With his resignation as CEO last week, Steve Jobs ended an era at Apple. Jobs has been justly celebrated as a visionary and a game changer, but we shouldn’t forget his contribution to Apple‘s advertising.
At best, Apple’s advertising under Jobs has given you the gadget fetishism the devices deserve, but in a wholesome, even folksy shell. If you agree, like so many pundits do, that Apple’s devices are “sexy,” then this is the girl- or boy-next-door kind of sexy.
The distinction is notable because Apple’s advertising wasn’t directed at its hardcore fan base, which was going to buy the products anyway, but toward someone who might be lukewarm on Apple, but curious about the iPhone or an iPad. Apple under Jobs presented the goods as gee-whiz cool, but also approachable.
Did it work? We all know the answer. Despite criticism of certain campaigns and resistance, the Jobs-led Apple ads best capture the essence of the company. Just to make the point, we’ve included one ad from the non-Jobs period at Apple as well.
Thanks to measurement firm Visible Measures for bringing this list to our attention.
"Introducing the iPhone 4" (17.3M views)
It's an obvious fact, but interesting nonetheless that although Steve Jobs is an undisputed marketing genius, he's never appeared in an Apple ad. But this 6-minute video introducing the iPhone 4 is chock full of Apple execs, including Jonathan Ive and Greg Joswiak. If the product they're talking about didn't live up to the hype, the video would be pretty over-the-top -- they seem to be talking about The Rapture rather than a new phone. But it did, of course. Still, that didn't stop some, like Orabrush, from poking fun anyway.
"1984" (10.3M views)
What is there left to say about Apple's "1984" ad promoting the then-new Macintosh. Well, this blog post provides some trivia you might not have heard, like: 1. Ad agency Chiat/Day pitched a very similar ad for the Apple II in 1982. 2. John Sculley, Apple's then-CEO, didn't like the ad. 3. Steve Wozniak heard about the trouble Jobs was having getting the ad past management and offered to pay out his own pocket to run the ad.
"Get a Mac" (8M views)
Apple's "Get a Mac" campaign, which encompassed 66 individual ads, is another example where Jobs' marketing acumen may be only obvious in retrospect. When the campaign premiered in 2006, Slate called it "mean-spirited" and found "PC" John Hodgman more likable than "Mac" Justin Long.
"Introducing iPad 2" (6.5M views)
Apple stuck with what worked for the iPhone 4 video for the iPad 2. Once again, Jonathan Ive is on hand to talk about how revolutionary the device is, and once again, he's right.
"Meet the iPad" (3.6M views)
By March 2010, everyone knew what the iPad was, but here Apple sought to humanize it, take the fear factor away and present the device as a sort of Teddy Ruxpin for adults.
"iPad Apps" (3.4M views)
One suspects this ad, for a Formula 1 iPad app, did better in markets outside the U.S. Yanks might better recall the company's ubiquitous "There's an app for that" ads instead.
"Think Different" (3M views)
Steve Jobs's second coming began with this corporate "Think Different" campaign which, you may recall, was a plea to break away from the Wintel duopoly. Things are a bit different now.
"iPad is" (2.8M views)
In 30 seconds, Apple answered the question, "So what is that iPad all about anyway?"
"Smile" (2.4M views)
The quintessential Apple ad: A very human moment is translated through new technology.
"We Believe" (2.3M views)
A manifesto of sorts from Apple that, as the video above illustrates, puts human connections before hardware.
Bonus: One from the non-Jobs era.
One from the era between Jobs' dismissal in 1985 and his return in 1996, this Newton ad is illustrative in a few ways. Most notably, it makes a lot of promises. Ads under Jobs lingered much more over features to spotlight what the devices actually could do. The voiceover is also the opposite of warm. It's the hard sell. Jobs' ads never beat you over the head like this one did.
More About: advertising, apple, ipad, iphone, MARKETING, steve jobsFor more Business & Marketing coverage:Follow Mashable Business & Marketing on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business & Marketing channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad
Posted on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:27:08 +0000 at http://feeds.mashable.com/~r/Mashable/~3/9sDhLPLTF0U/
Comments: http://mashable.com/2011/08/29/viral-apple-ads-jobs/#comments
At best, Apple’s advertising under Jobs has given you the gadget fetishism the devices deserve, but in a wholesome, even folksy shell. If you agree, like so many pundits do, that Apple’s devices are “sexy,” then this is the girl- or boy-next-door kind of sexy.
