Apple Wins 2014 ‘Outstanding Commercial Emmy’ For 2013 Holiday Ad

August may seem like the wrong time to be talking about a Christmas holiday-themed commercial, but the Television Academy doesn’t think so. The Academy announced the winners of the 2014 Creative Arts Emmys, which recognizes the efforts of the people who work behind the scenes to make your favorite TV shows and commercials come to life. That’s where Apple comes in, taking the Outstanding Commercial award for its “Misunderstood” ad, which aired during the holidays last year.

Apple won the 2014 Outstanding Commercial Emmy Award for its depiction of a teenager using an iPhone 5s, Apple TV, and Apple Air to make a holiday video of his family.
Apple TV and AirPlay let you put the video that's playing on your iOS device onto your TV.

The commercial kicks off with family members arriving for a family get-together that seems fun for everyone except the teenager, who has his nose in his Apple devices. Snowmen are made, treats are baked, laughter is shared, and all the while, Johnny’s engagement seems minimal. But he and his iPhone 5s have been quietly at work, and because the family has an Apple TV connected to the flatscreen in their living room, he has everything he needs to – well, you’ll have to watch the movie if you want to know how it ends.



Apple’s commercials often garner plenty of attention from the press, and not always because they’re well received, but “Misunderstood” has turned out to be a home run for Apple. Not long after that commercial aired, Apple’s iPad Air commercial also grabbed the public’s imagination.