• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
TechGlobal 500

Watch Apple’s 2016 Holiday Ad In Response to U.S. Disunity

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
Down Arrow Button Icon
November 21, 2016, 10:04 AM ET
Apple Worldwide Developers Conference Kicks Off In San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 13: Apple CEO Tim Cook leads the audience in a moment of silence in tribute to the victims of the Orlando terrorist event at an Apple event at the Worldwide Developer's Conference on June 13, 2016 in San Francisco, California. Thousands of people have shown up to hear about Apple's latest updates. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)Andrew Burton—Getty Images

Apple on Monday released its 2016 holiday ad. It stars Frankenstein, who just wants to be accepted.

The ad, called “Frankie’s Holiday,” starts off with Frankenstein sitting alone while listening and recording a Christmas song in his home. He appears to be living in seclusion. With a Christmas tree behind him, he walks down to the local community, where people are aghast at his sight. One man is seen clutching his child.

However, Frankenstein doesn’t want trouble. Instead, he pulls out Christmas lights, plugs them into his neck, and starts singing “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays.” When he runs into a potentially embarrassing mishap, a little girl comes to his rescue. The entire community then joins in the singing, making him feel like part of the group.

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter

The ad ends with a message: “Open your heart to everyone.”

Since Donald Trump was elected President of the United States, protests have cropped up across the country amid fears that the president-elect won’t act in the best interests of those who didn’t vote for him and groups he criticized during the campaign. The protests followed a similarly contentious presidential campaign that caused some of the divide between those who voted for Trump and those who did not.

The campaign wasn’t the only cause for concern across the U.S. this year, as many other protests across the country have broken out in support for African-Americans and against police violence. Others have demonstrated in their support of police officers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFPcsYGriEs

All of that was not lost on Apple (AAPL). The company’s ad is intended to deliver a message of unity at a time when the U.S. and the world are experiencing disunity. And its apparent aim is to repair some of those broken bonds.

Apple’s ad comes on the heels of a similar commercial released last week by Amazon. In that ad, an imam and priest come together over tea, share a hug, and show a genuine care for each other. It’s widely been viewed as a response to the anti-Muslim speech that characterized part of the 2016 Presidential campaign.

After the ad’s release, Amazon (AMZN) CEO Jeff Bezos said last week that he was “proud” of his team for creating a powerful ad.

For more about Apple’s iPhone 7, watch:

Apple’s ad will begin airing on television on Thanksgiving Day and will run through the holidays.

About the Author
By Don Reisinger
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Tech

AIData centers
Southeast Asia could become a booming data center market if its data centers can beat the heat
By Angelica AngMarch 26, 2026
2 hours ago
New Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro pictured
Arts & EntertainmentDisney
Disney CEO’s no good, very bad week: Josh D’Amaro is dealing with 3 major headaches in his first week
By Tristan BoveMarch 26, 2026
2 hours ago
startup team smiles in front of camera
CryptoCryptocurrency
Exclusive: Megapot raises $5 million to create a crypto-powered global lottery
By Carlos GarciaMarch 26, 2026
5 hours ago
Water storage construction on the Meta data center site in Holly Ridge, Richland Parish, Louisiana.
AIEye on AI
Inside Meta’s chaotic AI boomtown in rural Louisiana
By Sharon GoldmanMarch 26, 2026
6 hours ago
Harvey CEO Winston Weinberg
SuccessCareers
30-year-old CEO of $11 billion Harvey earned the backing of OpenAI and Sam Altman. He says you have to ‘re-earn’ your role every 6 months
By Preston ForeMarch 26, 2026
7 hours ago
SuccessHiring
Duolingo CEO’s taxi driver test decides who gets hired—before the interview even starts
By Sydney LakeMarch 26, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

C-Suite
'I didn’t want anybody shooting me': Five Guys CEO gave away $1.5 million bonus to employees over botched BOGO burger birthday celebration
By Fortune EditorsMarch 25, 2026
1 day ago
Success
Palantir’s billionaire CEO says only two kinds of people will succeed in the AI era: trade workers — ‘or you’re neurodivergent’
By Fortune EditorsMarch 24, 2026
2 days ago
Environment
Vail Resorts CEO says it’s time to think beyond the $1,000 ski pass that helped build the empire
By Fortune EditorsMarch 26, 2026
16 hours ago
Success
JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon says remote work breeds ‘rope-a-dope politics’ and stunts young workers’ growth
By Fortune EditorsMarch 25, 2026
1 day ago
Commentary
The Treasury just declared the U.S. insolvent. The media missed it
By Fortune EditorsMarch 23, 2026
3 days ago
Magazine
The youngest-ever female CEO of a Fortune 500 company is fighting Trump's cuts to keep Medicaid strong
By Fortune EditorsMarch 24, 2026
3 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.