Apple Macintosh – best ever print ads

With Macintosh fans celebrating today’s 30^th anniversary of Apple’s groundbreaking computer, Solopress fondly look back at the Mac’s best ever print ads…

Firmly established as the graphic designer’s personal computer of choice, the Apple Macintosh has unsurprisingly always made a big splash in the world of print advertising too. Even today, Apple Inc. doesn’t rely on the likes of Facebook or Twitter to promote the company’s latest hotware.

Test drive a Macintosh.

Images Source: Marketing Directo and Reddit

Here are two of the early Macintosh print ads, tempting people into actually trying Apple’s new home and business computer for the first time. The first ad employs bold imagery to set the scene and grab the viewer’s attention. This was then expanded upon by a more detailed, persuasive column of PR blurb in the second ad – pitching Apple’s clever gimmick of a ‘desktop computer test drive’ to prospective punters. It’s easy to forget that the Mac was a truly revolutionary experience for many microcomputer vets in 1984, let alone the general public. Prior to the Mac, computers didn’t even usually have a mouse to control them.

I think, therefore iMac.

Image Source: Advertolog

This 1999 billboard advert for the Apple iMac by ad agency TBWA is a playful dig at Ogilvy & Mather’s ‘I think, therefore IBM.’ advertising slogan from 1988. This advertising agency has enjoyed a long and successful collaboration with Apple over the years. The Los Angeles offices of TBWA\Chiat\Day also created the famous ‘Think different.’ ad slogan for Apple back in 1997 (see below for more details).

PC vs. Mac

Image Source: Reddit

Peep Show comedy actors David Mitchell and Robert Webb appeared in the British versions of Apple’s popular and long-running PC vs. Mac print, TV and cinema advertising campaign.

Chic. Not geek.

Image Source: Mac Life

iMac was the beginning of Apple’s product and marketing strategy to move away from the hardcore Macintosh users and court the masses for those really big buck$. This, of course, culminated in the development and release of the iPod, iTunes, iPhone and iPad – and Apple’s multi-billion-dollar domination of the music player, apps, smartphone and tablet markets over the past decade.

Think different.

Image Source: This is not ADVERTISING

The critically-acclaimed Think Different  series of print advertisements and promotional posters, once again devised by TBWA\Chiat\Day, associated Apple with famous people of note such as Albert Einstein, Alfred Hitchcock, Amelia Earhart, Charlie Chaplin, Frank Sinatra, Orson Welles and Pablo Picasso.

iCandy.

Image Source: Marketing Directo

The colourful variations available in the iMac range were beautifully illustrated in this striking billboard and print ad campaign by Apple.