Apple delivered some of its most memorable advertising campaigns in 2025, blending storytelling, humor and technical innovation. From emotional tributes to playful satire, the tech giant demonstrated why it remains a marketing powerhouse.
Here are the best Apple ads of 2025, which really helped define Cupertino’s creative year.
Best Apple ads of 2025
Apple’s best ads of 2025 didn’t just sell devices and promote services — they staked a claim for what modern marketing can do when it blends craft, culture and technical ambition. Across short films, stunts and product spots, Apple leaned hard into storytelling that made complex features feel human, turned services into spectacles, and reminded audiences why its advertising has long punched above its weight.
As a result, Apple earned significant recognition for its advertising prowess this year, winning multiple accolades at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The long-running “Shot on iPhone” campaign earned the Grand Prix for Creative Effectiveness after a decade of transforming everyday iPhone users into brand ambassadors. Apple was also named Creative Marketer of the Year at Cannes Lions, cementing its position as one of the world’s most innovative advertisers.
The recognition came at a time when Apple continued to push creative boundaries across multiple product lines and services with its best ads of 2025. From breezy promos to a meticulously handmade holiday short, this year’s work didn’t just promote Apple’s products — it helped define the company’s creative identity in an era when attention is scarce and authenticity is currency.
10. Big Man (Shot on iPhone short film)
Released in June, short film Big Man stars U.K. rapper Stormzy as Tenzman, a washed-up musician who hasn’t made music in eight years. When he encounters two bright, entrepreneurial children running a fake sponsorship scheme, the trio embarks on a road trip to Brighton that rekindles Tenzman’s creative spark. Directed by Academy Award nominee Aneil Karia and shot entirely on iPhone 16 Pro, the 20-minute film marks the first U.K.-produced entry in Apple’s cinematic Shot on iPhone series.
The production used the iPhone’s Cinematic mode, 4K 120fps slow motion and Apple ProRes Log to achieve theatrical quality. Produced in partnership with Stormzy’s #Merky Films and Somesuch, Big Man demonstrates how the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera system can capture emotionally complex narratives with cinematic depth. Director of photography Stuart Bentley noted that having “this amazing camera in your pocket” removes barriers for passionate filmmakers.
Watch: Big Man
9. Outrun (Apple Pay)
This 35-second thrill ride injects humor into a practical product demonstration. A woman fleeing from a massive monster stops at a remote gas station, only to realize she doesn’t have her wallet. Using Apple Pay on her iPhone, she completes the transaction instantly and escapes just in time. The ad’s tongue-in-cheek approach to showcasing Apple Pay’s convenience marks a return to the whimsical tone of classic Apple advertising.
While some questioned why Apple needs to advertise a service many consider ubiquitous, the Outrun spot effectively communicates that Apple Pay works when physical payment methods aren’t available. The commercial ran on TikTok and other social networks before arriving on YouTube in December, targeting younger audiences who might not have activated the feature. The tagline “Count on Apple Pay” reinforces reliability and speed in a memorable scenario.
Watch: Outrun
8. Severance Grand Central Terminal pop-up was one of Apple’s best ads of 2025
This one was a “promotional stunt” type of ad, and it worked wonderfully because it made headlines all over the place. On an otherwise ordinary Tuesday in January, thousands of commuters trudged through Grand Central Station in New York City as usual — but one element shocked everyone as incredibly unusual. Workstations from hit Apple TV workplace psycho-drama Severance greeted them, complete with stars from the show.
The day of Severance at NYC’s major rail hub stood out in a week of bizarre promos for the show, which also included an HR video.
None other than Severance director and executive producer Ben Stiller posted video of three of the show’s stars reporting for work in the clear cubicle inside Grand Central Station. Scott plays Mark S., who manages the data refiners. And two of the refiners — Britt Lower (as Helly R.) and Zach Cherry (Dylan G.) — also appeared, while John Turturro (Irving B.) was apparently out sick or something. Patricia Arquette (Harmony Cobel) and Tramell Tillman (Mr. Milchik) also made appearances.
7. I’m Not Remarkable (Accessibility)
This December ad showcases Apple’s accessibility features through the lens of college student experiences. The spot highlights how tools like Magnifier, VoiceOver, Braille Access, Sound Recognition and Live Captions create opportunities for students with disabilities. The title, I’m Not Remarkable, deliberately subverts expectations — the point being that accessibility features should simply enable everyone to participate fully without being remarkable.
The ad received praise for authentically representing how Apple’s technology supports diverse learning needs. Comments on social media celebrated Apple’s focus on real people and real applications rather than celebrity endorsements. The commercial continues Apple’s tradition of using advertising to champion inclusive design, demonstrating that accessibility isn’t a specialized feature but integral to the user experience.
Watch: I’m Not Remarkable
6. Hold That Train! (Apple Arcade)
Released in June, this playful 36-second spot features beloved characters — SpongeBob SquarePants, Sonic the Hedgehog, Pac-Man and Hello Kitty — rushing to board a departing train alongside human passengers. Once aboard, everyone settles in with their iPhones to enjoy Apple Arcade games.
The ad’s message is simple: “Take hundreds of games with you” anywhere you go.
The Hold That Train! commercial capitalizes on nostalgia by featuring instantly recognizable characters while highlighting Apple Arcade’s ad-free, in-app-purchase-free gaming model. Priced at $6.99 monthly, Apple Arcade offers access to more than 200 games across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV and Apple Vision Pro. While some viewers hope for more content aimed at older audiences, the ad effectively communicates the service’s family-friendly appeal and portability.
