This Apple manifesto began as a series of television and print commercials back in 1997. It was created by the advertising agency TBWA/Chiat/Day.
Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can praise them, disagree with them, quote them, disbelieve them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They invent. They imagine. They heal. They explore. They create. They inspire. They push the human race forward.
Maybe they have to be crazy.
How else can you stare at an empty canvas and see a work of art? Or sit in silence and hear a song that’s never been written? Or gaze at a red planet and see a laboratory on wheels?
While some see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Think_Different
This manifesto is a call to action for both consumers and employees.
Interestingly, Steve Jobs had returned to the Apple fold the year before this ad campaign was created.
And, I can imagine Steve Jobs still playing this ad at the start of each day to inspire his team to new heights.
Also, notice even though this is an ad, there is no mention of ‘computers’ in the manifesto. Manifestos are not specific sales pitches. They’re high level, visionary statements of general intent.
What do you think?
Is this merely a clever ad or is it a potent manifesto?
Does it have more or less power because it was created by a corporation?
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I remember sitting in the audience of an Apple Roadshow in The Netherlands some years ago.
This was before Mac's became really mainstream, and the audience consisted of about 500 graphics, sound, TV, creatives.
Toward the end of all the demos and sales pitches, they ran this old sales video.
When it finished, there was complete silence.
Then, to a man (and woman) the whole audience leapt to its feet, waving their arms around, cheering.
There was such a sense of "Yes, that's me, and I'm part of this thing!"
Apple evangelism at its best!