This is a very complicated world. This is a very noisy world and we’re not going to get a chance… to get people to remember much about us. No company is. And so we have to be really clear on what we want them to know about us.” – Steve Jobs, Interim CEO, Apple, 1997
In 1997, after Apple had been floundering with shoddy computers, difficulties developing a new Mac operating system and facing near bankruptcy, Steve Jobs was brought back as interim CEO. Shortly after this time, he made this speech to introduce a new dawn at Apple–by reconnecting the brand back to its values and purpose–with the Think Different ad campaign.
Apple became profitable once again in 1998 and is now, as most know, the the world’s most valuable publically traded company surpassing Coca-Cola, Google and Microsoft.
Rajan Sodhi
Rajan is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of BIG Marketing for Small Business. He's an award-winning marketing strategist who is passionate about branding, digital marketing and social media. He spent nearly a decade as the marketing executive at global IT firm Peer 1 Hosting and was instrumental in their explosive growth.
Leadership is very important to create (and revive) powerful brands. A nice topic.