Apple and Garrett the Cat Spotlight Photo Editing with iPhone 16 Pro Ad

Quick listen: Apple’s Clean Up campaign keeps photo editing human — in under 2 minutes.

Even the cat isn’t safe from photo edits — until the owner changes their mind.

Apple just launched a new campaign promoting the iPhone 16 Pro, putting its AI-powered "Clean Up" feature front and center.

And it uses a surprisingly charming subject: a house cat named Garrett.

In a short film directed by award-winning filmmaker Andreas Nilsson, a couple argues over removing Garrett from a photo. Then, they quickly decide to bring him back using the undo function.

Powered by Apple Intelligence, the Clean Up tool allows users to easily remove unwanted objects while keeping the rest of the photo untouched.

And critically, it also lets them undo any changes immediately.

"Clean Up" is part of Apple's efforts to show how its devices help users create more intuitively, without overcomplicating the process.

Previously, it launched two spots touting Apple Intelligence as quick work solutions in the office, helping an employee generate summaries and quickly craft responses using the tool.

The tech giant even put out a spot also highlighting the Clean Up feature, where a man successfully removes his mother from his workout selfies. 

The latest film with Garrett was released just last week, and is being rolled out across digital, broadcast, and social media platforms.

The campaign coincides with the latest iPhone 16 lineup, which includes the iPhone 16 Pro, iPhone 16, and iPhone 16e.

These devices are designed around Apple Intelligence, a suite of context-aware tools built to assist users with writing, communication, and photo editing.

Notably, these same tools are also available on iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max.

Apple’s larger brand marketing strategy sees it bring more AI-enhanced features to users without making it feel like tech for tech’s sake.

Meet Garrett

In the short ad, a man takes a picture of his partner sitting by their living room couch. 

However, perched on the arm rest is their cat Garrett, who happens to have been caught in the shot. 

"Look, I deleted Garrett," the man tells his partner, who then responds with "I always knew you hated Garrett." 

The couple’s brief disagreement over the cat's photobomb moment leads to the demonstration of Clean Up’s full potential.

The man makes edit happens instantly and the reversal is just as seamless, emphasizing the tool’s speed and non-destructive design.

It's a scene familiar to anyone who’s tried to perfect a picture without sacrificing the moment’s authenticity.

Our Take: Can Apple Make an AI Feature Feel Human?

Like most of Apple's ads, what makes the campaign work isn’t just the tool itself, but how naturally it fits into everyday life.

The simple but effective story highlights how Apple positions its AI tools as intuitive helpers that make content creation easier and more human.

Additionally, the Garrett spot proves that Apple is staying true to its long-standing philosophy: show, don’t tell.

Instead of hyping specs, the brand quietly lets the tech work in service of the story. 

Previously, it launched an ad series to highlight the specs of its Macbooks.