Apple makes a bold promise in ad starring zero products and one very cute baby

Apple hit an environmental milestone in April 2020 when it was able to declare that all its corporate operations were carbon-neutral, from its facilities to travel. Now, the company has made an even bigger commitment, promising to eliminate its entire carbon footprint by 2030, bringing into the fold even its products, manufacturing, transportation and end-of-life materials recovery. To announce its promise, Apple just released this spare, unexpectedly sweet ad. It features nothing but a baby, sleeping peacefully in the middle of a bed, lulled by the sounds of street traffic and chirping birds from outside. A shaky camera peers down on the cooing child as a man’s gentle voice greets him. “Hello Idan,” he says. “What a beautiful name. It means ‘magic.’ You don’t know us, you won’t understand what we’re about to say but one day, Idan, you will. Because we want to make you a promise. We wanna be held to it. And every year, for years to come, we’ll remain committed to it. A promise between you and us and the planet. We promise that everything we make, the way we make it and even how you use it will be carbon-neutral by your tenth birthday. That might not sound like much to you Idan, but believe us, it’s not a promise that’s easy to keep. But it’s one that we intend to. Promise.” With very little going on, it's a hypnotic, inviting film—the V.O. actor’s soothing voice is like the aural version of a soft blanket (though throwing in the term “carbon-neutral” in a series of otherwise poetic lines has a bit of a jarring effect). The spot points viewers to a page on Apple’s site outlining its goals, including an environmental progress report that details its climate roadmap to decarbonizing its footprint.

Apple makes a bold promise in ad starring zero products and one very cute baby

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