Apple has tapped on "Game of Thrones" and "The Last of Us" actress Bella Ramsey to star in a set of ads for the new iPhone 16 Pro.
Helmed by TBWA\Media Arts Lab, the spots place the actress in three awkward pinches that showcase Apple Intelligence's new capabilities.
Apple Intelligence is touted as an all-around AI that users can employ across the entire iPhone ecosystem to create and edit content, among other use cases.
While the ads bring excitement and anticipation towards the tech giant's latest innovation, Apple Intelligence will not be available upon the new iPhone's release on September 20.
Instead, the AI is available for beta testing starting October with the iOS 18.1 update. But experts advise users to wait for the final release of Apple Intelligence to prevent any tech issues.
Directed by Emmy Award winner David Shane, with support from Academy Award-winning cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt, the ad series will run across broadcast, cinemas, online, and social.
Ramsey, who has starred in multiple critically acclaimed hit series at only 20 years of age, brings her acting prowess to the new campaign.
Much like its latest efforts, Apple frequently leverages the biggest stars in its grand celebrity and influencer marketing strategy.
In an interview with DesignRush, Digital Silk CEO Gabriel Shaollian commented on Apple’s campaign and its strategic use of celebrity influence.
"Apple knows how to play the celebrity game.
By bringing Bella Ramsey into the mix, they’re not just promoting a product—they're creating a moment that sticks with you. It’s smart marketing, plain and simple.
Other brands should definitely look to this strategy, but they’ve got to be careful. You want to pick celebrities who genuinely resonate with your brand; otherwise, you might end up sending mixed signals," he said
Sticky Situations
The first spot sees the young actress in a tough spot, as her fictional family gathers over a tiny grave to mourn the death of her sister's beloved pet fish.
Her father begins to give a terrible eulogy, hilariously getting the fish's name wrong and stumbling over his words.
Bella has a quick solution to the problem, creating a Memory Movie using Apple Intelligence.
Typing "Kristy with her fish, sad vibes" into the phone, the simple prompt turns into a montage in just a few seconds, which engages her sister and rescues her father from further shame.
He gives Ramsey a silent nod of thanks, and the family lies around the grave to watch the sad video.
A second spot finds Ramsey in a lunch meeting with her agent, who asks for her thoughts on a pitch that was emailed to her.
Ramsey, who clearly hasn't read the pitch, gets a bit of help from Apple Intelligence's email summary feature.
At the touch of a button, the phone provides her with a short summary to bring her up to speed.
Quickly reading the summary, she hilariously covers up for her mistake and pretends to know all about the pitch.
The final ad showcases the upgraded Siri, which is now more personal than ever.
It finds Ramsey at a party, where she struggles to remember the name of someone she met.
She turns to her iPhone to ask Siri for the name of the guy she met at a cafe. Siri responds by pulling up a calendar entry from a few months ago, highlighting the feature's enhanced capabilities.
Just last week, Apple collaborated with world-famous artist The Weeknd to produce his latest music video, shot entirely on iPhone.
