Apple’s new Apple TV rebrand has caught attention for its striking simplicity. Surprisingly, the logo wasn’t designed digitally—it was built from real glass. The new five-second sting shows the Apple logo beside the letters “tv,” made entirely from physical glass and filmed in a studio.
Instead of using CGI, Apple relied on live lighting and camera work to create its sleek reflections. Every shimmer and transition in the clip comes from real light hitting real surfaces. The illusion of motion doesn’t come from animation—it comes from the camera moving around the setup.
The Team Behind the Design
A skilled crew managed the shoot, moving lights and adjusting reflections to capture the logo’s elegant effect. Creative firms Optical Arts, Finneas, and TBWA\Media Arts Lab collaborated to bring the concept to life. Their work demonstrates Apple’s continued belief in human creativity, even as AI becomes more integrated into design and production.
Apple’s Vice President of Marketing Communications, Tor Myhren, reinforced this message during a 2024 Cannes talk. He noted that while technology continues to evolve, human imagination remains at the heart of Apple’s creative process. The new logo reflects that balance—mixing innovation with tangible artistry.
A Tribute to Classic Craft
Apple’s new logo also nods to the past. Early television idents, like the BBC’s spinning globe or MTV’s stop-motion intros, were created using physical effects. By choosing real materials, Apple connects its modern streaming identity with television’s creative history.
The logo also contrasts with Apple’s digital minimalism seen in recent years. Its “Liquid Glass” interface in iOS 26 focused on smooth software visuals. The Apple TV logo, however, celebrates realism—using actual glass to create light and texture that no CGI can perfectly mimic.
