Well here is a #ThrowbackThursday that any Apple fan will love.
Yesterday, on January 22nd, it was 30 years to the day since Apple‘s iconic “˜1984‘ advertisement was first aired during the Super Bowl event in 1984.
Why is this specific advertisement so popular, even 30 years on? It was the first introduction of Mac to the world. If only the creators of the ad knew what they would be unleashing into the world…
The ad itself is almost like a cult classic, and has the cult following to back it up. Apple fanboys, artists and film directors alike, all have a deep appreciation for the significant “˜1984‘ ad.
Considering the fact that is was 1984, Apple‘s ad pushed the boundaries of contemporary advertisement. Keep in mind, this was the 80‘s – the days where famous athletes would endorse cereal in a really, really bad scripted commercial.
The “˜1984‘ advertisement changed the way people thought about advertising. It was deep, it was controversial and most importantly, it made people want to know more.
“˜1984‘ was directed by famed director, Ridley Scott. Scott is perhaps best known for his film “˜Blade Runner‘, which was released two years prior to the “˜1984‘ commercial.
The ad follows a popular theme of that era; that “˜Big Brother‘ is watching you. The idea of conformity, especially in the tech industry was big, with Apple being the only other company (other than IBM) to challenge the way in which tech works and people think.
“˜1984‘ showcases a unnamed heroine – portrayed by English athlete Anya Major – on the run, and eventually destroying a screen that represents the “˜Big Brother‘. A popular interpretation of the ad is that the unnamed heroine represents the Macintosh. This is also literally illustrated by the drawing of the first Mac on her white vest. The screen with the “˜Big Brother‘ represents conformity. And, of course, the heroine (or Macintosh) crashes into conformity destroying it completely.
Hence, the message of “˜1984‘ being; Mac is coming – get ready.
The ad has not only become iconic for fans of Apple, but also in the entire modern advertising world. One of the ad‘s biggest accolades is holding the number one spot on Advertising Age‘s list of the top 50 greatest commercials of all time.
Back in 2004, on it‘s 20th anniversary, the ad was rebroadcast with some minor adjustments that paid homage to Apple‘s biggest advances in the past 20 years. In the 2004 retouched version, the unnamed heroine is seen with the iconic, white, iPod earphones in her ears.
It is amazing to think that Macintosh and Apple‘s (now world famous) ad is 30 years old – 30 years of Macintosh and 30 years that the world has been enthralled with Apple.
You can check out “˜1984‘ below:
Source: Cult of Mac
