The Challenge
The rise of AI in the creative industries continues to push artists to the sidelines — 1 in 4 UK illustrators say they have already lost work to AI. Apple has always believed that technology should empower artists, not replace them. For its annual Christmas tree projections at the iconic Battersea Power Station, Apple had previously commissioned one big artist — David Hockney in 2023, Aardman in 2024. This year, the challenge was different: to build a platform as a direct response to AI's impact on creative opportunities, and to engage diverse creative communities across the UK in a way that shone a spotlight on the irreplaceable diversity and soul of human creativity.
The Solution
Rather than commission a single artist, Apple gave the canvas to every UK artist — inviting designers and illustrators, emerging talent, art students, kids, and anyone else inspired to pick up an iPad and join in. Apple selected 14 UK creators with shared creative values to express themselves authentically under one simple, brand-led idea, inviting their communities and the nation to participate through 79 unique content pieces that sustained interest over seven weeks, supported by a Channel 4 documentary exploring the artists' stories behind the designs. For those without an iPad, Apple held 562 Today at Apple sessions in-store. Every tree was drawn by hand on iPad, before coming together as one co-created, large-scale projection on the London skyline for three weeks. The result: 67M views, 95% positive reactions, 2,528 submissions, 20,000 hours spent creating on iPad, and 127 global press headlines — with many artists calling for the campaign to return.
