Should Apple be reviving the 'think different' campaign?

It was an iconic and seminal campaign - and done again in within Apple new marketing guidelines - with a cleaner style using the new apple logo and actually placing the product within it I think it would be back with a vengeance.

It's certainly somethin`g that would work effectively on the back of a campaign revolving around the new OS / hardware.

It would be a simple profile raising campaign - windows users with iPods would feel more of an affinity with the brand because they've had a taste of a great product / it would breed a sense of brand loyalty with them. Potential 'switchers' would already have had the hard sell and , again - feel more compelled to switch through the iconic imagery - in exactly the same way iPod ads have tapped directly into the younger market and cornered it.

More people than ever know the brand - and backing it up with an aspirational message such as 'think different' - with the same 'on message' direction as this previous ad (link below) - would be perfect in the current zeitgeist for Apple.

Finish it with the same end screen but subtitle it with '...With The Makers Of iPod / Mac / OS X www.thinkdifferent.com'.

http://www.applele.com/thinkdifferent_02.html

I'm no marketing expert
but they'd have to put a unique spin on it if they did go [back] to that ad campaign.

I'd be nervous about consumers/industry seeing it as a recycled campaign, saving money/ad dollars, etc. Just seems to me like reusing an old marketing 'gimick' could look weak, not brilliant as Apple obviously is...

just my $.02 of course

well if they do the Think different campaign with the "Halo" switchers the ones who bought an iPod then got a Mac?? :)

or Advertise the Mac Mini, and the new iMac G5. Not just the iPod

I say, a little less spin and promote the desktop hardware some more instead of just the iPod.

I say, a little less spin and promote the desktop hardware some more instead of just the iPod.

Agreed. :)

Quiksan - I agree - the relaunch of an old campaign would (and should) be used as a marketing tool in itself. I'm sure a hard launch of such a campaign with a 'mini event' would see off any detractors.

Oscar - thats the idea - back up good marketing of Apple products (and I agree marketing of other products by Apple is long overdue) with marketing of the same quality which reflects the brand ethos.

Showing that a computer is fast just doesn't matter any more - Apple are in a unique position where they have a strong digital hub (iLife), so they can show off what a user can actually DO with a computer, and how they they can easily do it.

Apple then push the idea that they 'understand' us - but at the same time they know we want to do cool and imaginative things - that we all want to think different - and Apple know how they can help us do that.

'Think Different' isn't so far away from 'Your Potential, Our Passion' or 'Start Something'... but 'Think Different' already has more gravity (lent to it by the various people in the ads), more iconic status (people actually own and display think different posters in their homes!) and totally fits with the idea od 'Apple cool'.

It's certainly spin - but its the right kind of spin.

I was thinking.. does anybody think this thread should go in O&O L?

(Opinions & Open Letters)

Ah, Thanks! I see it is moved. I found this. Kind of neat

http://www.esm.psu.edu/Faculty/Gray/graphics/movies/Think-Different.mov

All I recall is the one lame PowerMac commercial with the kid being thrown against the tree and the wrecked house. All the new hardware since then, iMac, Mini, and the PowerMac need to have more exposure. A lot of people are in the dark "still" about the Mac.

A marketing campaign of any kind for Macintosh Computers, OS X or iLife is NONEXISTENT. There is no print, TV and minimal magazine advertising! This is unacceptable! Apple's market machine is geared for iPods only with some overtones to iTunes. I would blame the advertising agency for Apple but I think with Steve's micro control, the blame is on Apple as a company. Market share will not move with any significance without a GOOD advertising push.

http://www.esm.psu.edu/Faculty/Gray/movies.html

nearly all the apple adverts. some are good, very stylish presentations of hardware. other play on facts (G4 Yikes! weapons-grade processors etc) and others are down right awful. mostly good though

I think that Apple had a stronghold on the market before, during, and after Christmas with showing off iPods and marketing their colorfull, younger-audience inspired iPod adds. And they did a good job of it. Who doesn't know what an iPod is by now? Hell, the word "iPod" is almost becoming synonymous with the words "Mp3 Player". I just wish I had invested money into Apple before the holiday season... :( But now is time for some change. Apple is going to start declining in market share if they don't start up marketing campaigns on things like the ones mentioned before; iMacs, PowerBooks, iBooks, Mini's, etc. Apple could seriously take off from the popularity of the iPod as a firm-ground unto the population.

