Apple Christmas ads have become an annual creative event — a moment where the brand steps away from product-centric messaging and instead offers a heartfelt, cinematic story rooted in emotion, creativity, and human connection. Each year, Apple’s holiday film becomes one of the most shared ads online, often setting a high benchmark for the entire advertising industry.
Ready to Elevate your Marketing Strategy?
For 2025, Apple released one of its most charming campaigns yet:
“A Critter Carol | Shot on iPhone 17 Pro.”
This handcrafted, puppet-driven story follows a group of woodland critters who discover a hiker’s lost iPhone 17 Pro and decide to create a music video as a gift of friendship. The result is whimsical, emotional, humorous, and visually stunning — all while showcasing Apple’s camera capabilities without ever mentioning specs directly.
In this deep-dive analysis, we explore:
-
The full narrative and emotional beats of “A Critter Carol”
-
Apple’s signature storytelling style
-
Craft choices such as puppetry and sound design
-
The larger history of Apple’s holiday adverts
-
How Apple’s strategy differs from typical retail campaigns like Morrisons Christmas Adverts
-
Why Apple’s messaging resonates even beyond Christmas
-
How the ad aligns with broader seasonal trends, including New Year beauty ads, New Year toy ads, and New Year electronic ads
A Quick Look at the 2025 Apple Christmas Ads
A handcrafted film about woodland creatures who discover a lost iPhone 17 Pro and record a musical gift celebrating friendship.
The ad is whimsical and nostalgic but deeply modern — a perfect representation of Apple’s ability to fuse craft, humour, and emotional storytelling.
Full Story Breakdown of Apple Christmas Ads: “A Critter Carol”
The advert begins not with holiday music, but with footsteps crunching on a forest floor. A hiker accidentally drops their iPhone 17 Pro, unaware that it will soon become the centrepiece of a woodland masterpiece.
Scene 1: The Discovery
Birds chirp. Leaves rustle. A raccoon scurries toward the glowing phone.
One critter places the phone on a log. The screen flashes:
[CAMERA RECORD]
This is the moment Apple subtly showcases how intuitive and accessible the iPhone camera interface is — even for woodland animals.
Scene 2: The Critters Begin Their Musical “Carol”
Inspired by “Friends” (Flight of the Conchords), the critters form an impromptu choir:
♪ Bum… bum bum ♪
♪ Friends sing together ♪
Suddenly, a rabbit snaps:
“Shut up!”
The comedic timing is perfect — a gentle reminder that friendship can be chaotic and imperfect.
Scene 3: The Song Turns Emotional (and Chaotic)
As the animals sing about:
-
doing things together
-
eating trash together
-
helping each other during danger
…a wolf abruptly eats a rat.
The other critters gasp.
“Hey that’s not the vibe. This is very triggering. Drop the rat.”
This line blends dark comedy with Pixar-like charm — a distinctive Apple signature.
Scene 4: The Song Continues — Dancing, Bonding, and Absurdity
More comedic-but-sweet lyrics follow:
♪ Pop and lock together ♪
♪ Everyone together ♪
A critter makes robotic noises — a subtle nod to Apple’s tech world in a natural setting.
Scene 5: Humans Are Coming!
A “Find My” alert plays:
[FIND MY ALERT]
The squirrel gasps:
“They’re coming! Humans!”
The animals scatter in panic, dropping the phone just in time for the hikers to return.
Scene 6: The Final Touch
As the music returns softly, a critter whispers:
“Hope they like it.”
This final moment is sweet, simple, and emotional.
Apple ends the ad without voiceover or product copy — letting the story itself do the talking.
Creative Execution of Apple Christmas Ads: Why “A Critter Carol” Works
Apple is known for masterful storytelling, but this ad stands out for several reasons:
1. Handcrafted Puppetry
Unlike typical digital animation, Apple uses meticulously handmade puppets that evoke:
-
nostalgia
-
tactile charm
-
a sense of warmth
This mirrors Christmas craft traditions, like DIY decorations and handmade gifts.
2. Shot on iPhone 17 Pro
The ad quietly showcases:
-
low-light performance
-
macro details
-
stabilization
-
depth-of-field capabilities
-
colour accuracy
Without saying a word, Apple demonstrates what the phone can do in a cinematic environment.
This is similar to how creative brands structure New Year electronic ads, which highlight capability through storytelling, not sales copy.
