Here are a few thoughts I have as someone who works in the arts.
Steve Jobs was such a strong leader and personality. I think Apple will suffer greatly without him. The magic has left the building and things will not be the same.
In small arts organizations this can happen when a dominant leader leaves and perhaps you will differ with me on this, but I think it’s fine for a person to be highly attached to an organization. It’s as it should be.
Of all the advertising Apple ever did, it’s the “Here’s to the crazy ones” ad that sticks with me. It came out at a time when Steve Jobs came back to Apple in the late 1990s and had to turn the company around (scrape it off the floor).
This video shows him talking about the thinking about branding. All arts organizations and even artists should watch this and think about how you could apply it to what your values are in your organization.
There are some who dislike Apple and its products. Not me. In general, I have enjoyed using them even when they are seen as shiny objects/gadgets. To me, it’s the closest we’ve come to beauty worked into industrial objects. It’s art being brought into the very thing we touch and work with. It’s what all our businesses should strive for, especially those of us working in the arts.
So, it’s easy to be cynical and say it was all some shiny marketing company, but deep down, I think Steve genuinely mixed art and technology within the company. For us, it means placing art within our arts businesses.
It’s too easy to forget why we are doing what we’re doing.
Here’s to the crazy ones. May they be you and me and you and you and you.
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He was way ahead of his time wasn’t he? Only now are companies embracing emotion to promote a brand and he already knew that back in the late 90s. Loved the clip John. It inspires me still. I love apple. A complete devotee. As Steve Jobs says in his opening line… the world is a complicated place. He took that complication and streamlined something clunky into a slick intelligent product and sold the world a dream so anyone crazy enough to think they can change the world… probably now can.
Yes… here’s to the crazy ones. Thanks John
Jean, I see we both share the passion for the products. It’s the only “big” company I’ve ever felt passion for. All things considered, they’ve done a really good job.
More kool-aid?
John,
I am so happy to have stopped here today. Thank you for sharing this ad. It made my day. As you know, I don’t have any Apple products. My husband and son have iPhones. My two sons have their iPads. And one son has a Apple laptop.
What I love about Apple is the passion they create in their customers/clients/champions. It is something to behold.
Thanks again. Have a great weekend.
Judy
Judy, I think what I’ve liked about Apple, or perhaps it’s more “impressed with” is that they’ve scaled it all fairly well. Of course they miss sometimes but in general, they are pretty organic for such a huge corporation.