Seeing is believing: Apple’s new advert offers a different perspective

US – For its latest advert, technology brand Apple has jumped on the trend for using smart optical illusions.

In a 2013 advertising campaign Honda used trompe l’oeil – the design trick of using realistic images to deceive the eye – and in 2014 American band OK Go employed similar techniques for the music video of its single, The Writing’s on the Wall.

Now, Apple has created Perspective, an ad that takes viewers on a playful journey of optical illusions, shifting perspectives using sophisticated tricks on the eye.

Leading the viewer’s eye around an empty space, words and phrases appear in a variety of fonts, shapes and sizes. As the camera continues to move, the focus shifts, revealing the illusion and offering contrasting perspectives. The brand celebrates those ‘who have always seen things differently’. 

LS:N Global has identified the growing adoption of designers and brands using illusionary and surreal messages to connect with today’s consumers. For more examples, see the Haptic Illusion design direction.