Ad of the Day: Ghostbusters directors lend comedic touch to Apple’s snowman spot
Apple has enlisted father-and-son duo Ivan and Jason Reitman to direct its heartwarming holiday commercial. ‘Saving Simon’ tells the story of a young girl who heroically attempts to keep her much-loved snowman, affectionately named Simon, preserved throughout the entire year.
TBWA/Media Arts Lab also worked with the tech giant on the spot, which is the latest installment of the ‘Shot on iPhone’ series.
As the three-minute film begins, viewers witness a young girl saving the icy snowman from being aggressively stomped on by her older brother. Taking action, she stashes Simon in her family’s freezer, much to the surprise of her onlooking parents. Outside the season begins to change and the snow predictably melts away, but throughout the year the girl is dedicated to sustaining her companion’s cool temperature.
Set to the tune of You and I by Valerie June, the ad sees her frosty friend go on a summer camping trip (albeit in a cool box) and narrowly survive a power cut. Eventually when winter comes round again, he is released from the confines of the kitchen freezer and takes his rightful place at the front of the house... briefly.
After her efforts all year to protect Simon, he is ultimately demolished by a bike two seconds after he is placed outside. Naturally disappointed, the girl and her family begin scooping up Simon’s powdery remains and building him back up again.
Oscar-nominated duo Jason and Ivan Reitman debuted Apple’s Christmas spot hot off the heels of Ghostbusters: Afterlife. A behind-the-scenes video has also been released to give viewers an insight into their approach to this project.
“I’m always looking for more tangible ways to tell stories,” said Jason Reitman. “The idea that you can just pick up your phone and start filmmaking is one that thrills me. There’s something to a story being handheld that lets you know the filmmaker is putting the camera exactly where they wanted you to see it.”
