Apple believes accessibility is a human right.

“The Greatest”, a film showcasing our ongoing commitment to accessible technology, launched for International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, 2022.

It aimed to raise awareness of hardware and software innovations created to support people living with disabilities.

From the outset, the work was conceived and crafted with the cast to evoke a new attitude in the representation of disability — a celebration of ability in everything from raising children to making and performing music — resulting in a film that places the incredible abilities of the disabled community centre stage.

The brief was to showcase Apple accessibility features, designed to support people living with vision, hearing, mobility, or cognitive disabilities. The intent was to create a step-change in the representation of disability on screen.

This work would show disability in a new light - progressive, truthful and bold. It was conceived from the start to be a film for people with disabilities, not about them - a new, more authentic approach which led to the cast guiding the creation of the film at each stage of the creative process.

Just 1% of all advertising globally depicts people with disabilities, despite the fact that over 1 Billion people on the planet have a disability.

This work was designed not just to tackle this inequality, but to flip the gaze of disability representation. Even when those with disabilities are featured onscreen in our industry, they are often backgrounded, marginalised or patronised.

Our approach was different.

This was to be a film by people with disabilities, for people with disabilities.

A film imparting useful product information to an audience who would directly benefit from that knowledge. And to do so in a way that was co-developed with members of the community, ensuring authenticity at every turn.

Forbes subsequently claimed: “The salient point is Apple is overtly advertising a disabled person’s basic humanity… Apple understands disabled people use technology too, to work, play, and shape internet culture like everyone else.”

“The Greatest” introduces us to seven unique individuals with disabilities, as they go about their day with the assistance of the accessibility features found in Apple devices.

Starring musicians, a new mother, a medical professional, a model and more, the film presents the audience with a diverse cast shown in moments taken from their real lives.

Grounded in their use of Apple's accessibility features, which help unlock independence, the film is completely authentic in its depiction of our cast’s lived experience.

Unlike other portrayals of the disabled community, the film focuses, for the first time, on moments of everyday ability, shown in a way which elevates our cast and reframes perceptions of disability.

In this way, "The Greatest" reaffirms Apple’s commitment to accessible design and marks a bold new direction for disability representation.

“The Greatest”, a film showcasing this ongoing commitment to accessibility, launched for International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, 2022.

The film was placed across both Apple-owned and paid channels. Paid included digital video as well as big broadcast TV spots during the NFL and College Playoffs.

The work also ran in paid pre-roll, as well as on Apple's YouTube channels and country-specific websites around the world.

A free live performance by Matthew Whitaker showcasing the film, as well as his use of Logic Pro and Apple devices with VoiceOver, also occurred on the day in Apple's 5th Avenue, NYC store.

The Greatest immediately captivated consumer attention at launch - gaining over 17 million YouTube views in just the first week of release. Additionally, an Audio Described version of the film - which deepened the connections to the accessible community - has seen a further 333,000 views to date.

The film received an overwhelmingly positive reception. Social commentary indicated an increased understanding of Apple accessibility features within the disabled community and amongst the wider public too. Both the film and the unequivocal pronouncement that accessibility is a human right have gained significant traction online and have been heralded as progressive statements in support of disability rights.