disabilities and how they use their Apple products in their everyday life.

Each person uses their iPhone and Mac computers differently – each with different hobbies, professions, interests, and abilities.

This also gives the brand the opportunity to highlight their products’ accessibility features – how a phone can be more than a phone, but also a tool to help improve people’s quality of life.

 

Representation matters

The representation in this ad makes a bold statement, communicating brand values, effectively targeting demographics, and communicating product features in a way that no other company is currently doing.

By casting this ad with disabled people, this ad does more than go outside of the box, it makes a statement. 

 

Brand values

This ad doesn’t just communicate the utility of its products, it communicates the brand’s core company values. By choosing to tell this story, the company positions itself as a leader and as an inclusive brand that not only welcomes all, but embraces them.

Brand values are an important part of modern marketing strategies, particularly when speaking to younger, Gen Z, audiences and with this ad, the company does a great job of promoting a purpose while keeping their product front of mind. 

 

Impactful storytelling 

This ad does a wonderful job building an interesting and impactful narrative.

Opening with a woman getting up and asking Siri to set the scene, the ad builds a day in the life narrative that cleverly shows how Apple products can help people with disabilities live their greatest lives. 

Additionally, framing the story as a positive, upbeat narrative makes an important statement.

So often stories of disabled people are treated as sad, inspirational, or melancholic, but this ad goes in a different direction, showing that people with disabilities are just people living their everyday lives. People with goals, hobbies, homes, and of course, iPhones.

 

Strong visuals and bold audio

The visual and audio experience of this ad supports its narrative while grabbing audience attention and catching their ears. In the same way a jingle becomes an ear worm, the audio of this ad is catchy and easy has audiences singing along, well after the ad has left their screens.

In addition to the upbeat music, the cinematography of this ad does a wonderful job of supporting the narrative, building a sense of everyday joy at which one can’t help but smile.

With The Greatest, Apple makes a bold statement, and it makes it well. With strong representation, upbeat, catchy music, and impactful storytelling, this ad stands out from the crowd and remains memorable long after it has left the screen.

The company communicates its values alongside its value in order to bring awareness to their brand, sell to those in the consideration stage of the funnel, and even convert those who may have been on the fence. 

 

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