Apple's 'Shot on iPhone' billboard in Miami leaves little to the imagination (from afar)

Sometimes the best marketing campaigns are the ones that get people talking, even if it’s not for the reasons you intended. Apple’s latest “Shot on iPhone, Drawn on iPad” billboard in Miami has certainly achieved that goal, though probably not in the way Cupertino had in mind.

The approximately 15-foot advertisement, spotted by Reddit user “TommyGun Massacre” along northbound I-95, features artwork that becomes increasingly questionable the further you are from it. What should be an innocent underwater scene turns into something that would make a teenage boy snicker and adults do double takes during their morning commute.

The billboard showcases Apple’s new mixed-media campaign where thirteen photographers’ iPhone shots get artistic makeovers from eight different artists using iPads. Most of the series looks perfectly family-friendly. This particular piece shows a person being dragged underwater by a shark, gripping its fin while pointing upward with an exaggerated finger that has an octopus wrapped around it.

Up close, it’s clearly marine life art. From a distance, well, let’s just say Miami drivers are seeing something entirely different. The Reddit post asking “What’s the first thing you see on that ad?” sparked a comment thread filled with Austin Powers references and barely contained laughter. One user noted they “can’t believe it got through legal,” while another simply commented “They knew what they were doing.”

The campaign features other, less controversial pieces including someone sleeping on a cloud in pajamas and a tall woman using building windows as a mirror to apply makeup. None of those seem to be causing the same roadside entertainment that Miami’s underwater scene provides.

What makes this situation particularly interesting is Apple’s response, or lack thereof. The billboard remains up, and the accompanying Instagram post hasn’t been deleted. Either Apple hasn’t noticed the interpretation causing giggles across social media, or they’ve decided that sometimes there’s no such thing as bad publicity.

This isn’t Apple’s only recent marketing blunder either. Just days ago, the company’s official support account in China accidentally posted a promotional video for Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 7 on Weibo before quickly deleting it.

As noted by Android Authority, the mishap likely came down to someone on the social team uploading the wrong content, which couldn’t have come at a worse time given that Apple’s own foldable phone isn’t expected until 2026.

For now, Miami drivers will continue getting their daily dose of unintended humor courtesy of Apple’s marketing team. Between suggestive billboards and accidentally promoting the competition, it’s been a rough week for Apple’s brand managers. The campaign will eventually run its course and be replaced, but this particular billboard has already secured its place in advertising folklore. Sometimes the best stories come from the happy accidents nobody saw coming.