October 1983, Apple Sales Conference, California, USA
Hi, I’m Steve Jobs.
It is 1958. IBM passes up the chance to buy a young, fledgling company that has invented a new technology called xerography. Two years later, Xerox is born, and IBM has been kicking themselves ever since. It is ten years later, the late ’60s. Digital Equipment DEC and others invent the minicomputer. IBM dismisses the minicomputer as too small to do serious computing and, therefore, unimportant to their business. DEC grows to become a multi-hundred-million dollar corporation before IBM finally enters the mini- computer market. It is now ten years later, the late ‘70s. In 1977, Apple, a young fledgling company on the West Coast, invents the Apple II, the first personal computer as we know it today. IBM dismisses the personal computer as too small to do serious computing and unimportant to their business. The early ‘80s-81. Apple II has become the world’s most popular computer, and Apple has grown to a $300 million company, becoming the fastest-growing corporation in American business history. With over 50 competitors buying for a share, IBM enters the personal computer market in November of 1981 with the IBM PC.
1983. Apple and IBM emerge as the industry’s strongest competitors, each selling approximately $1 billion dollars worth of personal computers in 1983. Each will invest greater than $50 million dollars for R&D and another $50 million dollars for television advertising in 1984, totally almost one quarter of a billion dollars combined.
The shakeout is in full swing. The first major firm goes bankrupt, with others teetering on the brink. Total industry losses for 1983 outshadow even the combined profits of Apple and IBM for personal computers.
It is now 1984. It appears IBM wants it all. Apple is perceived to be the only hope to offer IBM a run for its money. Dealers, initially welcoming IBM with open arms, now fear an IBM-dominated and controlled future. They are increasingly and desperately turning back to Apple as the only force that can ensure their future freedom.
IBM wants it all and is aiming its guns on its last obstacle to industry control: Apple. Will Big Blue dominate the entire computer industry, –
[Audience] No
– the entire information age? Was George Orwell right about 1984?
[1984 (advertisement) Apple Commercial Plays Big Brother, directed by Ridley Scott]
Big Brother:
Today, we celebrate the first glorious anniversary of the Information Purification Directives. We have created, for the first time in all history, a garden of pure ideology — where each worker may bloom, secure from the pests purveying contradictory truths. Our Unification of Thoughts is more powerful a weapon than any fleet or army on earth. We are one people, with one will, one resolve, one cause. Our enemies shall talk themselves to death, and we will bury them with their own confusion. We shall prevail!”
Announcer
“On January 24th Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like 1984.”
That ad is going to run one week before Macintosh is introduced. And our ad agency that put it together is here today Chiat/Day, the principle Steve Hayden and who did the principle are also here and Lee Clow
[transcript runs out here submissions@speakola.com if you'd like to help!]