Apple, Sam Montembeault Help Pee-Wee Goalies Design Their Masks on iPad

A goalie’s mask is usually the last piece of gear a young hockey player earns. And Apple just turned it into a digital canvas.

In a campaign created with bespoke agency TBWA\Media Arts Lab Canada, the tech giant teams up with NHL goalie Sam Montembeault to help pee-wee hockey players design personal goalie masks.

The project, spotlighting the iPad Pro and Apple Pencil Pro, arrives as part of Apple’s "Made on iPad" initiative.

It also coincides with the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament, one of the world’s most recognized youth hockey showcases.

In hockey, a goalie mask is more than protective equipment. And for many players, it becomes a personal signature.

Designs often reflect alter egos, family history, or hometown pride. Apple’s campaign expounds on this tradition.

Like most of Apple's ads, the narrative focuses less on hardware specs and more on the emotional side of the process.

It's brand storytelling that places creativity and personal identity at the center of the product experience.

Behind the scenes, Apple also highlights the professional artists responsible for bringing the designs to life.

Among them is Jordon Borgeault, who has created masks for the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Artist Travis Michael, known for work with the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames, also contributes to the project.

Completing the trio is Dave Fried, whose designs have appeared on masks worn by the Vegas Golden Knights and Washington Capitals.

This is not the first time Apple has connected iPad creativity with hockey culture.

In 2024, the tech giant also featured Bourgeault and Michael, together with Dave Gunnarson, using iPad Pro and Apple Pencil to design custom masks for NHL goalies.

The films documented how the artists developed and refined the designs digitally before painting the final helmets used on the ice.

Sketching Masks Made With iPad

The work centers on a short film following several young goalies as their ideas are translated into real masks by professional NHL helmet artists.

The kids sketch their designs on an iPad before the concepts are painted onto actual helmets.

One goalie draws inspiration from aviation and honors a grandfather who helped build the first indoor rink in his hometown.

Another design features a lioness symbolizing a mother’s protective instinct.

Once the digital designs are finalized, professional artists translate the sketches into hand-painted masks worn on the ice.

Notably, Montembeault appears throughout the film, guiding the players through the journey.

Here, he surprises a young goalie by revealing her completed mask for the first time.

Apple is also extending the campaign beyond the film.

Fans can experiment with their own goalie mask concepts using the Freeform app through a free activity included in the Everyone Can Create initiative.

Overall, the campaign wants to establish the iPad as more than a productivity tool, as it can also be a platform for artistic expression.

The iPad as a Creative Platform

Apple’s hockey campaign shows us all how product storytelling can connect technology to deeply personal experiences:

• Turning a niche sports tradition into a creative platform can make technology feel personal and emotionally meaningful.
• Collaborating with respected creators, like professional helmet artists, builds authenticity and credibility around product capabilities.
• 67% of consumers refuse to buy from brands they don’t trust online, making real-user storytelling a credibility driver.

Apple reported $416.16 billion in revenue for fiscal year 2025, the highest annual revenue in the company’s history.

And efforts like this Pee-Wee Hockey campaign help reinforce the cultural and creative relevance that supports its continued financial growth and long-term profitability.

Our Take: Can Creativity Sell Hardware?

Time and time again, we keep thinking how smart Apple’s angle is.

Instead of hard-selling specs or performance charts, it drops the product right into a moment that actually matters to the audience.

A kid designing the mask they’ll wear on the ice for the first time is a moment many will find touching. 

Apple doesn’t scream about what the iPad can do; it simply lets the story unfold and trusts the audience to connect the dots.

Because sometimes, the best product demo is just letting people create something meaningful with it.

Meanwhile, Apple used a very different strategy for its Apple Watch campaign, turning "Quitter’s Day" into the villain chasing runners trying to keep their New Year's resolutions.

These top agencies specialize in season-specific campaigns that push consumers to make a move.