Apple's Christmas wish? For everyone to dream a little bigger

Apple is celebrating the power of imagination and the importance of believing in someone's creative potential in its latest Christmas campaign, The dreamer.

Directed by Melina Matsoukas, with cinematography by Bradford Young and artwork by Hebru Brantley, the holiday film follows a young boy whose imagination comes to life through his drawings. However, as he grows older, he gradually puts his artistic ambitions aside.

Despite this, his parents continue to recognise his creative potential, eventually gifting him his first MacBook Neo to encourage him to rediscover his passion for art.

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Set to Give me a Dream by Strawberry Guy, the film sees the young man reconnect with his creativity as he begins storyboarding a new character, illustrated by Brantley. The MacBook Neo serves as both a creative tool and a reminder of his parents' belief in his abilities.

The campaign explores the idea that the most meaningful gifts go beyond material possessions, highlighting how encouragement and support can help individuals pursue their creative ambitions.

The story also draws on the personal experiences of Matsoukas, Young and Brantley, who reflected on their journeys as young creatives and the people who supported their artistic development.

Brantley created every piece of artwork featured in the film, from the boy's childhood sketches to the animated character that represents his rediscovered imagination. The illustrations trace the protagonist's artistic growth, with Brantley developing the final character using MacBook Neo while combining traditional and digital techniques.

Apple has also released a behind-the-scenes film titled "Creating the art" on its @helloapple social media account, offering viewers a closer look at Brantley's creative process, from early sketches to bringing the artwork to life on set.

In the film, Brantley reflects on his mother's influence on his artistic journey, crediting her for recognising his creative potential before he did. Her encouragement helped him discover the possibilities of artistic expression and shaped his approach to creativity.

Through the campaign, Apple reinforces its longstanding positioning around creativity and self-expression, highlighting how technology can help individuals turn their imagination into something tangible.

Speaking about the campaign, Matsoukas said she wanted to create work that could inspire audiences and encourage them to pursue their passions.

"My goal with work is to create pieces that move people and create change in the world. I saw the opportunity to do that with this project and was fortunate to work with a brand that had the courage to do so," she said.

"In this moment in the world, to deliver a message that inspires people to follow their passions, to protect our artists, and to look at the world as a canvas of possibilities, is something I’m very proud to have been a part of."

Meanwhile, Brantley said the film resonated with his own experiences growing up and the encouragement he received from his mother.

"Our experiences shape what we create. My mother saw the artist in me before I could see it in myself, and her belief gave me the confidence to explore that – which I’ll continue to honor. That’s why this story is special to me," he said.

"The right tools can help us unlock our creativity. For the young artist in the film, the MacBook Neo is also a reminder that his parents see the potential in him, and an invitation to reconnect with it."

The Christmas campaign follows Apple's Deepavali campaign last week, which saw the technology giant team up with contemporary Indian fashion brand Raw Mango for "Step into the light", a cinematic film celebrating the festival through dance, fashion and the interplay between darkness and light. Shot entirely on the iPhone 18 Pro, the film was directed by Raw Mango founder Sanjay Garg and set against the backdrop of Tijara Fort, a restored 19th-century royal palace in Rajasthan, India.

The film brought together Apple's mobile filmmaking capabilities and Raw Mango's approach to Indian textiles and cultural storytelling. Set to a folk interpretation of Anu Malik's 1990s song Roop suhana lagta hai ('This form looks beautiful'), it featured performances by Big Dance Centre, blending traditional and contemporary choreography to depict the transition from darkness into light.

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