"Relax, it's iPhone" is a campaign thought that we've continued to explore in many different ways this year. Each ad stays true to a simple recipe: one hero character, using their iPhone to demonstrate one product feature, paired with great music that elevates the idea to a more surprising place.

For New Driver, we wanted to use these core ingredients of our Relax campaign to communicate the benefits of the new Check-In feature on iPhone.

Since the inception of the Relax campaign, music has portrayed the inner monologue of our protagonists, both driving the story and delivering the product message. For this story, we explored lyrics that spoke to danger, driving, chaos and more, but ultimately we needed a track that could speak to the check-in feature itself, rather than the action. The idea of bidding somebody farewell and welcoming the news of their safety is told in the simplest lyrical form, “goodbye” and “hello”. The emotion is as important as the lyrics and the staccato backing vocals of “Goodbye” convey an atmosphere of anxiety around the daughter’s safety, while the lyrics deliver the turn to resolve that unease, in step with the feature. “Goodbye” by Aloe Blacc was originally a vinyl release under the pseudonym Nathan Yell, lost to the digital world, and our placement finally earned it a release to DSPs in 2024.

"New Driver" aired during several high profile NFL playoff games, reaching millions of people. Engagement was high and reactions on social media were overwhelmingly positive, with people shouting out how relatable the ad is. An anxious parent worrying over their new-driving teen is situation we can all empathize with.

Since the ad came out more and more people are using the new "Check In" feature, noting how useful it is for kids, friends, and long-distance loved ones.

In terms of brand perception, this ad gives iPhone owners one more reason to feel that whatever obstacles life throws in their way, iPhone is ready.

This ad contributes to Apple's brand perception, especially the iPhone brand perception, as a product people can rely on to have features designed around our needs and the ways we live today.