In Case You Missed It: Apple holiday ad emotional, but some say bah-humbug

Apple recently released a touching holiday commercial featuring an aloof teenager avoiding family Christmas-time activities to navigate the technological world that lives in his iPhone.

From sledding to tree decorating, from ice skating to snow angels, this kid’s always got his phone in hand, rarely looking up, rarely engaging, looking rather disinterested.

A normal teeanger some would say. But then, surprise! The kid turns the tables and on Christmas morning reveals he wasn’t being selfishly anti-social, but was being anti-social to capture heart-warming moments of his family interacting and loving one another.

It brings tears to his family’s eyes and chances are makes you a little verklempt.

All in all a pretty cool commercial, but to the surprise of no one some Grinches disapprove.

One writer for The New Yorker doesn’t understand why people are crying in the video, watching themselves doing normal holiday activities.

Brian Barrett from Gizmodo is simply turned off by the kid and his lack of interest and participation.

“He’s experiencing the holidays at an anthropological remove,” Barret writes. “He’s a skulking auteur, keeping the world at retina display’s length.”

Business Insider writer Richard Feloni reports the commercial, “is the most emotional tech ad of the holiday season but could have been a stronger advertisement if it showcased Apple’s hardware more.”

Well, maybe that wasn’t the point. We all tend to view things through a critical eye nowadays, but if we can suspend reality to enjoy “The Avengers” why not a little vulnerability to feel the holiday spirit?

Then again, maybe you’re an Android fan.

Got a video you’d like to share? Contact Graydon Johns at gjohns@reviewjournal.com. Find him on Twitter: @gjohns