Apple
Computer's "1984" TV commercial.
"On
January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you'll
see why 1984 won't be like 1984."
Those
were the words that graced television screens during the 3rd quarter
of the '84 Super Bowl. This ad was broadcast only one time and cost
in the neighborhood of $1 million, which was notoriously expensive
at the time. It became the Advertising
Age "Commercial of the Decade" in the 1980s and subsequently
entered into advertising folklore as creative genius.
Despite
this ad's critical acclaim, I must play the devil's advocate. In
1984, I was a mere 14 years old and not the least bit concerned
about computers or watching sporting events (even the Super Bowl).
I was more concerned with talking on the phone to my teenage friends,
and planning my outfit for the next school day (serious business).
The point I'm trying to make, is that advertising can easily be
disregarded - intentionally or not. The fact that I "missed"
the "1984" spot most likely isn't that big of a deal for
Apple. It's very likely that Apple wasn't looking to target me.
However, I'd be willing to bet there were a significant number of
targeted individuals who either missed, or disregarded the
ad.
Essentially,
an ad's success should be determined based on pre-established criteria
for which it is to be evaluated. One cannot simply say an ad was
effective, without first defining the term effective. So, was Apple's
"1984" spot effective? Did the advertising work? Apple
would say, "yes," I imagine. But, whether or not Apple
considered "1984" successful, we can be sure the advertising
acted as a conduit.
View
some more examples of revered advertising, including the original
VW Bug and "Got Milk?" campaigns.
