Key Takeaways
- Apple's 2026 holiday ad follows a man's artistic journey from infancy to adulthood.
- Celebrated artist Hebru Brantley created all artwork in the film.
- This marks Apple's first holiday campaign under new CEO John Ternus, who replaced Tim Cook in September.
Believing in someone can make all the difference.
That’s the message of Apple’s 2026 holiday campaign, which launches today (Nov. 12). The 4-minute short film, “The Dreamer,” was created in partnership with TBWA\Media Arts Lab and directed by Melina Matsoukas.
“The Dreamer” tells the story of one man’s relationship with art, from infancy to young adulthood. Like other Apple short films—such as “Someday” and “Welcome Home,” both directed by Spike Jonze—“The Dreamer” forgoes dialogue to rely on visual storytelling. The film’s cinematic images were shot by cinematographer Bradford Young.
The film opens with an infant lying beneath a colorful mobile with dangling shapes.
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