Apple’s emotional holiday ad follows the journey of a father living with hearing loss, as the brand continues to highlight its accessible technology for people with disabilities.
“Heartstrings,” created by Apple’s longstanding agency TBWA\Media Arts Lab, launches on Thursday (Nov. 28) ahead of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Dec. 3. It is Apple’s latest effort to advance disability representation in advertising.
The film is a story told in two parts. The first half reveals the perspective of a father with moderate hearing loss. Through muffled sound that reflects his condition, he watches his daughter open a new guitar on Christmas morning and recalls milestones of her childhood, from her first guitar to birthdays and first day of school.
The perspective shifts after he activates the Hearing Aid feature on his AirPods Pro 2. Now able to hear clearly, he is fully present for his daughter’s rendition of “Our House” by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.
The ad was directed by Henry-Alex Rubin. Sound design was by Academy Award winner Paul N. J. Ottosson, who focused on sound frequencies and volume to authentically capture the experience of moderate hearing loss.
In September, Apple received FDA clearance to sell its AirPods Pro 2 as over-the-counter hearing aids for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
The holiday campaign will run globally across broadcast, digital platforms, and social media.
A legacy of representation
Apple has previously pushed the needle on disability representation by using emotional storytelling to showcase its accessible tech.
Earlier this year, ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the brand called for equity and accessibility in sports with a film depicting Paralympic contenders competing in a relay race.
Its 2023 ad, directed by Taika Waititi, was a magical fable about speech accessibility.
