Forbes: The Real Story Behind Apple's Think Different Campaign

Rob Siltanen, former creative director and managing partner at TBWA/Chiat/Day, recounts the real story behind Apple's Think Different campaign.

Siltanen says he was prompted to write the account after Walter Isaacson's recent Steve Jobs biography "incorrectly suggests Jobs created and wrote much of the 'To the crazy ones' launch commercial."

Steve was highly involved with the advertising and every facet of Apple's business. But he was far from the mastermind behind the renowned launch spot. In fact, he was blatantly harsh on the commercial that would eventually play a pivotal role in helping Apple achieve one of the greatest corporate turnarounds in business history. As you'll learn later in my account, the soul of the original "The crazy ones" script I presented to Jobs, as well as the original beginning and ending of the celebrated script, all ultimately stayed in place, even though Jobs initially called the script "shit." I've also read a few less than correct accounts on how the "Think Different" campaign was originally conceived. While several people played prominent parts in making it happen, the famous "Think Different" line and the brilliant concept of putting the line together with black and white photographs of time-honored visionaries was invented by an exceptionally creative person, and dear friend, by the name of Craig Tanimoto, a TBWA/Chiat/Day art director at the time.


Hit the link below to read Siltanen's full seven page account of what happened.

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Note: Brightwurks has designed a poster depicted the now famous words of the "Here's to the Crazy Ones" Apple commercial.