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Library/Campaign/Apple Think Different
Grade B20 sourcesHIS-01458

Apple Think Different

Campaign · 1997 · Notable

43Editable slideCertificate

A 60-second Apple TV ad inspired parodies and later tributes to Steve Jobs.

Clip · Vimeo
A Think Different street advertisement photographed in 1997; CC BY-SA 4.0.
Nikopol-h / Wikimedia Commons
"Think Different" ad perfectly describes Steve Jobs' life on earth
CBS News
Think Different | Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum
Apple to celebrate 50 years of thinking different
Apple
Remembering Dantz Development’s “Drink Different” Posters - TidBITS
TidBITS / reader discussion

Spread Score

How it works
ReachNo data yetContagion35Breadth50VelocityNo data yetLongevityNo data yet43

Numbers

Seed to milestone
11 months
Sep 28 ’97 to Aug 29 ’98
Platforms
3
Started on TV
Origin
Paid
Technology

Mechanics

  • Identity badgePrimary
  • Catchphrase
  • Platform jump
  • Controversy

How it spread

Trace the origin

Apple launched a paid TV campaign and offered a QuickTime copy. Its posters inspired Dantz and Church of Satan parodies. The ad won an Emmy and later returned in tributes to Jobs.

Documented milestone; not a measured attention peak.

Sep ’96Nov ’97Jan ’99Jul ’00Jun ’02Jun ’06Feb ’11Jul ’14Sep ’18Sep ’20Jan ’24Nov ’26PressTVOpen web
PressTVOpen web

13 more events on this chart

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Timeline (16)

  1. September 1997

    Apple precursor · Sep 26 ’97

    Apple announced two scheduled placements during ABC's Sunday broadcast of Toy Story.[1]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. Apple / TBWA\Chiat\Day seed · Sep 28 ’97

    Apple aired the 60-second Crazy Ones spot during Toy Story on ABC.[1][2]

  3. October 1997

    Wired press · Oct 3 ’97

    Wired criticized the campaign's use of famous rebels and questioned its effect on sales.[3]

  1. owner response · Oct 14 ’97

  2. owner response · Nov 10 ’97

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Why it worked

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Origin
Paid
Sector
Technology
Region
US
Reported figure
—
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

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The sci-fi film opened to $27.8 million domestically, then spread via DVDs and imitation.

$472.4M box office

1 / 8

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