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Watch Apple’s 2016 Holiday Ad In Response to U.S. Disunity

By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
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By
Don Reisinger
Don Reisinger
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November 21, 2016, 10:04 AM ET
Apple Worldwide Developers Conference Kicks Off In San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 13: Apple CEO Tim Cook leads the audience in a moment of silence in tribute to the victims of the Orlando terrorist event at an Apple event at the Worldwide Developer's Conference on June 13, 2016 in San Francisco, California. Thousands of people have shown up to hear about Apple's latest updates. (Photo by Andrew Burton/Getty Images)Andrew Burton—Getty Images

Apple on Monday released its 2016 holiday ad. It stars Frankenstein, who just wants to be accepted.

The ad, called “Frankie’s Holiday,” starts off with Frankenstein sitting alone while listening and recording a Christmas song in his home. He appears to be living in seclusion. With a Christmas tree behind him, he walks down to the local community, where people are aghast at his sight. One man is seen clutching his child.

However, Frankenstein doesn’t want trouble. Instead, he pulls out Christmas lights, plugs them into his neck, and starts singing “There’s No Place Like Home for the Holidays.” When he runs into a potentially embarrassing mishap, a little girl comes to his rescue. The entire community then joins in the singing, making him feel like part of the group.

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The ad ends with a message: “Open your heart to everyone.”

Since Donald Trump was elected President of the United States, protests have cropped up across the country amid fears that the president-elect won’t act in the best interests of those who didn’t vote for him and groups he criticized during the campaign. The protests followed a similarly contentious presidential campaign that caused some of the divide between those who voted for Trump and those who did not.

The campaign wasn’t the only cause for concern across the U.S. this year, as many other protests across the country have broken out in support for African-Americans and against police violence. Others have demonstrated in their support of police officers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFPcsYGriEs

All of that was not lost on Apple (AAPL). The company’s ad is intended to deliver a message of unity at a time when the U.S. and the world are experiencing disunity. And its apparent aim is to repair some of those broken bonds.

Apple’s ad comes on the heels of a similar commercial released last week by Amazon. In that ad, an imam and priest come together over tea, share a hug, and show a genuine care for each other. It’s widely been viewed as a response to the anti-Muslim speech that characterized part of the 2016 Presidential campaign.

After the ad’s release, Amazon (AMZN) CEO Jeff Bezos said last week that he was “proud” of his team for creating a powerful ad.

For more about Apple’s iPhone 7, watch:

Apple’s ad will begin airing on television on Thanksgiving Day and will run through the holidays.

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By Don Reisinger
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