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Apple<\/a>\u2019s holiday ad unites a ragtag crew of woodland creatures to spotlight the best gift of all: friendship.<\/p>\n \u201cA Critter Carol,\u201d created by TBWA\\Media Arts Lab and directed by Mark Molloy, celebrates friends, creativity, and craftsmanship. Continuing Apple\u2019s long-running \u201cShot on iPhone\u201d campaign, the ad was shot entirely on the iPhone 17 Pro.\u00a0<\/p>\n The action takes place in a snowy forest, where puppet critters discover an iPhone that was accidentally left behind by a hiker. With the new gadget, the creatures seize the opportunity to make their own music video.\u00a0<\/p>\n The animal gang, including a raccoon, bear, rat, owl, deer, and squirrel, perform a rendition of 2009\u2019s \u201cFriends\u201d by New Zealand musical comedy duo Flight of the Conchords. Their lyrics capture sometimes unusual or extreme promises of friendship in the animal kingdom, such as \u201ceating trash together\u201d and \u201cavenging your death.\u201d<\/p>\n At the end of the tune, the hiker returns for his phone and finds an unexpected recording on his device.\u00a0<\/p>\n While the video showcases the new iPhone camera\u2019s capabilities, such as Center Stage and Dual Capture, much of it was also handcrafted, including the puppets and typography. Puppets Magic Studio made the puppets.\u00a0<\/p>\n The handmade quality is a return to the approach of Apple\u2019s 2023 holiday ad<\/a>, a stop-motion tale about an office worker who sees her grumpy boss in a new light.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n