While brands such as Coca-Cola turned to generative AI for what many viewers called visually jarring holiday ads this year, Apple has taken a different approach. The company is continuing its tradition of practical filmmaking with a new festive short titled A Critter Carol, which stars a forest filled with tech-savvy woodland creatures.

In the ad, a hiker drops their iPhone 17 Pro. The device is soon discovered by a curious raccoon who uses it to film an impromptu performance of the song Friends by Flight of the Conchords. The raccoon is joined by a cast of animal companions, including a bear, wolf, owl, deer, squirrel and rabbit. The hiker eventually recovers the phone by using their Apple Watch to track it.

Apple has also released a behind-the-scenes feature that highlights the craftsmanship behind A Critter Carol. Similar to the technique used for the new Apple TV intro, which involved filming a glass model of the logo illuminated with coloured lights, the production relied heavily on practical effects. Blue screens and blue bodysuits were used so that human performers could be removed and the forest environment could be digitally extended, yet all of the animals remained hand-built puppets.

Each creature was brought to life by a team of puppeteers who controlled individual limbs, facial movements and body gestures. The result blends physical artistry with digital enhancements to create a whimsical holiday scene. To complete the showcase, the entire short was filmed on an iPhone 17 Pro, underscoring Apple’s ongoing commitment to demonstrating what its mobile hardware can achieve.