Apple Shot on iPhone
Campaign: A Case Study in the
Power of User-Generated
Content
By Allison Hoerner

The Apple Brand
❖ Founded by Steve Jobs
❖ Current CEO is Tim Cook
❖ Apple’s net worth as of 2022: about $300 trillion
❖ Brand positioning is built upon three tenants; simplicity, creativity, and
humanity
❖ Brand mantra: “Think different”

The Facts of the Campaign
❖ Shot on iPhone launched 6 months after the iPhone 6 was released
❖ Loyal Apple users were encouraged to submit their photos with #ShotoniPhone
❖ Campaign originated strictly on Instagram
❖ Apple picks their favorite UGC to use for their messaging
❖ Photographs are used for social media posts and billboards
❖ Posting frequency is somewhat inconsistent

The Facts of the Campaign Cont.
❖ Eventually expanded into the submission and sharing of short video clips and
other professional productions (music videos, cable TV, Apple TV+, etc.)
❖ Allows for consumers to easily recognize and recall Shot on iPhone
❖ Therefore, simultaneously increasing credibility as the brand portrays itself as
consumer centric

Representing the Three Tenants
❖

Apples three tenants include:

Simplicity
• Accessible
• Operation

Creativity

Humanity

• Unique goal
• Relevancy

• Honorary
clips
• Diversity and
Inclusion

KPI was NOT
to increase the number

of new iPhone users

Reach of Shot

on iPhone

75
cities

25
countries

10,000
total billboard installations

PESO Model Application
Shared Media
❖

Free WOM
advertising

❖

Seen as more
authentic by
consumers

❖

Led to ethical
dispute

Ethics of Shot on iPhone
❖ Overlooked in many other Shot on iPhone case studies

❖ Apple was recognized as the world’s most profitable company
❖ Initially refused to provide any kind of prize for the owner of the shot
❖ Outrage caused Apple to change the fine print and pay a licensing fee to
compensate for them gaining exclusive rights to use the photograph on Apple
marketing channels

Metrics of Shot on iPhone
❖ Resulted in an increased brand retention rate of up to 90% internationally
❖ Campaign was mentioned by 24,000 opinion leaders, with an estimated 6.5
billion media impressions and 95% positive mentions
❖ The campaign won five Gold Lions awards for individual ‘Shot on iPhone’
messaging created from submissions
❖ Extremely successful and will always be relevant

References
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Adorno, J. (2021, November 11). Apple exec explains the creation of its Shot on iPhone campaign.
9TO5Mac. https://9to5mac.com/2021/11/11/apple-exec-explains-the-creation-of-its-shot-on-iphonecampaign/
Felton, R., & Leahy, N. (2021, February 1). "Hometown," shot on iPhone 12 Pro. Apple Newsroom.
https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2021/02/hometown-shot-on-iphone-12-pro/
Gallagher, W. (2019, January 23). Apple promotes photography with 'Shot on iPhone' contest, but is
ripping off photographers. Apple Insider. https://appleinsider.com/articles/19/01/23/apple-promotesphotography-with-shot-on-iphone-contest-but-is-ripping-off-photographers
Kabra, A. (2022, February 11). Top 20 Biggest Tech Companies in The World in 2022. The Teal Mango.
https://www.thetealmango.com/featured/biggest-tech-companies-in-the-world/
Marketing Week. (2019, July 8). Mark Ritson on the power of Apple's brand positioning YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iAEqKH8ebE
O'Dea, S. (2021, March 31). Share of smartphone users that use an Apple iPhone in the United States
from 2014 to 2021. Statista. https://www.statista.com/statistics/236550/percentage-of-us-populationthat-own-a-iphone-smartphone/
Purcher, J. (2020, January 8). Apple wants iPhone 11 users to Submit their Best 'Night Mode' Photos
before January 29th with Winners to be announced on March 4th. Patently Apple.
https://www.patentlyapple.com/patently-apple/2020/01/apple-wants-iphone-11-users-to-submit-theirbest-night-mode-photos-before-january-29th-with-winners-to-be-announced-on-marc.html
Shot On iPhone: A Campaign that turned into a phenomenon. (2020, August 19). Social Samosa.
https://www.socialsamosa.com/2020/08/shot-on-iphone-campaign-list/
UKEssays. (November 2018). Apple's Shot-on-iPhone Campaign.
https://www.ukessays.com/assignments/apples-shot-on-iphone-campaign-report-2021.php?vref=1

Thank you
Do you have any questions?
aph1010@sru.edu
(716) 225-2851
www.linkedin.com/in/allison-hoerner

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