Happy 25th, Mac

On this day, January 22 1984, Apple launched the Macintosh personal computer with it's now infamous 1984 Super Bowl advertisement. According to Nielsen Media Research, the ad reached a whopping 46.9 percent of all American households although it did air during the 3rd quarter of a blowout between the Washington Redskins and then Los Angeles Raiders (read between the lines, some people might be concentrating on the dip or taking a siesta at this point). Some more interesting facts, Ridley Scott directed the commercial and then little known ad agency Chiat/Day produced it at a then unheard of enormous budget of $900k. Microsoft's board originally didn't want to air the ad, but eventually gave in. As a refresher, the ad is a take on George Orwell's book "1984" in which Big Brother takes over and is shown on a huge television screen. In the ad, a heroine comes to the rescue and throws a sledgehammer through the TV screen meant to show how Apple will shatter conformity in support of individualism. The commercial concludes with text which reads: "On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you'll see why 1984 won't be like 1984." 25 years later, do you think Apple has followed through on their original promise?

-posted by Andrew