Apple Sends You 'Fuzzy Feelings' for the Holidays

Apple consistently does a great job of combining the physical and digital worlds with marketing that uses strong storytelling and music to drive product demos.

Recent examples include numerous “Shot on iPhone” spots and the ever-popular “Underdogs” series about office drones.

Workplace themes also drive the tech giant’s new holiday film, “Fuzzy Feelings,” with a young woman’s boss behaving like Scrooge. The clip combines live-action and stop-motion to weave a sweet tale of creativity bringing folks together—with an assist from Apple products, of course.

We haven’t had any real tear-jerkers among 2023’s yuletide campaigns. For some viewers, this one will qualify.

The four-minute ad feels especially well-served by “Isn’t It a Pity,” a yearning George Harrison track from 1970.

“Isn’t it a pity,
Now, isn’t it a shame,
How we break each other’s hearts
And cause each other pain.
How we take each other’s love,
Without thinking anymore,
Forgetting to give back—
Isn’t it a pity.”

The song’s obscurity works in its favor. It feels fresh, with a simple yet powerful message. The late Beatle was all about kinship, peace and equality. He was always genuine, and his appearance here lends the ad considerable cred. (We imagine George would have liked “Fuzzy Feelings,” and surely enjoyed the band’s recent renaissance across the pop charts and branding.)

As for the film, it’s emotional but not saccharine, deftly skating along the edge of sentimentality. And the appearance of the iPhone 15 Pro Max and MacBook Air don’t feel shoehorned.

Amazon’s seasonal spot similarly shows the human side of technology (with a little help from a Fab Four classic).

We can imagine the events of either campaign taking place in real life—more or less—with the tech on display playing a key role.

CREDITS

Agency: TBWAMedia Arts Lab
Director: Lucia Aniello 
DP: James Laxton
Production Company: Hungry Man
Animation Director: Anna Mantzaris
Animation Production Company: Passion Pictures