Abstract created by Sensible Solutions AI
In abstract:
- Macworld explores Apple’s deep Tremendous Bowl connection, from the enduring 1984 Macintosh industrial directed by Ridley Scott to turning into halftime present sponsor in 2023.
- Apple’s legendary Tremendous Bowl XVIII advert launched the Macintosh and revolutionized industrial promoting, although the follow-up Lemmings advert failed critically.
- Apple’s sponsorship now promotes Apple Music by main artists like Rihanna and Unhealthy Bunny, demonstrating the corporate’s strategic use of cultural occasions.
Computer systems and sports activities–two issues that ought to by no means be appreciated collectively, in case you settle for the high-school stereotypes about jocks versus nerds. In the present day we reside in a post-Moneyball world the place nerds with computer systems have quantified each side of athletic efficiency. However again in 1984, who would have anticipated that the massive winner of the Tremendous Bowl could be… Apple Laptop?
Nevertheless it’s true: Apple and the Tremendous Bowl have been making milestones for many years. It’s a nerds-and-jocks love story for the ages, besides today it’s extra about musicians than jocks. Let’s take a look at Apple’s lengthy historical past with the Tremendous Bowl.
The industrial period
In fact, we start with probably the most well-known industrial in Tremendous Bowl historical past: Apple’s “1984” advert. It aired throughout Tremendous Bowl XVIII, by which the Los Angeles Raiders defeated the Washington Redskins 38 to 9. (That recreation kicked off a run of 5 straight Tremendous Bowl blow-outs. It wasn’t an excellent Tremendous Bowl Period.)
However Apple’s advert, directed by Ridley Scott, obtained everybody speaking–and prolonged past the sport, with information tales discussing its shocking influence. I can’t say for certain, but it surely feels just like the cultural influence of the “1984” advert helped create your entire idea of the tentpole Tremendous Bowl industrial, high-concept and high-priced productions designed to get individuals speaking exterior the sport itself.
Lately, these sorts of advert campaigns are in all places. Within the weeks earlier than the Tremendous Bowl, adverts start to look which are merely trailers for forthcoming Tremendous Bowl advert campaigns. Within the months afterward, these Tremendous Bowl adverts typically get chopped up into smaller bits and recycled to assist make the economics work.
Apple’s “1984” advert wasn’t like that. Whereas it was designed to tease the introduction of the unique Macintosh–and what a contemporary idea that’s, an advert that’s teasing the longer term launch of an unannounced product–it was meant to face alone. Scott’s industrial, that includes grey faces in rows listening to a Large Brother rant as a girl in colourful garments runs in gradual movement, chased by jack-booted thugs, performed on (and amplified!) Apple’s status as a special type of firm.
It looks like Apple’s board and its CEO, John Sculley, hated the advert. Steve Jobs liked it, as a result of it was precisely his vibe: Apple as iconoclastic insurgent, altering the world by the discharge of a really completely different type of laptop, the Mac.
In fact, the following 12 months, Apple blew it.
Because the San Francisco 49ers defeated the Miami Dolphins in Tremendous Bowl XIX, Apple aired the baffling advert “Lemmings,” directed by Ridley Scott’s brother Tony. It’s obtained the identical discordant soundtrack, the identical grim manufacturing design…it’s very clear that the transient was “let’s try this ‘1984’ advert once more.” The advert contains a bunch of blindfolded individuals in enterprise apparel marching in a type of suicidal conga line till they plunge over a cliff one after the other, all whereas whistling off-key “Excessive-Ho” from “Snow White.”
The “Lemmings” voiceover, designed to reflect the voiceover on the finish of “1984,” as a substitute introduces one thing known as The Macintosh Workplace. Don’t fret in case you’ve by no means heard of the Macintosh Workplace, as a result of it by no means actually shipped. Moreover, it was only a enterprise bundle consisting of Macs, a file server (that by no means materialized), and a LaserWriter.
Pause for a second and marvel at simply how badly the company fits misunderstood the ability of “1984,” which confirmed a dystopia ready to be disrupted by a revolutionary new product. They took the trimmings of that advert and as a substitute made it a few difficult enterprise {hardware} bundle and portrayed the potential consumers as lemmings strolling mindlessly over a cliff. A enterprise {hardware} bundle! Why! What a catastrophe!
The Apple Music period
Please pause whereas we fast-forward from the period of Joe Montana to the period of Patrick Mahomes. (Sure, I’m skipping over the “HAL” industrial that aired throughout Tremendous Bowl XXXIII in 1999.) Years later, Apple re-engaged with America’s huge recreation, because the title sponsor of the Tremendous Bowl halftime present starting with Tremendous Bowl LVII in 2023. (For the file, it was a taut 38 to 35 win for Kansas Metropolis over the Philadelphia Eagles.)
Apple changed the earlier title sponsor, Pepsi, utilizing the halftime leisure showcase to hyperlink distinguished artists with its personal music streaming service. The headliner of the primary halftime was Rihanna, and it gained two Emmy awards.
Since then, the Apple Music Halftime Present has simply sped onward. In 2024, Usher headlined (and Kansas Metropolis beat the 49ers, 25 to 22 in additional time). In 2025, it was Kendrick Lamar (and the Eagles gained their revenge by beating Kansas Metropolis by 18 factors).
Which brings us to this 12 months. Apple’s particular halftime visitor is Puerto Rican celebrity Unhealthy Bunny, who will develop into the primary Spanish-language performer to headline a Tremendous Bowl halftime.
As you may count on, Apple enjoys having its model be a serious a part of such an enormous occasion, and Apple executives are often noticed on the recreation. Final 12 months, CEO Tim Cook dinner and Apple Music chief Eddy Cue [hung out in the French Quarter ahead of the game at the Caesar’s Superdome in New Orleans, and two years ago they were in Las Vegas hanging out with, among other people, Bad Bunny! The plot thickens.
This year, Apple will undoubtedly be all over the event, because the Super Bowl is taking place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, only about six miles away from Apple Park as the crow flies. The real question is, will there be a fancy party at Apple Park for the NFL and music crowd? I wouldn’t put it past Eddy Cue.
