This is about Apple’s ad for accessibility, “The Greatest”
You know, the world can be so damn depressing. I don’t need to tell you about that. It’s just one thing after another if you aren’t careful, stuff’ll sink you.
That’s why it’s important to hold onto and shine a lot on what’s going right. And Apple’s got a lot going right with their latest ad on accessibility, which they unleashed to honor the International Day of Persons With Disabilities (IDPD). This year’s theme – innovation and transformative solutions for inclusive development – is a perfect match for Apple’s release of its new accessibility features.
The ad showcases us (people with disabilities) in everyday settings, from getting ready for work to driving a car to cheering at school. Musicians, artists, athletes and parents, our very diversity hints at our strength. Throughout the ad, the people represented rely on Apple’s software features like Door Detection, Sound Recognition and Voice Control to assist them in navigating their lives.
The ad is set to the inspiring “I am the Greatest” track with Marliya Choir, a group of female Indigenous singers in Australia, by Spinifex Gum, featuring Cola Boyy and Matthew Whitaker. The lyrics are taken from Muhammad Ali quotes (“I am the greatest / I said that even before I knew I was”) and help define the tone.
Apple’s “I am the Greatest” Ad
This is all kinds of bright, all kinds of hope-filled. It’s snappy, happy, honing on the fact that access is what stymies us more than anything. If we create an accessible world, we’re allowing all of us in at the table, and accessible worlds aren’t that hard to create, really.
Here’s the ad:
“I am the Greatest” with audio descriptions: https://youtu.be/tVErGewfgdg
Learn more: https://apple.co/3XH0GMR
So, yeah.
That ad had me in tears. I’ll bet you are, too.
Meriah Nichols is a counselor. Solo mom to 3 (one with Down syndrome, one on the spectrum). Deaf, and neurodiverse herself, she’s a gardening nerd who loves cats, Star Trek, and takes her coffee hot and black.
