"Shot on iPhone"
All the way back in 2013, I was selected to lead a creative team to showcase the iPhone 5 through its awkwardly named “iSight” camera. As an early adopter of digital photography this project was right up my alley. The early iPhones' evolving camera technology significantly influenced consumer preference, and content creation, contributing to the explosive sales of new phones and the rise of platforms, most notably Instagram, which of the time had a mere 100 million users, compared to the 1.4 billion they have today!
More photos taken on the iPhone than any other camera - was the insight.
During my time at Apple, I received an extensive education in advertising and marketing, working on campaigns and launches for emerging products. I experienced the rhythm of launches, invested in creative processes, and collaborated with diverse talents, all within a structured product marketing framework that followed Steve Jobs' legacy of simplicity, human benefit, and emotional connection. At the time Apple advertising was primarily product focused and distinctly shot against minimalist white backgrounds. Campaigns like “There’s an App for that” and “If it’s not an iPhone, it’s not an iPhone,” demonstrated product utility functionality and appeal. At the time, Apple’s genius in advertising was simply just turning their cameras on the product and highlighting the experience.
A “Think Different” moment for the iPhone
This campaign marked a significant shift, breaking from Apple's long-established pattern — it was a groundbreaking approach for both the iPhone and Apple, representing a radical departure from the past and a bold leap into the new.
Among many roles, the Creative Director provides vision and strategy for a brand's objectives, leads teams of creatives across functions, conceptualizes and creates ideas that resonate with audiences, and develops them at the highest level of quality. The mark of a great creative lies in identifying the right direction and understanding the brand well enough to produce work that is not only original, standout, and effective, but also "on brand." A challenging aspect of this role is knowing what to reject; the hardest part involves making broad directional changes.
I reviewed a plethora of ideas pitched by creative teams from London, Tokyo, and Los Angeles. Two particular concepts stood out: 'Photo Credit' and 'Beautiful.' Both were quite different from anything Apple had done before. To me, these concepts were simple, profound, and quite revolutionary, representing a departure from traditional Apple advertising. This was a significant shift from Apple's focus on utility and product benefits, as the 'product' was the content “shot on iPhone” and produced by iPhone users—what today we call user-generated content (UGC). These ideas didn't even show the iPhone! Instead, they shone the spotlight on the users, —harnessing life moments, authenticity, and relatability. It was genuine and a game-changer.
We show really amazing photo’s that have been taken with an iPhone. We don’t show any product.
Just a small logo to the side of the image, like a photo credit.
Antoine Minczeles & Tim Holden
Apple & User Generated Photo
Joe Fotheringham & Liz Marks
One day in March, I presented a range of work to the executive team at TBWA/Media Arts Lab, highlighting “Photo Credit” as the stand out idea and direction we should take.
The idea was immediately dismissed - “killed”, taken down and thrown on the floor, and that might have been it…
I was convinced that this direction was right and had the foresight to believe that it represented a pivotal point in Apple's communications—an opportunity to think outside the box and bring customers and their content into the conversation.
A few days later, I presented work from an LA team, Joe Fotheringham and Liz Marks, which pursued the same concept—a celebration of iPhone through the photography itself, while giving credit to the user. Both of these ideas shifted the focus from the product to the user, and from utility to creative expression and output.
I managed to secure approval to continue developing the project, although with very limited resources, in consideration of what this campaign would become. Two of us, Joe and I headed north and spent the next four weeks in Cupertino with the Apple design team.
We prepared for a pitch of this vision, sourcing images and outlining a vast cross-channel campaign that would leverage advertising channels, in-store displays, and the Apple website—with a showcase of user-generated photos taken on the iPhone. We changed the name to better reflect the idea of showcasing curated work shot on iPhone; 'Exhibit' became the working title as we grappled with the logistical aspects and envisioned how it would be delivered to the world.
We presented our work to Hiroki Asai, Vice President of Marketing Communications, and he bought it!
We believed these photographs would truly represent the iPhone, captivating and engaging audiences with their simplicity and emotional depth. This unique expression would distinguish the iPhone from its growing competition, highlight the quality of the camera, inspire a movement, and accelerate sales.
The campaign was born, and when I flew back to Los Angeles we had sold in the longest running and arguably most successful campaign in Apple’s history. The launch would come a year later, when the “Shot on iPhone” campaign became Apple’s strategy to promote the iPhone 6s, which featured a new 12-megapixel camera.
The Campaign's Impact
Thousands of people touched this project and brought this to life, but I can confidently say that it might never have been, without my contribution to see past what Apple was doing at the time and on to something new. I was able to keep the idea alive when lots of people could not see its potential amidst a sea of differing opinions. The campaign was deeply personal to me because of my love of photography as a way to communicate. This campaign not only reflected my values, but reflected the values of the Apple brand.
The "Shot on iPhone" campaign, as it is now widely recognized, exhibited real people's photography, invoking connections to a brand through images, well chosen for their relevance, context and emotion. As we had imagined in our pitch, the campaign extended to billboards, Apple stores, newspapers, magazines, Apple’s site, online platforms, instagram and a series of TV commercials, all earning significant acclaim. At 2016 Cannes Lions advertising festival, Apple and TBWA\Media Arts Lab were awarded the "Grand Prix" prize in the outdoor category.
Every year, as new iPhones launch, permutations of this campaign brighten our day, and bring a smile to our faces.
Impact for Ring
When I came on as the Chief Marketing Officer at Ring, I recognized the potential to communicate the value of Ring products through the content they produced. This became the foundational strategy of my marketing efforts and, in part, made Ring the successful company it is today. Although it was a challenging idea to sell, it was inevitable that simple truth was best seen through the content. Unfiltered user-generated content—could tell the “product” story better than any marketer. The emotional storytelling value, the clarity with which this content conveyed product truth and benefits across audiences was undeniable and impactful.
