Apple’s moving holiday ad follows father’s journey with hearing loss

AppleThe moving 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 longtime agency TBWA\Media Arts Lab, launches Thursday, Nov. 28 ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Dec. 3. This 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 a dull sound that reflects his condition, he watches his daughter open a new guitar on Christmas morning and remembers childhood milestones, from her first guitar to birthdays and the first day of school.

Perspective changes after he turns on the hearing aid feature on his AirPods Pro 2. Now able to hear clearly, he’s fully present for his daughter’s rendition of Crosby, Stills, Nash’s “Our House” & Young.

The advertisement was produced by Henry-Alex Rubin. Sound design was by Academy Award winner Paul NJ Ottosson, who focused on sound frequencies and volume to authentically capture the experience of moderate hearing loss.

In September, Apple received clearance from the FDA to sell its AirPods Pro 2 as over-the-counter hearing aids for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.

The holiday campaign will be delivered globally across broadcast, digital and social media platforms.

A legacy of representation

Apple has already pushed the needle on disability representation by using emotional storytelling to showcase its accessible technology.

Earlier this year, ahead of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, the brand called for fairness and accessibility in sport with a film showing Paralympic contenders competing in a relay race.

Its 2023 ad, directed by Taika Waititi, was a magic fable about speech accessibility.

And its 2022 advertisement, “The biggest”, was acclaimed for featuring an inclusive, disabled cast showcasing their talents.