Branding · Global · 1997
Apple: Think Different
With Apple near collapse, Steve Jobs relaunched the brand by celebrating people rather than computers.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readTBWA\Chiat\DayBranding · Campaigns
- Brand
- Apple
- Market
- Global
- Year
- 1997
- Category
- Branding
- Agency or team
- TBWA\Chiat\Day
- Channels
- TV, print, outdoor
The context
Apple was losing money and market share, and its brand stood for nothing clear.
Apple needed to stand for creativity again.
The move
TBWA\Chiat\Day created “Think Different”, featuring Einstein, Gandhi, Picasso and others, with the “Here’s to the crazy ones” script and no product.
How it was executed
- Featured iconic thinkers and creators.
- Used the ‘Here’s to the crazy ones’ script.
- Showed no products at all.
With Apple near collapse, Steve Jobs relaunched the brand by celebrating people rather than computers.
What happened Reported facts
The campaign won an Emmy and restored a sense of what Apple stood for, ahead of the iMac’s launch in 1998.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
It defined Apple’s values before its new products arrived.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01When the product isn’t ready, define the values.
- 02Say who you are for.
- 03Tie the brand to a belief, then ship products that prove it.
Indian brands in transition can restate their values before the product changes land.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: Apple; Television Academy (1998). Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with Apple.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
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