Books - Wellness Social Campaign
Reading Is Wellness
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The Apple Books team wanted to reach younger readers—specifically Gen Z—and get them more engaged with books and audiobooks on the platform. The insight? For this audience, “wellness” isn’t a trend—it’s a lifestyle filter. Everything from their habits to their entertainment choices is influenced by a desire for balance, clarity, and mental health. The ask: use the wellness category of Apple Books to bring this audience in.
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As we dug into the brief, it became clear that this was bigger than self-help titles. The act of reading itself is wellness. In a world of hyper-curated social feeds and attention-grabbing content, taking time to slow down and get lost in a book—any book—is an act of self-care. The challenge was: how do we deliver that message on social media, while pushing back against everything that makes social media overwhelming?
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We designed a campaign to feel like the opposite of the scroll. Every piece of content was created to pause the feed, offer a moment of calm, and remind you of the restorative power of reading.
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The campaign generated strong engagement across social platforms, with a noticeable increase in downloads of the featured titles. More meaningfully, the posts sparked vibrant, thoughtful discussion in the comments—about books that made people feel better, changed their outlook, or simply gave them the pause they needed.
Audio Book Cinemagraphs
Built around audiobooks, these Reels paired thoughtful excerpts with meditative, slow-moving visuals from a first-person point of view. Whether it was a quiet seat at a cafe or a relaxing moment by a window, the goal was to interrupt the scroll with a sense of stillness and presence—offering a mental escape, just like the books themselves.
Feel Good Intros
Inspired by book cover art and the emotional tone of each title, these Reels were hypnotic animations designed to create a vibe. Calming colors, smooth transitions, and subtle visual cues worked together to spark curiosity and draw viewers into a new book.
Wellness Synopses
This series reimagined all kinds of books—thrillers, romances, even comedies—as if they were self-help guides. Each Reel delivered a single, striking line that reframed the story in terms of life advice or emotional insight. It was a reminder that any book can deliver a message that can improve your life.
Positive Reviews
Real reader reviews, surfaced from within the Apple Books app, became testimonials to the healing power of a good read. These were turned into elegant, calming animations that shared authentic reactions to titles that had a real impact on people’s lives.
Author Reflections
We invited a small group of authors to create Reels sharing their personal takes on reading and wellness. Some reflected on how books had helped them through tough times. Others talked about the calming ritual of reading or writing every day. These stories added authenticity and reminded viewers that books are more than content—they’re companions.