Apple released its 2025 holiday ad: 'A Critter Carol'

Apple today unveiled its annual holiday advertising campaign titled "A Critter Carol." Along with it, a behind-the-scenes video was released, showcasing the process of creating this advertising story.

In the short film, set in a snowy forest world, a group of woodland creatures — raccoons, bears, owls, deer, and squirrels — use a lost iPhone 17 Pro to film their own performances, singing about friendship. The device's owner finds it using the "Find My" app on Apple Watch and discovers a touching recording of the creatures. In a world of artificial intelligence, this advertisement emphasizes the importance of practical effects and craftsmanship.

All the puppets featured in the short film are handmade toys, including raccoons, bears, owls, deer, and squirrels. According to Apple, the film was shot entirely on the iPhone 17 Pro, although it was noted that additional equipment and software were used to achieve the desired results. The behind-the-scenes video shows how the creators made this advertisement and manually printed the typography using wooden blocks.

The company claims that the short film was directed by renowned Australian filmmaker Mark Molloy. The main idea of the campaign is to highlight the irreplaceable role of human creativity. The advertisement showcases the enhanced capabilities of the iPhone 17 Pro camera, including 8x zoom, selfies with Center Stage, and simultaneous shooting with both front and rear cameras.

Molloy stated, "I was impressed by the power of the iPhone 17 Pro, as it allowed me to tell this story in a truly captivating way." The release of the advertisement coincided with Thanksgiving in the USA, emphasizing the festive spirit and the company's unique approach to content creation.