Apple's new holiday ad is a wonderland of puppets and practical effects

"In Apple's new holiday ad, " A Critter Carol," a group of woodland puppets frolic in a wintery forest to a wildlife-themed parody of the Flight of the Conchords's song . Every element, from the puppets to the set and even the ad's typography, was rendered using practical effects. The ad was directed by TBWA\Media Arts Lab (MAL)-a bespoke global agency that partners only with Apple-and shot on an iPhone 17 Pro. It appears to be building on a larger marketing theme for Apple."

"This kind of work stands out in a marketing landscape that's become saturated with CGI and AI-generated content. Coca-Cola, for example, has now released not one but two AI-generated holiday ads, both of which have been met with considerable backlash. As consumers are inundated with AI slop across their social media feeds, it's becoming less and less common to encounter an ad that makes anyone stop and think, Huh-I wonder how they made that?"

"For MAL, creating "A Critter Carol" was a tactile process from beginning to end. It started with conceptualizing the cast of raccoons, foxes, birds, bears, moles, rats, and others who populate the ad's fantastical forest. Every animal on camera was designed and built by a dedicated team of artists. Each puppet needed to be both expressive enough for emotional close-ups and durable enough for manipulation by multiple puppeteers behind the scenes. That meant an intense focus on every possible detail."

Apple's A Critter Carol features woodland puppets performing a wildlife-themed parody, with every element rendered using practical effects and filmed on an iPhone 17 Pro by TBWA\Media Arts Lab. The campaign builds on previous tactile identity work for Apple TV using real glass props and colorful lighting. The ad contrasts with a marketing landscape saturated by CGI and AI-generated content, where AI holiday ads have provoked backlash. MAL's production prioritized handcrafted puppet design, durable mechanisms, expressive features, and teamwork among puppeteers. The approach emphasizes visible evidence of creative craft as a new marker of marketing quality.

Read at Fast Company