Apple’s “Think Different”: The Campaign That Saved a Brand

By the mid-1990s, Apple was on the brink of collapse. Sales were slumping, Microsoft dominated the market, and the once-innovative company looked like it had lost its soul. Then came a campaign so bold, so simple, that it reshaped the brand forever: Think Different.

The Problem Apple Faced

Apple needed more than sales. They needed an identity. The brand had become just another struggling tech company, with nothing to distinguish it from the sea of beige PCs.

The Idea

Launched in 1997, “Think Different” didn’t focus on specs, processors, or even the products themselves. Instead, it celebrated visionaries: Einstein, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., Picasso, Amelia Earhart, and others. The message? Apple wasn’t just a computer company. It was the tool for dreamers, rebels, and creators.

Why It Worked

• Emotional Positioning: Apple sold inspiration, not hardware.

• Tribal Identity: It framed Apple users as part of a movement: “the crazy ones.”

• Simplicity: A minimalist black-and-white ad with a single tagline became unforgettable.

The Results

• It reignited loyalty among Apple fans.

• Positioned the brand as premium and different.

• Paved the way for future hits like the iPod, iPhone, and iPad; products that matched the philosophy of creativity and nonconformity.

The Lesson for Businesses

You don’t always have to sell the product. Sell the meaning behind it. People don’t just buy what you sell; they buy what it says about them.

The Takeaway:

Apple’s turnaround didn’t start with a gadget. It started with a story. Sometimes, the boldest move in marketing isn’t about the product at all, it’s about the people you want to reach.