I think that the idea of bringing back the Switch campaign again in a different form wouldn't be the greatest idea. Sure, it might grab some people, but I think that Apple now has enough audience recognition to just advertise as a singular company, with no intervention into the realm of "switching". They could market their great and superior product to the masses in just the new-age way they did with the iPod commercials.

Just think of the impact an Apple-style iMac ad would make... :p

EDIT: Oh, and the Think Different advertising. I personally like the idea, but I don't think it would appeal to the masses again. It's just a little too old to bring back now.

Here is another idea too for Apple.


Starts including all their entry level (iBook/Mac Mini) computers with 512MB of RAM and offered more discounts, not just student, i think a lot of people will be switching.

Also promote the Games on the System!!! Granted there are a few Mac Gamers out there....I am one of them and I will proudly admit it. There are a ton of Apple Games out there, it's just nobody knows where to get them, get some deals with EB Games to start carrying Macintosh Games as well. :D

Why would you try to lure gamers? They're exactly the ones who DISLIKE Macs, and who are knowledgeable enough to know that it's realistically not the platform for them.

Apple should advertise the iMac. A lot. Most people still associate the iMac name with the old five-flavours. They didn't know about the G4 and they don't know about the G5. People don't know that Apple really competes in the computer arena anymore.
Advertise to the old folks who are fed up with viruses, and who are keen to use iMovie, iPhoto etc. Not just the hipsters.

Apple should advertise the iMac. A lot. Most people still associate the iMac name with the old five-flavours.

I completely agree.

^^ too true - i recently convinced a friend of mine to get an imac g5 - she just wants music, photo's, internet etc. she wouldn't beleive she could get such a good computer for so little. plus she wouldn't beleive me when i said there wasn't a seperate box for the computer. the imac is very cheap, and very good.

Ah, Thanks! I see it is moved. I found this. Kind of neat

http://www.esm.psu.edu/Faculty/Gray/graphics/movies/Think-Different.mov

I've had to edit this so as not to offend the guy below who can't take a joke or apology.

I didn't like the ad shown above, visually it's good, what it says is good, but it's very American, and I don't mean it in a bad way, some ads can be run here in the UK without re-dubbing the audio, but this one wouldn't work as well. That's not a critique of anyone, or any country, just an observation.

wow!...

fjdouse - how can you call jack kerouac cheesy?!... it made you want to vomit?!?!

hahahahahaha!!!!

Oh it was, all it needed was kids singing in the background, cheesy. Maybe it's a cultural difference. :-)

http://www.esm.psu.edu/Faculty/Gray/graphics/movies/Gates-Praising-the-Macintosh.mov

Now THAT's a good one, note the look in his eyes in the last second, it says a lot.

i wouldn't call one of the greatest literally minds of modern times cheesy or vomit enducing - but then one mans art is another mans trash i guess... then theres those who just don't 'get it' or even try to get it...

the text is a perfect fit for apples own ethos - the steve jobs talk at stanford recently (which iteself carries quotes) echoes a lot of what its about at its root.

"Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules, and they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them; disagree with them; glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do."

stay hungry, stay foolish....

Oh dear, I can see you're trying to pick an arguement. I wasn't talking about what was being said, rather the cheesy way in which it was presented, which you've missed. Certain styles will only go down well in given countries, while being laughed at in others.

Heavens above! Are you being serious? you want to argue over an old ad? If so, perhaps you should find the appropriate forum to debate it in, and someone who actually cares to debate it with. :-)

By the way, didn't you ever learn as a child that it's not nice to be rude.

erm...o...k...?...

'...Oh dear, I can see you're trying to pick an arguement...'

calm down - its only the internet! - its very telling you had to edit your post though! you must have had a mighty chip on your shoulder to come back to it!

'...Are you being serious? you want to argue over an old ad?...you should find the appropriate forum to debate it in...'

actually, yes - thats why I started this thread!!!

doh!

........

back on topic - or - back on the straight path...

the iTMS is carrying a new coldplay / itunes tv advert - i havent actually seen it on tv yet. its of the ilk of those ads that are for musicians but made by the likes of hmv etc - i always used to think that apple should make those sort of ads and it looks like they are - though its still all about music / ipods and not OS / computer hardware.

erm...o...k...?...

'...Oh dear, I can see you're trying to pick an arguement...'

calm down - its only the internet! - its very telling you had to edit your post though! you must have had a mighty chip on your shoulder to come back to it!

