Graham Fink: my creative highlight of 2025
Just in the nick of time for all those “ad of the year” lists, Apple dropped this new spot for the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on Dec 3.
Set on a college campus, in lecture halls, dorms, parties, labs, sports fields, it all plays out like a musical. The song, written by Tim Minchin, is insanely catchy. I love that the cast keep insisting they are not remarkable, not brave or heroic, and “if you want inspiration, there’s a library down the hall”.
My favourite line though is simply, “I’m just your average human mess”.
The observations are spot on, the acting, singing and dancing are top notch, and Kim Gehrig directs it with real flair. What I especially like is how the Apple product and accessibility stuff is woven into the story, not beating you over the head with it. It just feels like the way the world works when you design it properly.
For me it’s up there with “Here’s to the crazy ones.”
Apple at its best.
Graham Fink is founder of TheArtSchool and FinkDifferent. He is a former CCO of Ogilvy in Greater China and a past president of D&AD.