Four decades ago, Apple delivered the groundbreaking "1984" commercial during the Super Bowl, setting a precedent that has yet to be matched. This ad not only revolutionized Super Bowl advertising but also redefined the potential of marketing campaigns to captivate, engage and hold the attention of a mass audience on the biggest stage possible. Its narrative depth, coupled with a daring critique of conformity, introduced a new era of storytelling in advertising, one where creativity and message outweighed the mere showcasing of a product or the dazzling display of star power. And it paid off. In 1984’s pre-Internet, pre-social media, Apple earned $5 million in free television time with post-Super Bowl news discussion across the three networks at the time. Importantly, Apple sold $155 million worth of Macintoshes in the 3 months following the Super Bowl. Apple become the new kid on the block giving IBM a run for their money.
Forty Years Later: Lessons from Apple's 1984 as We Reflect on the Celebrity-Driven Ads of Super Bowl 2024
