The impact of Apple’s 1984 Superbowl commercial can’t be overstated. It has been named a watershed event, and named the commercial of a decade. The commercial has been credited with pushing societal perception of computers from scary industry tools to accessible – and fun – devices for home use. The commercial certainly contributed to Apple’s bottom line and paved the way for the company’s brand and identity as an accessible, empowering, and game-changing technology company.
The Rise of The Home Computer
Prior to the release of the Mac – heralded by this iconic commercial, computers WERE industry-specific, huge, unwieldy, and required incredibly specialized skill-sets to learn. Apple’s intent with the Mac was to create a computer that was both affordable and useful for everyone. Steve Jobs referred to the Mac as the beginning of, “the democratization of technology,” which, indeed, it turned out to be.