In recent years, the smartphone game in China has intensified as local players continue to flex their tech muscle, especially with their cameras.

In a market that’s obsessively chasing the new, consumers often confuse gimmicky camera features with innovation. As a result, the significance, power, and true potential of ‘Shot on iPhone’ is being overshadowed. With a mission to reclaim camera superiority, we continued Apple’s efforts in building the Shot on iPhone equity in China. 


2020 Chinese New Year campaign’s goal was to wow Chinese consumers by pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with cinematic filmmaking on the new iPhone 11 Pro.

The creative unveils a golden trifecta proving iPhone’s professional capability for cinematic film by partnering with ‘Pro filmmakers’.

With Oscar nominated director Theodore Melfi, Oscar nominated cinematographer Lawrence Sher, and award winning Chinese actress Zhou Xun, Apple champions the ‘Pro camera’ story with an epic, yet emotional Chinese New Year ‘Pro film’ shot entirely on iPhone 11 Pro.

The campaign’s goal is to reclaim iPhone’s camera superiority by showcasing how iPhone 11 Pro pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with cinematic filmmaking.

With ‘Pro to Pro’ as the core idea, Apple champions the ‘Pro Camera’ story through a ‘Pro Film’ that is entirely Shot on iPhone by ‘Pro Filmmakers’.

This golden trifecta is conveyed through two hero assets. We first engage the consumers by proving iPhone camera’s story-telling ability through a heartfelt, cinematic film titled ‘Daughter’. The message is then reinforced through a Behind the Scenes film, in which pro filmmakers themselves unravel key camera features and functions that makes cinematic filmmaking possible on the iPhone 11 Pro.

The campaign kicked-off January 9th, teasing the film’s release with OOH across Beijing and Shanghai, followed by a trailer on Apple’s Official WeChat. 


On January 11th, the main film ‘Daughter’ and ‘Making Of’ film premiered during an exclusive ‘Today at Apple’ event in Shanghai.

Both the director and the cinematographer headlined the event, sharing inspirations and teaching an audience of media partners and social influencers to create their own ‘Pro’ shots with iPhone 11 Pro.

To optimize views of the film, launch ads ran on paid digital: TVO, Pre-Roll, App Opening, Weibo and WeChat. It was then broadcasted across National TV and top satellite stations.

The second wave drives views for the ‘Making Of’ film, running on Douyin and digital mastheads from January 19th. Rounding up the campaign is a customized landing page on Tencent, Youku, iQiyi and Douyin which featured iPhone’s trade-in promotion to drive conversion.

Setting out to wow consumers by pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with the cinematic filmmaking with the new iPhone 11 Pro, Apple successfully delivered the ‘Pro camera’ story.

In a survey conducted by Nielsen, 74% of consumers agreed that after watching the films, they were convinced that iPhone’s camera can shoot professional quality videos, a 10% increase compared to last year’s campaign. Another 70% also agreed that they were impressed that the film was shot entirely on iPhone.

‘Daughter’ and the ‘Making of’ film successfully garnered 227 Million views, sparking organic ‘hot topic’ hashtags on China’s Weibo with over 60 Million combined readership views. Netizens praised Apple for delivering another resonating, yet heartwarming story that reflects a true understanding of Chinese culture. The same survey states that 66% of consumers agreed that Apple is a brand that feels close to me, an 8% increase compared to last year’s campaign.