CNN debuted the second video in its “Facts First” campaign combating the complexity of “fake news” that once again features a single red apple set against a white background.

“You can look at it from the left; you can look at it from the right. But it doesn’t change the fact that this, is an apple,” a narrator says.

The 15-second spot follows the network’s initial video explaining an apple is not a banana, no matter how often or loudly people may try to claim that it’s so.

RELATED: CNN Takes Bite out of Fake News with ‘Facts First’ Campaign

While the campaign tackles accusations of “fake news” from President Donald Trump against CNN and other news outlets, that was not the initial focus.

“We did not create this campaign because we thought we had a problem, but we did feel it was an important time to go out and talk about what we do and why we do it,” said Allison Gollust, CNN Worldwide’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer.

At its heart, the ad addresses the importance of journalism and a free press, and CNN’s position as an unbiased news outlet focused on reporting the truth. The campaign “speaks to what we consider to be the cornerstone of what we do,” Gollust said.

“Multiple rounds of research have proven that the CNN brand remains as strong as ever,” she said. The network saw a ratings spike over the past year, and the most recent quarter was its most-watched ever.

Before revealing the campaign to staff, Gollust said she noticed anchors using on-air statements such as “let’s start with the facts.”

“It resonated,” she said. Because reporters were already using that language, it indicated CNN was “clearly on the right track.”

While CNN doesn’t try to take a political point of view, the latest spot does reference the polarizing divide that exists in the country.

Gollust said subsequent ads will be a continuation of the same theme, with videos that highlight irrefutable facts about the fruit.

CNN considered versions with a duck, or a boat, but “everyone we showed it to agreed that the apple works best,” Gollust said.

The simplicity of it invokes the “A is for Apple,” message indicative of the beginning of education, taking viewers back to square one.

“It’s one of the most indisputable images out there,” Gollust said.

However, that hasn’t stopped a plethora of parodies.

“It’s the elegant simplicity that makes it easy to understand. It also makes it easy to spoof, and we’re fine with that,” Gollust said. “Most of the parodies I’ve seen have reinforced the message.”

Mock ads range from light and fun, to politically divisive. Examples include Buzzfeed’s channeling of a banana knock-knock joke,The Daily Caller calling a banana an apple in a defense of Trump from CNN’s reporting, a pro-life video from Rep. Trent Franks, R-Arizona, Stephen Colbert’s “slightly more honest version,” and The Daily Wire’s anti-transgender take.

Overall, Gollust said CNN has been “pleasantly, ecstatically surprised” and overwhelmed at how much attention the campaign has received in such a short amount of time and with a limited release across CNN platforms.

Its success, she said, has gone “beyond our most optimistic expectations.”

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