Apple highlights student accessibility with global short film campaign
Apple’s new short film explores how students with disabilities navigate college life using built-in accessibility features
As marketers push for more inclusive messaging, Apple’s latest campaign offers a masterclass in how to do it right.
Timed to coincide with the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3), Apple launched “Designed for every student,” a short film celebrating how students with disabilities are thriving on campus with the help of built-in Apple accessibility tools.
This article explores what the campaign does, how it reframes accessibility, and what marketers can learn about inclusive storytelling.
Short on time?
Here’s a table of contents for quick access:
- What Apple’s new accessibility campaign is about
- Why this matters for marketers and brands
- What marketers should know about inclusive design
Patrecia Meliana
What Apple's new accessibility campaign is about
The centerpiece of the campaign is a three-minute film directed by Kim Gehrig, who also helmed Apple’s 2022 award-winning accessibility short “The Greatest.” This year’s piece opens with a universal milestone: college acceptance, before transitioning into scenes of campus life.
Viewers are taken through dorm rooms, classrooms, libraries, and dance studios, watching how students with a range of disabilities use Apple’s built-in tools to fully engage with college life. These include long-standing accessibility features like VoiceOver, AssistiveTouch, and Live Captions, along with newer additions like Magnifier for Mac, Braille Access, and Accessibility Reader.
The short ends with a dance sequence where all students participate equally, leaving a strong final message: being “remarkable” should not require overcoming barriers, it should mean living without them.
The campaign was produced in collaboration with TBWA\Media Arts Lab and is rolling out globally across digital, social, and broadcast platforms.
Why this matters for marketers and brands
Apple isn’t just checking a representation box here. It’s weaving accessibility into the fabric of everyday experiences. The campaign avoids portraying its subjects as inspirational outliers. Instead, it focuses on agency, normalcy, and joy.
This is a big shift from traditional accessibility narratives in marketing, which often center on limitations or heroic perseverance. Apple’s framing is subtle but powerful. Accessibility is positioned as a baseline expectation, not a bonus feature.
That framing matters for marketers. As inclusivity becomes a brand differentiator, companies need to move beyond tokenism and showcase how their products or platforms work for everyone, not just the majority.
The film also functions as a product demo in disguise. Each accessibility feature is integrated naturally into the story, showing real-world application without ever feeling like a tech explainer. That is smart product marketing that serves both purpose and brand positioning.
What marketers should know about inclusive design
There are key takeaways here for marketers looking to future-proof their campaigns and products:
1. Build accessibility into the brand narrative
Accessibility should not be an afterthought or a once-a-year campaign. Brands that embed inclusion into their storytelling signal long-term commitment, not performative optics.
2. Inclusive stories are relatable stories
Apple’s campaign works because it centers on shared human experiences like college, friendships, and independence. That relatability drives emotional connection across broader audiences.
3. Product utility speaks louder than slogans
Rather than telling viewers about accessibility, the campaign shows it in use. That makes the message more credible and helps users imagine how the tools could fit into their own lives or those of their customers.
4. Creative can be both inclusive and high-impact
The campaign doesn’t compromise on craft. Directed by an award-winning filmmaker with a strong visual signature, it proves that accessible storytelling can be cinematic, emotionally resonant, and visually rich.
Apple’s accessibility campaign isn’t just a feel-good holiday spot. It is a clear example of how brands can lead with inclusive design and connect meaningfully with a wider audience.
For marketers and comms pros, it is a call to elevate how we think about accessibility: not as a niche initiative, but as a cornerstone of modern brand relevance.
