Skip to main content

TECH WEEK: How Apple launched the war against all PC's in 1984 and set the stage for Obama



I actually remember seeing this ad when it first dropped. Yeah, I'm kinda old. I never get tired of watching it though. When you think about how forward thinking Apple ad executives were on the idea of their positioning and messaging, its amazing.

By polarizing themselves against the PC makers, framing them as old and a huge digital bureaucracy, they hit all PC companies hard in the gut. It was tactical genius. PC makers have never been able to unfetter themselves from the frame Apple put them in.

Not only were they clear on the positioning then, they don't appear to have ever left it. I can't imagine how expensive this ad was at the time. But it was priceless in its timeless effect.

So timeless, someone made this remake of the ad and put it online in support of Barack Obama's campaign. It shook Clinton's campaign to the core. Like PC's, Clinton was never able to shake the frame this ad put her in.

The tech game is amazing isn't it? Obama's Apple ad made the world rethink how youtube, online campaign tactics and attaching a political campaign to a brand could effect elections.

I was just going back and forth with my good man Doug about who did this ad, who got paid, how did all that footage used and Steve Jobs not put a legal foot in dat azz? The world may never know.



-Beyond Urban Branding

beyondurban@gmail.com

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

New Reese's Puffs Commercial

Resse's has been sticking with the urban feel for their commercials for a few years now. It must be working. The interesting thing is that they do small things to attract parents and kids to the brand. Its very subtle, but effective. They are sure to use kids of various races, so nobody feels left out. They always use an uptempo rap that chants the letters of the brand in creative ways. These guys pay attention. This one has a bit of a reto feel. All the haircuts are from the 80's. I suspect thats done to attract parents while the music and the editing and the cuts are meant for kids. Well played, Mr. Reese....well played.

Gap ad wins with Hip-Hop dance

Here is an ad for Gap khakis. Its a few years old I think. I like it because there is such a diverse range of races getting their groove on. Makes you wanna go get some, eh? But seriously, Hip-Hop dance, DJ's and graffiti art are still underused in advertising. I feel like everybody thinks Hip-Hop is just rap. For those that don't know Hip-Hop is composed of a few elements: Rap or MC'ing, DJ'ing, Graffiti, B-boy'ing and other forms of Hip-Hop dance. The second ad is a cool holiday ad featuring Common. Gap knows how to use rappers right in advertising campaigns. Both Gap ads shows that someone inside Gap knows that. Great look!!

Ciroc Vodka has 4 product placements in Drakes Forever video

Drakes Forever video is still raw. I was just watching it for fun, since I don't have the MP3. Then I saw the Ciroc bottles. I think I counted four times. On youtube alone it got seventeen million hits! We have not event talked about MTV and BET rotation. Its so sublime I can't tell if I'm impressed by it, or appalled by it. Sneaky.... -Beyond Urban Branding beyondurban@gmail.com