Is Apple's "Shot on iPhone" Worth the Hype?

Apple's "Shot on iPhone" campaign has caught the marketing community by surprise, kickstarting new unique methods of advertising. With their strategy of taking user-generated content and using it in their ads, it has generated over 15 million views on YouTube alone, and it has become worldwide, streaming on services like Apple music, Instagram, and various other social media platforms. 

Apple's "Shot on iPhone" ad is part of a marketing campaign that promotes the newest iPhone's camera quality. Starting out originally as simply “Shot on iPhone” posted on billboards, it has evolved into various special editions like “Shot on iPhone XR”, or “Shot on iPhone 16” that can now be found on several social media apps. Like most ads it involves a short sequence of images and videos with a quick crop, text overlay, and soundtrack. What sets this campaign aside from others is that these commercials feature media taken by everyday iPhone users, versus staged media taken by professional photographers (MarcomCentral, 2024). What makes this even more interesting is that, by only using user-generated media, Apple has to spend little to no time on the production of the ad. With their goal of trying to encourage smartphone users to buy their newest product, taking user-generated content allows viewers to believe they have the same capabilities with their iPhone. It creates the illusion that you and I can go out, express our creativity, and capture our own moments. As for those who do not own an iPhone, Apple’s goal is to give them inspiration, to hopefully get them to purchase one. With little to no text or dialogue in their ads, they showcase the media and images their users have generated, with a simple “Shot on iPhone” text in the beginning. Essentially, they let the images speak for themselves, which overall creates a sense of legitimacy. 

Apple has been known for years to be a master of persuasion. Their most effective technique is showcasing the high quality and versatility of the iPhone, through user generated content. Another one of Apple’s strategies is to create emotional appeal. Below is a beautiful example of how they utilize emotional appeal for a deeper connection with their consumer base. With no dialogue or text, it directs the viewer's focus to the images and the music, to elicit an emotional response. 

In addition, Apple has featured various celebrities in their ads. By associating the brand with well known figures, Apple broadens its reach in the world of marketing, giving it significantly more credibility (SK agency). Down below is Apple’s newest ad, “Shot on iPhone 16 Pro | The Weekend’s “Dancing In The Flames” 

By featuring well-known faces such as The Weekend, it not only leverages the appeal, but allows Apple to reach its target audience, which is mainly composed of people who are passionate about photography and sharing their work on social media. More specifically, Apple shoots to get the attention of those most active on social media, being millennials and Generation Z. This demographic is said to be more interested in the latest technology, making them the perfect target audience.

Businesses are always trying to find innovative ways to stand out in social media. In Apple's case they have achieved that unique strategy, being that there essentially is not one. “'Shot on iPhone' was a 'ridiculously simple idea'” (Friedman, 2021). Apple does have instagram ads, and pages that allow users to enter in contests with their media, but other than that, there is little to no social engagement.

The goal of this campaign is simple, and that is to get users to see this content, believe they can do it themselves, and to go out and buy the supplies for it. However, there is some controversy. According to Chris Gampet in the Newsroom article, we could say that “Technically speaking, Apple’s New Shot on iPhone Contest has a minimum entry fee of around $1,000”. It’s not a literal fee, but you can only enter if you’re using their latest iPhone 13 Pro or iPhone 13 Pro Max” (Gambet, 2022). Though it could be a good strategy for engagement, this has created a lot of hesitancy in the photography world. It leaves out a very big demographic of people, ones who can't afford the iPhone. By leaving groups of people out, it makes the access to their product far less attainable.

Along with that, while Apple claims to have totally user-generated content, we can never be entirely certain this is true. Some suggest that lighting, editing, and equipment is needed to achieve this quality of content, which in turn gives less credit to the idea of using user generated content. Forbes claimed “It might be shot on an iPhone, but everything else around the smartphone is ridiculously expensive.” (Spence, 2023). Later in the article there is a YouTube video posted that shows the behind the scenes of an Apple event shot on an iPhone. It shows you that not all of their content is taken simply with just an iPhone, but there is a lot more equipment involved to achieve that quality.

Forbes - Why Apple's 'Shot on iPhone' Campaign is so Important


I have to admit, the new iPhone ad campaign works on me. As part of their main target audience, Generation Z, I find it super intriguing. The messaging is clear, the visuals are eye-catching, and it keeps my attention just like it’s meant to. Yet, as I dive into this assignment, I’m beginning to think about it a little more. After looking at different sources and hearing other perspectives, I’ve realized there’s a lot going on behind the scenes that I never really considered. Sure, a lot of their content is user-generated, made by everyday people, but there’s always an unseen layer of production and strategy shaping which we do not see.



I’ve been a loyal Apple user since my very first smartphone, and I find their products are great and reliable. But I do believe no brand is perfect. As much as I appreciate what Apple does, I also see areas where they could improve. For me personally, this assignment has made me realize that there’s a lot more to explore when it comes to smartphone marketing. Maybe it’s time to take a closer look at how other brands approach their campaigns.

                                                           Works Cited

TBH, T. (2024, November 20). A case study on Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” brand campaign. The Brand Hopper. https://thebrandhopper.com/2024/01/07/a-case-study-on-apples-shot-on-iphone-brand-campaign/

Egaziev. (2024, December 12). Apple’s marketing: 8 key strategies and famous campaigns. MarcomCentral. https://marcom.com/apples-marketing-8-key-strategies-and-famous-campaigns/#:~:text=In%20Apple’s%20marketing%2C%20the%20company,apple%20logo%20in%20its%20advertisements.

Friedman, A. (2021, November 11). How “shot on iphone” became an iconic ad campaign for Apple. PhoneArena. https://www.phonearena.com/news/how-shot-on-iphone-became-a-thing_id136380

Kingsnorth, S. (2024, June 24). The benefits and risks of using celebrities in marketing. SK Agency. https://www.sk.agency/the-benefits-and-risks-of-using-celebrities-in-marketing/#:~:text=Advertising%20campaigns%20featuring%20celebrities%20are,leading%20to%20more%20brand%20awareness

YouTube. (2020, February 22). A Journey Into the Valley of Fire - Shot on iPhone. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsZRKm-9Ggs&list=PLHFlHpPjgk73fe6pP3vr4j8KcLQhRErrE&index=12

YouTube. (2024, September 12). Shot on iPhone 16 Pro | The Weeknd “Dancing In The Flames.” YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=346JqgOut8Y

Gampat, C. (2022, January 29). Apple’s shot on iPhone Contest has a big problem. The Phoblographer. https://www.thephoblographer.com/2022/01/30/apples-shot-on-iphone-contest-has-a-big-problem/#google_vignette