“It may be the most stunning and creative attack ad yet for a 2008 presidential candidate — one experts say could represent a watershed moment in 21st century media and political advertising,” Carla Marinucci reports for The San Francisco Chronicle. “Yet the groundbreaking 74-second pitch for Democratic Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, which remixes the classic “1984” ad that introduced Apple computers to the world, is not on cable or network TV, but on the Internet.”
“And Obama’s campaign says it had absolutely nothing to do with the video that attacks one of his principal Democratic rivals, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Indeed, the ad’s creator is a mystery, at least for now,” Marinucci reports.
Hillary 1984 ad:
Marinucci reports, “The compelling ‘Hillary 1984’ video recently introduced on YouTube represents ‘a new era, a new wave of politics … because it’s not about Obama,’ said Peter Leyden, director of the New Politics Institute, a San Francisco-based think tank on politics and new media. ‘It’s about the end of the broadcast era.'”
“But some say the ad is just the latest attempt by outside activists to influence political campaigns — or the newest way for campaigns to anonymously attack their opponents.
The video is a sophisticated new take on director Ridley Scott’s controversial Apple ad that caused shock waves with its premiere during the 1984 Super Bowl, and shows the same blond young female athlete running with a sledgehammer toward a widescreen — where an ominous Big Brother figure drones to a mass of zombielike followers,” Marinucci reports. “But this time, the woman is wearing an iPod — and has her candidate’s slogan on her chest. And the Big Brother — whose image she defiantly smashes with a wave of her sledgehammer — is Clinton, the Democratic presidential front-runner.”
“The tagline for the attack: ‘On Jan. 14, the Democratic primary will begin. And you’ll see why 2008 won’t be like 1984.’ An updated Apple symbol — transformed into an O — is followed by the dramatically emerging logo: BarackObama.com,” Marinucci reports.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Note: In June 1999, TV Guide ran a cover story on the “50 Greatest Commercials of All Time.” Apple’s “1984” ad was #1 on the list. TV Guide wrote:
“With a single airing during Super Bowl XVIII, ‘1984’ did more to change the way ads are created and viewed than any commercial in years. It was not the most heartwarming spot nor a big laugh getter, but it turned a little-known brand into a household name and set a new commercial standard for production values and cinematic style. ‘1984’ also raised the financial stakes: Apple spent a then-outlandish sum of $400,000 to produce the ad and $500,000 to air it; 15 years later, a minute of Super Bowl time costs $3.2 million. Lee Clow, then executive creative director of Chiat/Day, recalls that ‘1984’ almost debuted during a lowlier college bowl game. ‘We had to make a last-minute switch to the Super Bowl because Apple wanted to air the ad closer to the date when the product would actually be available for sale,’ he says. ‘Funny how something that simple could have changed a big piece of advertising history.”
Did you know that Apple’s “1984” commercial, widely credited with starting the Super Bowl advertising craze, actually aired twice? The actual first airing was on a small U.S. local station — KMVT-TV (Twin Falls, Idaho) on December 15, 1983 in the 1:00am sign-off slot — in order for the spot to qualify for 1983 advertising awards.
Apple remastered the famous spot to incorporate an iPod and showed it at MacWorld Expo in January 2004. “We couldn’t resist,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs:
Related articles:
Apple’s ‘1984’ commercial named best Super Bowl ad ever – February 01, 2007
This is blatant plagiarism. Apple should sue the snot out of the idiot who thought this up. Wait, someone like this acutally had a thought?
If this was my work being butchered, I would be calling my own lawyers for multi-million dollar suits. Not only for plagiarism but for libel against the reputation that the original ad stood for.
At least Global PC referenced the commercial, not stole it outright.
It is now tarnished and will forever be.
Well, lets just chime in on this one.
First, lets face it, this is not creative, nor innovative. I would expect better from Microsoft!
Second, to let them (the politicians) use such work to defame each other is also wrong. Lawyers have started to land outside the Obama headquarters as we speak!
