Building his empire, he was building contraversy with other big technology companies (Microsoft of course too..). It was a way to motivate his troops. Rightly so, he was not using Microsoft Powerpoint for presentations, believing it "removes" thinking process. If person does not know what is he talking about, he uses template of Powerpoint, immersing in the sea of slides, graphs, tables, hiding the lack of idea or knowledge.
The most famous advertising campaigns of Apple is "1984", as in title of the book of George Orwell. Positioning Apple computer as a tool to break away from BIG brother, from the thought control...
This has worked fabulously for Apple enterprise. Consumers around the world were waiting for simple ways to access digital world. And they were ready to pay premium for Apple product, as it offered this simplicity (+ design of course). This helped to create huge business for I-tunes, I-phones, I-pad/pods and related businesses, but... it also somewhat „spoiled” human beings.. I-technology made it a no-brainer to get digital... More than that, once you are digital, I-technology offers you sea of opportunities to please your own desires – music, games, friends, sex – all digital. Internet became huge market place, with lot of junk of it, and then paid search engines, that take you right to the "junk" you desire... Only 3 clicks away…
Long term, what will be the effect? "1984" advertising of Apple computer was great success, largely, as it was positioning Apple as rebel, as the one really breaking free from „BIG BROTHER” and related brain control. Now, for i-generation, who will have their desires nicely packed and delivered only 3clicks away, isn't this turning into another major „brain control”? Or an elegant "Off-switch" for the brain?
Digital world offers speed and access to unimaginable amount of information. That is kind of cool. But on other hand, all businesses thriving on internet, are generating money (if any) exactly by this – TO THINK FOR YOU, to tell you what you want, to give what you want, and all that within 3 clicks... Unless you take it with care, you might be drown in this pleasant laziness of surfing waves in "prepared for you" digital solutions...
My kids are i-generation. My challenge these days is to teach them, that life is more than „3 clicks and you get what you want…”. Please tell me I am too worried!