You could have heard that the most important soccer recreation of the 12 months will happen this Sunday – that is “American soccer” for these within the UK. However it’s not simply the Philadelphia Eagles towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: the Tremendous Bowl is essentially the most watched sporting occasion. occasion in the US each for commercials and for the sport.
As tech publications like this wish to level out, Apple made what is maybe essentially the most memorable industrial in Tremendous Bowl historical past again in 1984. This usually leads one to assume that Apple and the Tremendous Bowl go hand in hand, however in actuality , Apple’s historical past with the sport is sort of brief. However nonetheless, yearly we anticipate Apple to make use of the most important stage to showcase or tease a brand new product. And yearly we’re dissatisfied.
However Tremendous Bowl LVII might be completely different. After 10 years of Pepsi’s run, Apple Music is sponsoring the Tremendous Bowl halftime present, which options Rihanna’s first main reside look since 2016. Suffice to say, will probably be seen by some 100 million individuals, one of many largest audiences. larger. Apple has ever had. It is the primary time Apple has sponsored the present, so we do not actually know what to anticipate. Will Rihanna put on AirPods? Will MacBooks grace the stage? And most significantly, will Apple run an advert in the course of the massive recreation?
Earlier than we get to Sunday, this is a historical past of Apple’s Tremendous Bowl advertisements.
1984 (1984)
of Apple 1984 The advert is usually referred to as the perfect industrial in Tremendous Bowl historical past. Directed by Ridley Scott of “Alien” and “Blade Runner,” the 60-second industrial solely aired as soon as, as the primary industrial earlier than halftime for Tremendous Bowl XVIII. Its theme was based mostly on George Orwell’s novel, 1984, and the industrial’s grim and dystopian imagery struck a chord throughout an period of populist conservatism and the Chilly Struggle. It was designed to generate pleasure for the Macintosh announcement on January 24, 1984, and it actually achieved its purpose.
Scott’s directing made a long-lasting impression on standard tradition, a lot in order that “Apple” and “Tremendous Bowl” are synonymous, though this advert didn’t function a single Apple product.
Lemmings (1985)
In 1985, Apple, conscious about the effectiveness 1984 a second advert aired throughout Tremendous Bowl XIX. Noble lemmingsthe industrial was directed by Tony Scott, Ridley’s brother, and strikes the same tone to advertise a brand new software program package deal referred to as Macintosh Workplace, which was designed to attach a Macintosh to a printer and file server.
The advert tried to seize the tone of 1984 and it positively left an impression on viewers, however not the one Apple supposed. With a large promoting marketing campaign that included seat cushions in the course of the massive recreation and full-page newspaper advertisements warning spectators to skip their fourth-quarter toilet break:lemmings It didn’t sit properly with the viewers. Individuals watching discovered the advert miserable and insulting, and nowhere close to as tempting as 1984.
HALL (1999)
After the lemmings Debacle, 15 years handed earlier than Apple determined to launch a brand new industrial in the course of the Tremendous Bowl. The advert starring HAL from 2001: A Area Odyssey, and with the blessing of Stanley Kubrick, he was a part of a theme with the AI antagonist that included keynotes at Macworld San Francisco and WWDC. The announcement got here at a time when there was rising concern that computer systems would cease working within the new 12 months as a result of Y2K bug, as PCs could not perceive the 12 months 2000 and chaos would ensue.
Apple used the announcement to advertise the Mac’s immunity to the Y2K bug on account of its potential to know years as much as 29,940. Despite the fact that the Y2K bug turned out to be a lot ado about nothing, Apple’s third and last Tremendous Bowl advert grew to become a cult hit with followers.
I Fought the Legislation (2004)
Whereas not technically an Apple advert, Pepsi’s 2004 industrial to announce its partnership with iTunes actually felt like one. Set to a Inexperienced Day cowl of Sonny Curtis’ “I Fought the Legislation,” the advert featured 16 youngsters who had been sued by the RIAA for illegally downloading music from the Web in the course of the recognition of Napster. Paradoxically, it is the one Tremendous Bowl advert right here to function an Apple product, not an iPod however an iMac G4. The advert and promotional marketing campaign had been profitable and helped propel the iTunes Music Retailer, which was barely a 12 months outdated on the time, to new heights.
Rihanna (2023)
It has been 24 years because the HAL industrial and Apple returns to the Tremendous Bowl, however this time it is as the primary sponsor of the Tremendous Bowl show-within-a-show, the halftime presentation. Apple calls it the Apple Music Tremendous Bowl LVII Halftime Present with Rihanna, who hasn’t carried out reside in public since 2018.
Apple has been selling its presence at Tremendous Bowl LVII all through the month inside Apple Music’s Rihanna’s Highway to Halftime part, which included:
- Halftime Hype Radio: 10-part sequence wanting again on the newest halftime reveals.
- Rihanna Revisited Radio – Eight half sequence reflecting on Rihanna’s music catalogue.
- Stay from Tremendous Bowl LVII: Each day reside broadcasts that “seize the thrill” of the sport and halftime present.
- Playlists of NFL groups and gamers.
- An interview with Rihanna on Apple Music Radio.
There’s additionally a rumor that Apple is making a behind-the-scenes documentary that will likely be streaming on Apple Music within the coming weeks. And the efficiency will seemingly be accessible to stream after the present.
However will there even be a brand new announcement from Apple in the course of the massive recreation? Thus far there aren’t any rumors that Apple is working a industrial, however Apple in all probability desires to maintain such a factor beneath wraps. Additionally, it’s normal for the sponsor of the halftime present to run an advert in the course of the Tremendous Bowl: Pepsi, Bridgestone, Dash, AOL, and others had separate advertisements along with the sponsorship. And Apple has been working fixed bulletins for Unmessaging and Apple TV+ all through the 2023 Playoffs, so a Tremendous Bowl announcement is certainly attainable.
And the time is correct: Ridley Scott’s subsequent movie Napoleon will stream on Apple TV+ later this 12 months. So perhaps Apple acquired him to direct a sequel to 1984? We’ll know on Sunday.
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The complete history of Apple at the Super Bowl: 1984, Lemmings, HAL, and Rihanna
