Apple has again turned to Hollywood A-listers to pitch its wares — this time, it’s Pedro Pascal, whose heartbroken character finds his dance groove thanks to the tech giant’s noise-cancelling earbuds.
The new commercial starring Pascal is directed by filmmaker Spike Jonze (“Her,” “Being John Malkovich”). The five-and-a-half-minute film, “Someday,” follows Pascal’s character as he navigates an emotional journey of moving on after a breakup. When the grief-stricken man initiates Active Noise Cancellation on his AirPods 4, his world transforms: The cold, wintry palette flips into a vibrant dreamscape, and everything and everyone becomes part of the music.
At one point, Pascal’s character has an out-of-body experience: Listening to music on his earbuds, he sees a vision of his lighter, happier self. As he moves between the contrasting worlds of heartbreak and hope, his perspective shifts — and he joins in flash-mob group dances amid a lushly colorful cityscape filled with showers of flower petals. Choreographer Tanisha Scott, who has worked with Rihanna, Drake and Beyoncé, created Pascal’s dance moves, supported by an ensemble of backup dancers.
The ad marks Jonze’s second campaign with Apple: In 2018, he directed HomePod film “Welcome Home.”
The agency behind the spot was TBWA\Media Arts Lab, Los Angeles. The film was produced by commercial production house MJZ with postproduction handled by Trafik and audio postproduction by Squeak E. Clean. Jasper Wolf was director of photography.
Watch the Apple ad starring Pedro Pascal:
“Someday,” which kicks off with a cold, wintry palette to match Pascal’s broken heart, switches to technicolor as the music becomes more upbeat. Pascal’s character goes from forlorn to fabulous, reconnecting with his lighter, happier self.
The fancy footwork comes from choreographer Tanisha Scott, who has worked with Drake, Beyoncé, and Rihanna. Needle drops are courtesy of Guitarricadelafuente’s “Conticinio” for the melodrama, shifting to Sam i’s “Perfect” featuring Tropkillaz, Bia, and MC Pikachu for the energetic fantasy scenes.
Apple takes a page from its own playbook for “Someday,” building an imminently watchable narrative around a product demo. In this case, the video touts the new design of the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation, which the brand says help reduce environmental clatter like city traffic, airplane engines, and more.
Pascal, no stranger to advertising, has starred in Corona Extra and Casillero del Diablo commercials in the past. Known for various fatherly roles on screen, the Chilean actor’s latest drama, The Last of Us, returns to HBO and streaming on April 13.
Jonze, meantime, has made a particular name for himself in stylized movement-based ads and projects, ranging from Fatboy Slim videos to the Levi’s “Crazy Legs” campaign in the 1990s. His dance-based 2016 short film for Kenzo perfume with Margaret Qualley became yet another calling card in the marketing space