It created a famous advertisement of the first Mac "1984"

Savvy marketing is crucial. For Apple and Steve Jobs in particular it was especially important to stir interest in the forthcoming presentation of the first Macintosh computer in 1984. The company is always kind to the advertising of their products, but this was a special case. This story Macintosh team member tells us how to create a well-known advertising the Mac first, which was taken to implement it and what the result was obtained as a result.

From the beginning, Apple has focused on marketing. Mark Markkula believed that any successful company has to work hard in this direction, to always look attractive to consumers and clients. Steve Jobs also insisted on the highest standards, even at a time when all the work took place in the garage. Apple II was quite famously represented at the turn of the September issue of Scientific American in 1977, but the company could not boast of great sales and has about 20 employees at the time.

Advertising agency, which cooperates with Apple's, called Chiat-Day. It was founded in 1968 by Jay cheat, which was very bold and loving innovations, just as Steve Jobs. Together, they quickly hit it off, gathered a team of professionals and created the first commercials for Apple. In one of these clips representing Lisa computer starred Kevin Costner.

By the end of 1982 the art director Brent Thomas and Steve Hayden suggested the idea of ​​creating an advertising campaign, using the slogan "Why 1984 will not be like 1984". This slogan would be used in the Apple II in the Wall Street Journal print advertising, but Apple did not go for it. The idea has been postponed until the spring of 1983 when advertisers met with Macintosh marketing team, the launch of which was scheduled for 1984.

Steve Jobs wanted an inspiring and revolutionary advertising, the same as he was in his first Macintosh opinion. It approved the proposed slogan and the whole team Chiat-Day start of hard work. Steve Hayden and Brent Thomas was soon presented a small sci-fi TV commercial in which a young athlete releases the weight of totalitarian rule, smashing a sledgehammer huge screen, symbolizing the Grand Brother.

for Macintosh marketing manager Mike Murray and Steve Jobs approved the project, but was obtain the approval of a new CEO John Sculley in the waste to create an impressive amount advertising. Scully reacted with disbelief to the issue, but in the end gave his consent to the release of unprecedented at the time the budget of 750 000 $ for imaging minute video.

Chiat-Day hired one of the best at that time film director - Ridley Scott, whose previous film, Blade Runner, perfectly fit the story advertising, showing the struggle and sense of dystopia. It was decided to carry out the shooting in Shepperton Studios in London, where the week went to some leaders Chiat-Day and Apple's, including Mike Murray and Steve Jobs.

To their arrival has been hired by a team of 200 actors who were to play bald oppressed workers. Most of the crowd consisted of a real British skinheads, who were paid $ 125 for a day of shooting. It is much more difficult to find the main character, because not every girl could cope with waving a heavy sledgehammer. Fortunately, the role went to Ana Meyor. She is an experienced thrower, so could work perfectly with a sledgehammer.

Upon arrival at the studio, Mike Murray went in search of Jay Chita, who was hiding behind the scenery. Apparently, some skinheads were in a bad mood, and Jay afraid to get their hands on during breaks in filming.

Despite the fact that the shooting took place in London, I received a call from someone from Chiat-Day with a request to create a graphic image of Big Brother. I spent the whole day in this work and sent them to the finished result, but was not sure that the picture really looks like a Big Brother.

Lee Clow and Steve Hayden presented the draft roller Apple team, after seeing that all were delighted. Advertising has turned cool, disturbing and mysterious. It seemed that it really will make a strong impression on people. It was first shown a wide range of Apple's annual conference in October 1983 in Honolulu. The reaction was so striking, that the company has reserved two expensive advertising slots worth over a million dollars, to show the movie in full and short versions during the final Super Bowl XVIII, which took place two days before the presentation Macintosh.

Mike Murray and Steve Jobs defended the ads on Apple's board of directors in December, wanting to get the budget on display during the Super Bowl. To their surprise, almost all members of the Board of negative things about this video, and some even called it the worst in their memory. The company raised the question of the search for a new advertising agency, and Mike and Steve were devastated.

John Scully asked Jay Chita sell back two slots for advertisements, but Jay returned the money only for a second clip, which lasted only 30 seconds. He lied about that is no longer possible to sell more minute slot for the remaining period until the final. In the end, display advertising was to be held, and the slogan about 1984 must have been involved.

Movie planned to be shown during the break after the half. Burrell and I no longer wanted to see the reaction of the audience than the advertisement itself, which we have watched a hundred times. To do this, we Mac with other members of the team went to the Oasis Sports Bar. The game was boring, but the bar was still crowded. Advertising was aired at the appointed time and was great. The bar was noisy all the time, so it was hard to see what kind of reaction caused the people video.

That same evening, we were surprised by watching this video in a news release. It turned out, advertising has caused very strong emotions in the audience. We watched this movie in a dozen other news show in the next two days, which is really much fueled interest in the forthcoming Macintosh presentation.

A week after the announcement of the new Mac team was invited to the board of directors. We did not really know what to expect, but when it came to the hall, we were greeted with a standing ovation for their work. All acknowledged his mistake to reject advertising project and congratulated us with a wonderful start.

Company Chiat-Day gathered every possible award for this movie, including the award for best advertising of the decade. Even twenty years later, the movie was considered among the most memorable of all television advertising.

via Folklore.org