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It’s a relatable moment: a family member offers unsolicited relationship advice during a holiday gathering that exposes a generational rift. Apple’s eighth annual Chinese New Year campaign underscores the universality of that experience, while arguing that leaving yourself open to love can be magical.
Director Michael Gracey, known for the 2017 film The Greatest Showman, lent on his musical experience for the 12-minute spot made using an iPhone 16 Pro. Produced by creative agency TBWA\Media Arts Lab Shanghai, the film continues Apple’s long-running “Shot on iPhone” campaign.
Apple’s story follows Wei, a young man who believes he’s meant to be forever alone. Retreating to his room after being badgered about his love life at dinner, he finds the mixtape his dad used to woo his mom and is transported back to the 1990s.
There he encounters a young woman who brings him home to her family’s Chinese New Year celebration, where her parents also talk about how easy it was to find love when they were growing up. Wei expresses his new faith in romance by performing a balletic solo and then dancing through dates at the movies and a roller rink.
After the two settle down together, Wei wakes up back in his own time with a new appreciation for his parents’ relationship.
“iPhone is built for movement, especially for dance,” Gracey said in a statement. “From the picture quality to the higher frame rates, all those things are there on the phone. Being able to access that in something that fits in your pocket is an incredibly powerful tool.”
Gracey worked with Oscar-winning cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt, Hollywood choreographer Ashley Wallen, and Shanghai screenwriter Wu Jue Ren to create an authentic view of ‘90s China set to romantic pop hits from artists Jimmy Lin, Faye Wong, and David Tao.
A behind-the-scenes film features rehearsal footage and explores how the short used moving set pieces to create the magical realism of a musical theater production. The campaign will run across broadcast, digital, and social media platforms.
“I Made a Mixtape For You” follows Apple’s Chinese New Year tradition of sentimental spots focused on family and Chinese culture. Last year’s film was a fairytale about a shapeshifting girl that addressed Gen Z insecurity, while the 2023 version explored the history of Chinese opera.