Watch: Hold That Train!
5. The Underdogs: BSOD (Blue Screen of Death)
Apple’s beloved Underdogs series returned with its most pointed competitive jab in years. In eight-minute short film The Underdogs: BSOD (Blue Screen of Death), the scrappy BetterBag team attends the ContainerCon trade show when a widespread PC outage strikes — an unmistakable reference to the July 2024 CrowdStrike incident.
While competing booths crash with the infamous Blue Screen of Death, the Mac-equipped Underdogs remain operational and win critical business.
Directed by Bertie Ellwood, the ad balances humor with a serious message about Mac security, explaining how macOS uses Apple’s Endpoint Security API without granting kernel-level access. While some critics found the timing opportunistic, the production values and relatable workplace scenarios resonated with many viewers. The ad reinforces Apple’s long-standing “Mac vs. PC” narrative while showcasing how the Underdogs series has evolved into a pop culture phenomenon.
Watch: The Underdogs: BSOD (Blue Screen of Death)
4. Someday by Spike Jonze (AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation)
Thanks to AirPods 4 with noise cancellation, actor Pedro Pascal beats heartbreak and the big city’s wintry deep freeze in the colorful new Spike Jonze short film Someday. Jonze’s second ad for Apple, evokes what an immersive listening experience can do, waking memories of better times — and stirring hope for better ones to come.
Someday follows Pascal (The Mandalorian, Narcos) as he mopes through life in the biggest city during an icy winter storm. But AirPods 4 help turn the whole thing into a colorful dance extravaganza.
The 5:36-minute film racked up tens of thousands of views in no time on Apple’s YouTube channel. It follows Jonze‘s (Being John Malkovich, Her) first ad for Apple, a multi-award-winning surreal short about HomePod entitled Welcome Home, which came out in 2018.
Watch: Someday by Spike Jonze
3. Peak Performance (iPhone 17 Pro)
This visually striking, minute-long commercial transforms a technical feature into surreal entertainment. The Peak Performance ad opens with a runner in an arid desert when storm clouds gather above him. A drop of water falls and evaporates on his forehead, granting him superhuman abilities. As a voiceover explains that “the Apple A19 Pro chip is vapor cooled,” the runner demonstrates multitasking prowess — playing an elongated piano while solving a Rubik’s Cube, breaking through walls, and navigating rooms of singers.
The ad cleverly visualizes the iPhone 17 Pro’s vapor chamber cooling system, which uses deionized water to move heat away from the chip and throughout the aluminum frame. Apple says this design enables 40% better sustained performance for demanding tasks. The commercial succeeds by making a complex thermal engineering achievement accessible and entertaining through imaginative storytelling.
Watch: Peak Performance
2. Great Ideas Start on Mac (Jane Goodall tribute)
One of Apple’s most emotionally resonant ads of 2025, this spot features the voice of Jane Goodall, recorded before the primatologist’s death in October. The minute-long film begins with a blinking cursor on a blank screen as Goodall’s narration poses profound questions: “Every story you love, every invention that moves you, every idea you wished was yours, all began as nothing. Just a flicker on a screen, asking a simple question: What do you see?”
Directed by Mike Mills with an original score by Emile Mosseri, the ad showcases diverse creators — including ocean engineer Bruce Strickrott, fashion designer Ruchika Sachdeva and activist Alice Wong — using Macs to bring their visions to life.
The campaign deliberately echoes Apple’s legendary Think Different campaign, in which Goodall also appeared. Apple’s VP of Marketing Communications Tor Myhren described it as celebrating “the hardest and most mysterious part of a great idea — its origin.”
Watch: Great Ideas Start on Mac
1. A Critter Carol: The No. 1 best Apple ad of 2025
Released just before Thanksgiving, charming holiday spot A Critter Carol epitomizes Apple’s commitment to practical visual effects and human creativity. Set in a snowy forest, woodland creatures — including a raccoon, bear, owl, deer and squirrel — discover a lost iPhone 17 Pro and use it to film themselves singing about the gift of friendship.
The owner later recovers his phone using the Find My app on his Apple Watch and discovers the heartwarming recording.
Directed by Mark Molloy, the ad deliberately eschews digital effects in favor of handcrafted puppets, with even the typography meticulously handprinted from wood blocks. Shot entirely on iPhone 17 Pro, the ad showcases advanced camera features like 8× zoom, Center Stage selfies and Dual Capture.
The production sends a subtle message about valuing human creativity over artificial intelligence, making it particularly resonant in today’s tech landscape. That’s why it tops our list of the best Apple ads of 2025.
Watch: A Critter Carol
David Snow, an expert on Apple hardware and software, writes on a variety of technological and cultural topics for Cult of Mac. They include Apple news, technology buying guides, and features about computer setups and Apple TV shows and movies.
With 30 years of experience covering technology and other subjects, he has written and edited for numerous print and online publications, including CMP Media, TechTV.com, CNET, Wired News, Red Herring magazine, Law.com, The National Law Journal and Law Technology News magazine. Among other roles, he served as executive editor of the Law.com network of websites and editorial director, technology, for ALM Media.
Snow graduated with a B.A. from Syracuse University with majors in magazine journalism and psychology. While there, he worked as a reporter for The Daily Orange newspaper and associate editor of Equal Time magazine.
Founder of the blog At the Waterline, he can be reached on X (formerly Twitter) via @atthewaterline and on Mastodon via @dsnow.