I came back to it because I wanted to make sure my comments were appropriate, and focussed - I hope that doesn't offend you, I do it all the time. In fact, I wanted to make sure I didn't offend you, you seem quite emotional about this, if I did upset you, I'm so sorry. I don't need to "calm down" because you're picking up on something which isn't there, I'm afraid. Perhaps you are agitated because I didn't like that little advert?

Comments like "theres those who just don't 'get it' or even try to get it..." and "stay hungry, stay foolish...." as well as being overtly negative are also readable as a little personal dig and makes me think you need to chill a bit, and I mean it in the most friendly manner.


'...Are you being serious? you want to argue over an old ad?...you should find the appropriate forum to debate it in...'

actually, yes - thats why I started this thread!!!

doh!


mmh, like I said, perhaps you should chill my friend. Theres a difference between a debate and an arguement for the sake of arguement, you seem interested in the latter, I'll be the adult here and bail out. Enjoy your adverts :)

fjdouse - seriously - i find it incredibly difficult to get overly emotional - or indeed take personally the things said by / over what faceless users of a website forum say! nothing you've said is actually of much interest to the topic at hand but instead has shown your own LACK of cultural reference.

you talk of debate and correct forums for it, but your only real contribution to the actual topic has been -

'Foul! So much cheese, ham and apple pie in one go I almost vomitted.'

hmm - a nice and constructive - well thought out, clear and focused contribution! nothing overtly negative about that! it's a pity you didnt think to go back and edit that post! thanks!

if the day ever came where i took a forum as seriously as you like to think i do - i'd take myself out into the sunshine and try and connect with real people more often!

though i must say you've taken a few things i said personally - to pick up on the things YOU have picked up on... - a general comment i made about 'people who get it and people who don't' which is just a re-phrasing of 'one mans art is another mans trash' - unless you simply dont agree with that statement?...

and 'stay hungry, stay foolish' - again, you seem to have taken this as a personal dig at you! when it couldnt be further from that! it's lengthy to go into here - but google it and you'll see why i wrote that at the end of that particular post - in reference to the quote i pasted within it.

'...heres to the crazy ones, think different - stay hungry, stay foolish...'

in fact - you probably won't do that as you've said you're bailing out of this thread...

ho hum...

*and if you are reading this - 'ho hum' is in no way a dig at you...*

--------------

back to topic now?!...

ok, you're almost ranting now, you can't seem to take an apology, I can only say sorry so many times before even my patience wears out. I'm sorry if I offended you, no go back to your philosophical dissection of adverts in peace and get over it.

I've re-edited the post which upset you, sorry again.

well done on the climnb down! your re-edit of the post sure beats your original single line of -

'Foul! So much cheese, ham and apple pie in one go I almost vomitted.'

i agree with you one one aspect - such an advert played in the uk (or other non-north american english speaking country) would need to be re-recorded.

as an advertising writer / designer myself (hence the 'philosophical dissection of adverts'!! meh!) i've worked with clients where the tone of delivery is sometimes more important than imagary in some regions.

however - theres a current range of ads by honda in the uk which are massively popular - delivered in a very similar VO stlye - but yet they are still very popular. brand awareness of honda on the back of those adverts has risen considerably - and theres actually very little product placement or 'sell'.

the think different campaign and the recent stay hungry, stay foolish speech by steve jobs reminds me very much of a 'music' single that went number one in the uk called something along the lines of 'wear sunscreen'. again that was delivered in a very similar style to the think different ad and the honda ads.

if you read my original thread starting post you'll see that i think that the think different campaign would work perfectly as a brand builder (so you have more people thinking of apple as more than just the maker of ipods) - but only on the back of ads that feature hardware and the OS. an entire (and long running) campaign.

the new ads that are currently being filmed (apparently) using ames rooms seem like they will be squarely pushing the mac mini - probably the nearest peice of computer hardware to the ipod in the apple line-up. i just hope that apple dont spend alot of money building and filming these ads and then only showing them a couple of times...

the windows 'start something' ads are already appearing in a big way - and are pretty misleading regarding that actual abilities of the windows OS. Apple needs to jump all over this and tout the macs / the OS / iLife...

I have to say, there was a time when I really liked Apple's ads. I had them on Zip disks back then... There was one demo movie on an Apple "Multimedia" CD (promoting Quicktime, I guess...) that I liked especially, but I can't seem to find it _anywhere_. It was called "Momentum Mac". If anybody has a link to that or has the video... (It was rather big, I recall...)