Third, I would like to give hope to this up and coming election. America is not lost, nor was she ever! She is not controlled by big money or over see interests. America is OUR country and we should fight for her! We should but aside the pity little difference that we have and do what is best not for you and me, but for the future of this country. Lets take this up and coming election and make a turning point in OUR country’s history. Lets not let the naw-sayers; the want’abe’s and those fat cats in Washington have their way! We, the America people, have just started to take back this country from the over zealot republican’s who have used everything from terrorism to God himself to try to control, manipulate and to just give us FUD over OUR future of America!
Lastly, I just received confirmation that the lawyers have made contact. Hostiles are in site and DTA on squashing all hostile activity is almost here!
whoa… Obama will be lucky if Hillary doesn’t have him killed a la Vinced Foster for this blasphemy. This thing showed up on Drudge last night (the Clinton’s favorite website) so the whole world could have a chuckle at her expense.
Barak is fixin’ to go out… Tarantino-style.
Well, if he does go out, you want your next president to be the one who took him out?
I love my Mac and Apply Computer. I hate politics.
That is just a lame commercial rip-off – regardless of who is being “smashed”. Boring.
Well, yeah, Dick- YouTube is all about rip-offs.
Hillary. Obama. Hillary and Obama as running mates. It doesn’t matter. Who ever wins will have to pick up the pieces from eight years of having a complete idiot in the White House. I’m afraid that the damage might already be too great to be undone.
You want change? – You want to see things get done?- Do you want to finally vote for a president because you like the guy instead of hating the other guy more?
Rudy.
That should be Bill Gates’ picture on the big screen.
“macs are taken over everyday”
“Vista is selling remarkably well”
“Zune is a metaphor for going #2, I mean it’s number 2 in HD based DAP sales”
“everything I say is true”
“It may be the most stunning and creative attack ad yet…”
As a conservative/libertarian, I truly have do dog in this race, but I think the above commentary is idiotic. A recycled Apple commercial with Hillary’s face pasted in rather sloppily is a “stunning and creative attack”?
What am I missing?
The remake obviously was done on a peecee – notice the lack of smart quotes. Classic peecee blunder. Unless it was some goof using a Mac.
MDN word: your, as in the classic peecee user’s lame comment “your a bunch of loser Mac fanboys” (when we Mac fanboys know it should be “you’re.”
Sorry. Forgot to close the parenthesis.
Whoever did this is an idiot or a covert GOP operative. By trashing HC in such an uncreative manner Obama’s side looks sleazy and the demos seem even more fratricidal than they really are.
F-
meh.
unimpressive. who cares. move along.
Justin-
I don’t think you intended to opine that if it wasn’t a Republican then they were an idiot, did you? Maybe I read it sideways…
anyone know who the running girl in the video is and if she has a website?
…yes i know its over 20 years on…but still…theres something about her…
where is the apple legal attack?
is steve jobs an obama fanboy????
Hey, eddie, of course.
Al GORE is on the Apple board. Anything to derail Hillary is okay by Apple.
(Hint: Al is thinking of running again.)
Follow the Rocky Road!
I am upset that the Obama camp is associating themselves with the Apple one. PLEASE leave the two separate. I know that Apple users and fans come from all *intelligent* walks of life but I just can’t stand that we would be associated with One candidate for president. ASEIORNG. It just pisses me off. In my opinion you simply cannot associate something as terrible and hideous as a political campaign with the sheer beauty and perfection that is Apple. (ok I know that my RDF is really big)
Oh my!
“anyone know who the running girl in the video is and if she has a website?”
No website- her name is Anya Major, and she was a real athlete.
The ad was posted anonymously. As it does damage to both Obama and Clinton camps, I’d say it was created by neither.
Also, I doubt Apple would allow their advert to be used in that way. I doubt even extravagant sums fo $$$’s would coerc them, as that ad practically CREATED the company.
So, someone violated copywrite law and posted a video damaging to the democratic front runners, and tainting all democratic candidates, anonymously.
Who on earth would be motivated to do such a thing, I wonder?
The creator of this vid should be tracked down, his/her motives exposed, and then prosecuted to the fullest extent possible.
AA
Why bother looking for facts? Just indict Rove and the far left will be happy!!!
the tracking of the logo on her tshirt is so horrible, you can tell it has been done with Final Cut Pro. It still is one of the 3 or 4 thing Avid does better. Hopefully this will change after NAB…