There were no surprises today when Apple announced that it has climbed back in the saddle with TBWA Chiat/Day, the ad agency that created the legendary "1984" TV commercial. However, the rejoining of the forces that focused the world's imagination on the Macintosh over a decade ago poses a slew of questions about just what the two can do to shine up Apple's image.
Back in the good old days, Apple's message was clear and simple: The Mac, like the muscle-bound woman in the commercial who smashed the mind-controlling video screen and gave choice to the drones in the commercial, brought OS freedom to the people. The commercial aired only once, during the 1984 Super Bowl.
Just what Apple's message is today - amid this week's US$150 million deal that partners the once-defiant underdog with its arch nemesis, Microsoft - seems difficult to define. The company has been struggling for months to strip away the distracting outer layers of its business and return to its core markets of education and design. But recent ad campaigns, created by BBDO, have not targeted those customers.
Perhaps TBWA can pull a magic message out of its hat, but it seems logical that Apple, perhaps with the help of a new CEO, will first have to decide how to portray itself as a niche player in a Microsoft-dominated world. Then maybe it can put to good use the estimated $80 million it will allot the agency.
