1949, George Orwell published his most popular novel called “1984”. The novel is set in a dystopia where there’s a strict ruling party that the “Big Brother” dictates. This Big Brother has the control over all of his people through technology. There are telescreens everywhere that monitors citizens. Everybody is the victim of “the Party’s” rules, and everybody is basically the same.
In 1984, Apple introduced its first Macintosh computer with a powerful commercial that was referring to Orwell’s novel. You can watch the video below. 1970’s were the times people were becoming familiar with the concept of personal computers. Thus, to convince them that this product is much different than other technologies, and that it’ll be a “personal” product, the marketing strategies were towards this idea.
What’s so unique about this ad is that they never show you the product. This proves the significance of marketing to get the customers attention; it is not solely dependent on the product itself. By promoting this lifestyle and the idea of computers that are “personal”, Macintosh introduces a revolutionary product. Another important point about this ad is that it suggests that it will free people by selling a mass-produced product. However, today, we say that everyone’s becoming identical and too reliant on these technologies rather than being unique.
One thing I found out in researching the ad (you definitely got me intrigued) is that before the Macintosh, computers were large and used by corporations, a symbol of totalitarianism that the ad references. In fact, going back further, IBM supplied the early mechanical computers that generated the tattoos used in German concentration camps and that kept track of the numbers as the victims were worked or gassed to death. This really is the essence of a computerized totalitarian nightmare - when people get reduced to numbers and finally to data. Unfortunately, it's not just a metaphor but what really happened to millions of people.
ReplyDeleteI think you make an excellent point, btw, about the ad not showing the product and about how a mass-produced product will make everyone free even as they bite further into mass marketing. This is similar to all those hippies in the 1960s who bought VW cars as a sign of individualism, even though it was a mass produced and mass marketed car (supposedly invented by Hitler no less).
This commercial has been considered as very controversial when it came out. It touches upon many issues, including the issue of branding (the selling of a lifestyle instead of a product) and its appropriation of politics.
ReplyDeleteThere're rich semiotics in this commercial and I hope to see more in-depth analysis of the commerical itself.
The turn you took at the end of the post is very crucial--" However, today, we say that everyone’s becoming identical and too reliant on these technologies rather than being unique." This is a very interesting observation, but unfortunately you didn't follow through with it. I think it could overwise lead to a very fruitful discussion about the double-sided effects of technologies on modern societies.
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