On this day, January 22, 1984, the Apple Macintosh TV commercial aired during Super Bowl XVIII.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Fri Jan 24, 2020: On January 22, 1984, Apple made the only nationwide airing of its "1984" TV commercial.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_22

• 1984 – The Apple Macintosh, the first consumer computer to popularize the computer mouse and the graphical user interface, is introduced during a Super Bowl XVIII television commercial.

1984 Apple's Macintosh Commercial (HD)

Mac History
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4,310,342 views Feb 1, 2012
https://www.mac-history.net/2011/07/12/1984-the-famous-super-bowl-spot/

"1984" is an American television commercial which introduced the Apple Macintosh personal computer for the first time. It was conceived by Steve Hayden, Brent Thomas and Lee Clow at Chiat/Day, Venice, produced by New York production company Fairbanks Films, and directed by Ridley Scott. Anya Major performed as the unnamed heroine and David Graham as Big Brother. Its only U.S. daytime televised broadcast was on January 22, 1984 during and as part of the telecast of the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII. Chiat/Day also ran the ad one other time on television, in December 1983 right before the 1:00 am sign-off on KMVT in Twin Falls, Idaho, so that the advertisement could be submitted to award ceremonies for that year.

In addition, starting on January 17, 1984 it was screened prior to previews in movie theaters for a few weeks. It has since been seen on television commercial compilation specials, as well as in "Retro-mercials" on TV Land. The estate of George Orwell and the television rightsholder to the novel 1984 considered the commercial to be a flagrant copyright infringement, and sent a cease-and-desist letter to Apple and Chiat/Day in April 1984. The commercial was never televised as a commercial after that.

Ads |Apple History | Mac | Mac History
“1984? – The famous Super Bowl Spot

By Christoph
12. July 2011

“1984” is an American television commercial which introduced the Apple Macintosh personal computer for the first time. It was conceived by Steve Hayden, Brent Thomas and Lee Clow at Chiat/Day, Venice, produced by New York production company Fairbanks Films, and directed by Ridley Scott. Anya Major performed as the unnamed heroine and David Graham as Big Brother.

{snip}

1984 (advertisement)



Still image from the advertisement

Directed by: Ridley Scott
Written by:
Steve Hayden (copywriter)
Lee Clow (creative director)
Brent Thomas (art director)
Starring:
Anya Major
David Graham
Edward Grover (voiceover)
Cinematography Adrian Biddle
Edited by: Pamela Power
Production companies: Fairbanks Films, New York
Distributed by: Apple Computer Inc.
Release dates: December 31, 1983 (local broadcast in Idaho); January 22, 1984 (only national broadcast)
Running time: 1 minute
Budget: $370,000 – $900,000

"1984" is an American television commercial that introduced the Apple Macintosh personal computer. It was conceived by Steve Hayden, Brent Thomas and Lee Clow at Chiat/Day, produced by New York production company Fairbanks Films, and directed by Ridley Scott. English athlete Anya Major performed as the unnamed heroine and David Graham as Big Brother. In the US, it first aired in 10 local outlets, including Twin Falls, Idaho, where Chiat/Day ran the ad on December 31, 1983, at the last possible break before midnight on KMVT, so that the advertisement qualified for the 1984 Clio Awards. Its second televised airing, and only US national airing, was on January 22, 1984, during a break in the third quarter of the telecast of Super Bowl XVIII by CBS.

{snip}

[Auggie]

1. Ad also ran on local Bay Area TV

I saw it during a local news broadcast a few days before the Super Bowl. I think it was KPIX. I worked in advertising and was keenly aware of unusual commercials at the time. It literally took my breath away. I’ve never seen this airing reported but it happened.

The following week the agency creative director had a copy of the spot sent to our offices and the entire creative department, plus any interested account people, watched it over and over. It’s impact changed the ad world.

[FalloutShelter]

2. Never knew who has directed this.

Two words… Ridley Scott.
Now I understand how it looked as stunning as it did and still does.