Apple’s “Underdogs,” a group of four fictional co-workers who’ve starred in a series of spots since 2019, faced a daunting prospect in 2022—going back to the office after the pandemic. But they barely arrived before making a new plan: quitting to start their own business.

Smuggler’s Mark Molloy has directed all the films in the series via TBWA\Media Arts Lab. In this latest installment, the crew escapes their evil boss’ clutches, then figure out how to spin an idea into a product—the BetterBag—and a product into a company. 

As always, Apple products are front and center throughout. Indeed, while “Underdogs” is entertaining branded content at its finest, it’s also—in classic Apple style—an extended product demo. We see the team using Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple Business Essentials and a suite of business apps—a device ecosystem that’s positioned as particularly useful when working remotely.

“The whole ‘Underdogs’ series, to me, is fantastic,” said one Creativity Awards juror. “They do it in such a brilliant way every year. I don’t care if it’s the third episode or the 12th episode—how do you keep this thing going and still get away with putting the narrative of the product at the center? I geek out over this series every time a new one comes out.”

See all the 2023 Ad Age Creativity Awards winners.