Apple Accessibility: It Lets Anyone Do What They Love
Date Written: March 24, 2024
Class: English Composition I
Paper Topic: Advertisement Analysis with Ethos, Pathos, & Logos
Grade: 100%
Link to commercial: https://youtu.be/XB4cjbYywqg?si=Bfn_UaSuxJLhLWGt
Oftentimes, when we look at someone with a disability, we see their disability before we see the person. Unfortunately, the world's limiting beliefs about people with disabilities has clouded our judgment on what people with disabilities can and cannot do. Can you imagine being a blind photographer or a dyslexic bookworm? What would it look like to be an athletic wheelchair user? You may be thinking to yourself, how is this even possible? Well, when technology is made for everyone, it unlocks a world of adventure, creativity, and equity. Apple's accessibility website and accessibility features launched in the fall of 2016, where they premiered the commercial "Apple — Accessibility— Sady." The Apple accessibility ad explicitly sells their devices and their wide range of functions, but it implicitly sells inclusiveness and connection to their audience. The commercial influences people to think with an open mind when it comes to disabilities, allowing us into their world and what that can look like if they are met with proper accommodations that bring forth equity.
This commercial starts with light and airy music, along with warm pastel-like visuals inside Sady's home as her caregiver is assisting her. Sady is a video editor who happens to have cerebral palsy, which according to the CDC "is a group of disorders that affect a person's ability to move and maintain balance and posture. CP is the most common motor disability in childhood. Cerebral means having to do with the brain. Palsy means weakness or problems with using the muscles." Soon after viewing the inside of Sady's cozy home, there are sounds of clicking similar to a computer mouse, except it's not a computer mouse it is Sady's accessibility features on her wheelchair that allow her to use her computer without her hands but her head. Shortly after, we see Sady editing a video which happens to be the Apple accessibility commercial. As the camera zooms in closer and closer to Sady's computer screen, here starts the numerous ways Apple accessibility features assist those with disabilities in their everyday life. It is important to also note that the narration throughout this commercial is Sady using Apple's switch control, touch to speak being that Sady is nonverbal. As the commercial continues we are met with a man in a park using ASL (American Sign Language) to talk to a friend on FaceTime. Then the scene smoothly transitions into, what seems to be the same park, of a family with a father who is blind taking a photo of his son with an iPhone as the phone directs him where to turn the camera. We hear a click signaling that the father with blindness has captured the photo, and then the scene transitions to a woman's bedroom who has limb loss. It is morning in the woman's bedroom and she is using Apple Home to assist her with her morning routine like opening the blinds at the window. Next, we are met with a man who appears to be headed on a hike, but before he goes he uses his iPhone to adjust his hearing aid device. Quickly after we are in a colorful classroom, where a primary school student is reading from his iPad and listening to the audio of the passage with his Apple headphones. The passage on the student's iPad has a blue highlight that jumps to each word along with the audio as the narration says "You can concentrate on every word of the story," implying to the viewers that this student has some sort of reading disability, possibly dyslexia. The student gives a satisfactory smile at the passage, full of courage and then the scene transitions to a wheelchair user, using her Apple Watch to do an outdoor race. As the woman pants while she wheels her wheelchair towards her destination, the screen starts to zoom back out and we are met back at Sady's computer, in her home, where she is finishing up editing the commercial. Here we can see more details on how Sady uses her assistive touch device through her wheelchair for her computer. The video ends with Sady stating "When technology is designed for everyone, it lets anyone do what they love," along with a huge smile from the lead video editor herself.
Figure 1. Sady is in her room video editing. Source: Apple — Accessibility —Sady
This commercial appeals to reason by focusing on the facts of the matter; people with disabilities are people first, meaning that they have interests, passions, and purpose just like anyone else. As I stated before, most times we see the disability before we see the person. It's almost as if we don't understand that someone with a disability has a brain, nervous system, emotions, senses, heart, and more just like anyone else. A person having a disability lacking in a certain area, or areas, doesn't change the fact that they are human and should be met with accommodations to assist them with living a full human experience.
This commercial appeals to emotion through the warm feeling of the entire commercial, the ambiance is very homey. In a way, this commercial feels like a hug, specifically to those with disabilities, as if Apple is telling their audience "Hey, we see you and we're here for you." The colors in the commercial provoke emotion as well, being that colors have a psychological effect on us. According to Mental Health America, "Bright, warm colors (reds, oranges, yellows) stimulate energy and happiness while cool, subdued colors (blues, greens, purples) are soothing and calming" showing us that colors can affect the mind. This commercial explores the emotions of hope and happiness, tugging at the ethos of it all.
In conclusion, I believe this commercial truly served its purpose. Apple not only sought to increase its community but also be an example of serving its current community. Apple making a commercial about accessibility, while including real users that depend on those features was truly amazing. Sady, being the heart of the commercial, really made the point clear with her narration and her talents. I think continuing to shine a light on often forgotten communities, such as those that are disabled, will allow us to connect and be accepting of a life that is different than ours. Specifically with the disabled community, I believe, it's extremely important to continue to bring awareness to these parts of people's experience to allow us to see life from a different viewpoint. This commercial is a window to help us truly understand that life looks different for everyone, but that shouldn't stop us from providing equity so that everyone is included and accounted for.
Written by nanelia samuela
Works Cited
Apple – Accessibility – Sady
By Anon Container: www.youtube.com URL: https://youtu.be/XB4cjbYywqg?si=Hdm2SkQAvs_lyLvZ
Basics about Cerebral Palsy
By Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Year: 2023 Container: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Publisher: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services URL: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/cp/facts.html
How do colors in my home change my mood? Color psychology explained
By Mental Health America Year: 2023 Container: Mental Health America URL: https://mhanational.org/surroundings/color-psychology-explained