Media company Free the People released a parody of tech juggernaut Apple’s recent “Mother Nature” ad.
Similar to Apple’s original ad, the video begins with a panel of Apple associates, including CEO Tim Cook, as Mother Nature enters the room via a force of nature that shakes the room.
“I hope we didn’t keep you waiting,” says Mother Nature, portrayed by Octavia Spencer, as Cook greets her.
Mother Nature references Apple’s 2020 promise to eliminate the company’s carbon footprint by 2030.
“We’ve made great strides by reducing our carbon footprint in America by moving the production of most of our products to China, and India, and a little in Vietnam,” says one woman in a newly recorded segment from Free the People.
Another man recorded in Free the People’s newly recorded segment acknowledges the previous woman’s statement, saying the company needs “a lot of cobalt.”
“We can’t help but notice all the good cobalt is in the Congo,” he says as Mother Nature scoffs.
“It seems like cobalt mining could’ve been distributed on earth,” the man continues as Mother Nature interjects, “However, I wanted it to be.”
At Apple, we are deeply committed to fighting climate change with child labor. Today Mother Nature stopped by to check on our progress. pic.twitter.com/674KbKG6Tq
— Free the People (@freethepeople) September 23, 2023
The man, attempting to avoid offending Mother Nature, says he’s not complaining about her decision to allocate “all the good cobalt” in the Congo, saying “it makes it much cheaper for us to mine it over there because of all the modern slavery and child labor stuff.”
“Apple’s child labor has a very small carbon footprint,” the first woman adds. “Their actual footprints are actually really small too ’cause they’re children.”
Off camera, Mother Nature expresses satisfaction saying she wants to see Apple do “more of this,” to which the newly recorded man and woman confirm Mother Nature wants the tech juggernaut to engage in more child labor in foreign nations.
“The kids don’t work as fast as they should,” the man complains, saying children are lazy and have tiny hands. “We’d see even higher profits and lower emissions if we increased our child labor work force by about 95%.”
An associate of Mother Nature questions the man’s estimation, to which the woman notes Apple has secured “the best child labor in China, India, Vietnam.”
A woman from Apple’s original video chimes in, “Paraguay, Brazil,” as the newly recorded woman says Apple hasn’t expanded their child labor efforts in those countries yet, though says the tech juggernaut could “absolutely spin up some mines there.”
Mother Nature says the woman’s suggestion could take 50 years “when someone else is left holding the bag.”
An assistant from the original video suggests the company could achieve their goal by next year, to which the man from Free the People’s recording says he’s not sure if the company can find another 40,000 child workers that fast, though suggests Apple could try trafficking children.
“Say the word and I am heading to the orphanage,” he tells Mother Nature, adding the company targets fathers who gamble and drink along with wives of those husbands. “All of the little kids who work for us get a clean carved out hole in the wall to sleep in and plenty of water. Puddles to drink all over right there in the mine.”
When Mother Nature inquires about the company’s iPod Shuffle, the man says providing iPod Shuffles for child workers would be “quite an expense” for the company, to which Mother Nature says she’s joking.
“Don’t you people make Ted Lasso?” Mother Nature asks, referring to Apple TV’s program on their subscription service.
“Does that show ever make you guys laugh?” the newly recorded woman asks the panel.
The video concludes with the panel mumbling amongst themselves as the newly recorded man says the company could renew the program for a fourth season.
“Don’t,” Mother Nature replies.
Apple’s original video, released to Cook’s X account on Sept. 12, similarly features Mother Nature visiting a corporate meeting on the company’s efforts to reduce their carbon footprint.
The panel nervously discusses the company’s efforts to curb climate change in hopes of pleasing Mother Nature, who similarly arrives as a force of nature shaking the room.
Cook greets Mother Nature as the panel fawns over her.
At Apple, we believe that climate change is one of the world’s most urgent priorities and we are deeply committed to doing our part. Today we had a special guest—a real force of nature—stop by to check on our progress. pic.twitter.com/neLSEqPmGu
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 12, 2023
When Mother Nature mentions the company’s promise to eliminate their carbon footprint by 2030, the panel reveals Apple is moving away from plastic and leather in their products and packaging.
The panel also reveals Apple’s offices are already carbon neutral and run on “clean electricity” along with moving transportation to overseas citing a 95% reduction in carbon emissions compared to land or air.
The video concludes with Mother Nature expressing satisfaction with Apple’s climate change and carbon reduction initiatives as Cook reaffirms the company’s commitment.