The distinction is notable because Apple’s advertising wasn’t directed at its hardcore fan base, which was going to buy the products anyway, but toward someone who might be lukewarm on Apple, but curious about the iPhone or an iPad. Apple under Jobs presented the goods as gee-whiz cool, but also approachable.
Did it work? We all know the answer. Despite criticism of certain campaigns and resistance, the Jobs-led Apple ads best capture the essence of the company. Just to make the point, we’ve included one ad from the non-Jobs period at Apple as well.
Thanks to measurement firm Visible Measures for bringing this list to our attention.
"Introducing the iPhone 4" (17.3M views)
It's an obvious fact, but interesting nonetheless that although Steve Jobs is an undisputed marketing genius, he's never appeared in an Apple ad. But this 6-minute video introducing the iPhone 4 is chock full of Apple execs, including Jonathan Ive and Greg Joswiak. If the product they're talking about didn't live up to the hype, the video would be pretty over-the-top -- they seem to be talking about The Rapture rather than a new phone. But it did, of course. Still, that didn't stop some, like Orabrush, from poking fun anyway.
"1984" (10.3M views)
What is there left to say about Apple's "1984" ad promoting the then-new Macintosh. Well, this blog post provides some trivia you might not have heard, like: 1. Ad agency Chiat/Day pitched a very similar ad for the Apple II in 1982. 2. John Sculley, Apple's then-CEO, didn't like the ad. 3. Steve Wozniak heard about the trouble Jobs was having getting the ad past management and offered to pay out his own pocket to run the ad.
"Get a Mac" (8M views)
Apple's "Get a Mac" campaign, which encompassed 66 individual ads, is another example where Jobs' marketing acumen may be only obvious in retrospect. When the campaign premiered in 2006, Slate called it "mean-spirited" and found "PC" John Hodgman more likable than "Mac" Justin Long.
"Introducing iPad 2" (6.5M views)
Apple stuck with what worked for the iPhone 4 video for the iPad 2. Once again, Jonathan Ive is on hand to talk about how revolutionary the device is, and once again, he's right.
"Meet the iPad" (3.6M views)
By March 2010, everyone knew what the iPad was, but here Apple sought to humanize it, take the fear factor away and present the device as a sort of Teddy Ruxpin for adults.
"iPad Apps" (3.4M views)
One suspects this ad, for a Formula 1 iPad app, did better in markets outside the U.S. Yanks might better recall the company's ubiquitous "There's an app for that" ads instead.
"Think Different" (3M views)
Steve Jobs's second coming began with this corporate "Think Different" campaign which, you may recall, was a plea to break away from the Wintel duopoly. Things are a bit different now.
"iPad is" (2.8M views)
In 30 seconds, Apple answered the question, "So what is that iPad all about anyway?"
"Smile" (2.4M views)
The quintessential Apple ad: A very human moment is translated through new technology.
"We Believe" (2.3M views)
A manifesto of sorts from Apple that, as the video above illustrates, puts human connections before hardware.
Bonus: One from the non-Jobs era.
One from the era between Jobs' dismissal in 1985 and his return in 1996, this Newton ad is illustrative in a few ways. Most notably, it makes a lot of promises. Ads under Jobs lingered much more over features to spotlight what the devices actually could do. The voiceover is also the opposite of warm. It's the hard sell. Jobs' ads never beat you over the head like this one did.
More About: advertising, apple, ipad, iphone, MARKETING, steve jobsFor more Business & Marketing coverage:Follow Mashable Business & Marketing on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Business & Marketing channelDownload our free apps for Android, Mac, iPhone and iPad
Posted on Mon, 29 Aug 2011 23:27:08 +0000 at http://feeds.mashable.com/~r/Mashable/~3/9sDhLPLTF0U/
Comments: http://mashable.com/2011/08/29/viral-apple-ads-jobs/#comments
