Friday, January 23, 2009
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Apple Inc. had gone through some hard times. In 1985, CEO Steve Jobs left Apple, and their sales--as well as their image--plummeted. However, when Jobs returned to Apple after his interregnum, he came back with a bang. In late 1997, Apple reinvented their slogan and ad campaign: thus, the Think Different ad was born.
Its claim is Apple products are different from the other computer companies at the time because of their deviation from that generation's popular consumer technology, and by being different, they are therefore superior.
The above ad is one of many in the series (in their other campaigns, they've used other iconic creative thinkers, such as John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Jim Hensen, Ghandi, etc). Albert Einstein, a man notable for his genius mind and his thinking outside of the box concerning things like science and creativity, is more than just a poster child for this ad. He's the physical embodiment of what Apple is saying (their ethos): they're inventive, they're unique, they're not accepted by the norm, and, according some enthusiasts, they are genius in their design and nature. The stark contrast with the black and white portrait juxtaposed with the bright, rainbow-colored Apple logo is shouting Apple's appeal to themselves as standing out of the crowd, as thinking and being different from the rest of the market. It should be noted that, although it is grammatically incorrect to say "think different," as it should be "differently," the slogan is most certainly done intentionally as a way to convey it as a relative noun than an adverb.
(Posted by Michelle Dyer)
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Apple also got some flack (as you probably know from researching this ad) for the grammatical incorrectness of "think different." As you explain: "think different" makes think an adjective modifying a noun rather than an adverb (differently) modifying a verb (think). Significant? Maybe. To me, at least, the difference is--think of something different rather than think about something differently--a minor detail but does this make a difference in interpretation? Apple sure thought so. (Or does it just sound better?)
ReplyDeleteYour analysis of ethos is dead-on. Apple isn't promoting their computers; they're promoting the company on a bigger picture level than just a particular product. It's a lifestyle. Windows is stagnant, predictable...ordinary, boring people use Windows. People who are creative, out-side-the-box thinkers use Apple. I'm totally sold.
Really good job on your analysis here.