3. Music That Feels Like Friendship
The Flight of the Conchords-inspired track brings playful humour while reinforcing the theme:
Friendship is a gift.
4. Emotional Storytelling Over Product Messaging
Apple rarely pushes deals or discounts.
Instead, it pushes feelings.
This sets Apple apart from typical retail campaigns such as:
-
Morrisons Christmas Adverts, which often revolve around food and family
-
New Year beauty ads, which focus on transformations
-
New Year toy ads, which emphasize imagination and play
Apple’s message is timeless and universal:
Connection matters more than anything else.
Themes & Symbolism in Apple Christmas Ads: “A Critter Carol”
Friendship
The critters’ desire to give a meaningful gift sets the emotional tone.
Creativity
Using the iPhone to create their “music video” mirrors Apple’s brand pillar: creativity for everyone.
Imperfection
The wolf’s mishap… the rabbit’s irritation… the chaotic singing — all centre the idea that relationships are messy but magical.
Gift-giving
The phone becomes a medium for heartfelt expression rather than a product.
The Evolution of Apple Christmas Ads
Apple has produced over a decade of iconic holiday campaigns. Several recurring traits include:
- humanity at the centre
- emotional storytelling
- subtle product integration
- carefully curated music
- universal themes
A simplified timeline example:
| Year | Title | Theme | Creative Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | “Misunderstood” | Family + Connection | Teen surprises family with video |
| 2018 | “Share Your Gifts” | Creativity | Animated short film |
| 2020 | “The Whole Working-From-Home Thing” | Humor + Realism | Family chaos |
| 2023 | “Fuzzy Feelings” | Stop-motion craft | Handmade emotional story |
| 2025 | “A Critter Carol” | Friendship | Puppetry + woodland setting |
Unlike retail festive campaigns, Apple leans into meaningful storytelling over seasonal commerce.
How Apple Christmas Ads Approach Differs From Traditional Christmas Retail Campaigns
Compared to supermarket Christmas campaigns:
Morrisons Christmas Adverts
Focus on food, family gatherings, and heartwarming traditions.
Apple focuses on friendship and creativity.
Asda, Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury’s adverts
Often use humour, fantasy characters, or family chaos.
Apple uses emotional minimalism and artisan craft.
Apple’s Christmas ads are closer in spirit to:
-
short films
-
indie animated pieces
-
emotionally driven micro-stories
…than traditional commercials.
How Apple Christmas Ads Messaging Connects to New Year Campaign Trends
The emotional and creative tone of Apple’s Christmas ads often extends into broader New Year advertising patterns.
New Year beauty ads
These focus on inner transformation and self-expression — themes aligned with Apple’s creativity messaging.
New Year toy ads
Encourage imagination, play, and togetherness — much like the critters’ joyful creativity.
New Year electronic ads
Highlight innovation and everyday usefulness — much like how Apple demonstrates iPhone capability through storytelling.
Apple’s ad becomes a bridge between emotional storytelling and the digital tools that enable creativity moving into the new year.
FAQs — Apple Christmas Ads
What is Apple’s 2025 Christmas advert about?
It tells the story of forest critters who find a lost iPhone and use it to film a musical gift celebrating friendship.
How was the ad filmed?
The entire short film was shot on the iPhone 17 Pro using handcrafted puppets.
What song is used in the advert?
A version inspired by “Friends” by Flight of the Conchords.
What message is Apple trying to share?
That friendship — and creativity — are meaningful gifts.
How do Apple’s Christmas ads compare to supermarket Christmas adverts?
They are more cinematic, emotional, and craft-focused compared to the food and family-centric tone of Morrisons Christmas Adverts or the humorous approach seen in UK retailers.
Conclusion
Apple’s “A Critter Carol” is a masterclass in emotional storytelling.
It is funny, charming, beautifully crafted, and subtly brilliant in how it showcases the iPhone 17 Pro’s capabilities.
Through handmade puppets, heartfelt music, and an emphasis on friendship, Apple once again proves that Christmas advertising does not need spectacle or product focus — it needs emotion, humanity, and creativity.
By standing apart from typical seasonal styles — from New Year beauty ads to New Year toy ads and New Year electronic ads, as well as brand-specific traditions like Morrisons Christmas Adverts — Apple reinforces a simple truth:
The most meaningful gifts are the ones made with heart.
