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Apple Puts Chinese Student Creators at Heart of New Mac Campaign
Apple is shifting its marketing strategy in China by featuring university students and their creative processes in a new back-to-school Mac campaign, moving away from hardware specs to highlight real-world use cases.
Apple has launched a back-to-school campaign in China that places student creators at the center, marking a departure from its typical focus on hardware specifications. The campaign, titled 'Great Ideas Start Here,' includes a 30-second film and three 15-second shorts that follow students from disciplines such as journalism, robotics, electronic engineering, and industrial design.
Each short highlights a different student and how they use Mac capabilities to bring their projects to life. Electronic engineering student Li Yixuan is shown developing an AI-powered emotional companion, switching between 3D rendering and programming on a MacBook Pro. Robotics student Wu Tianyu uses Apple's Universal Clipboard to transfer error messages from his iPhone to Mac during debugging.
The campaign emphasizes the creative journey—uncertainty, experimentation, and persistence—rather than polished end results. Apple aims to position the Mac as a creative companion from brainstorming through to execution.
The timing is strategic, as students start considering new technology during summer break before returning to classrooms in September. This approach targets China's next-generation creators and seeks to build brand affinity among young consumers.