Vintage Computer ads

This post brings together two of my passions together: computers and advertising. The ads below are vintage ads from some of the world’s largest technology companies. Do you guys remember the first computer systems you ever got? I know I do. It was called the Sakhr computer, made by AlAlamiah, a Kuwaiti computer company.


Einstein-Apple ad


This ad was created as part of Chiat/Day's "Crazy Ones" campaign for the Apple computer company. The late Steve Jobs wanted a marketing effort that reflected the company's philosophy of "thinking different" I think the campaign is better known by its "Think Different" tagline.

Hitchcock-Apple Ad

Here is another print ad from Apple's "Think Different Campaign.

Verbatim Disks 

I am not completely sure of the identity of the marketing firm behind the ad above. Although, through my research I have discovered that Marken Communications, an agency that helped them put together a PDF to celebrate 40 Years of Data Storage Innovation. Do you guys remember when PCs came with 3.5" disk drives?

 IBM Computers

An ad from one of the largest computer companies in the world but for the life of me, I cannot behind the agency behind the ad above.

Microsoft Software

I couldn't find the ad agency for Microsoft either for the 1990s but these ads are a great read if you are feeling nostalgic. Well, I hope you enjoyed these five ads. You can find more of these ads thanks to Andy Sowards.

 Best,
-A.B.

Disabled in Non Pity Ad, Success

I saw the ad above on Adfreak and I just had to write about it. Why, you ask? Because the featured model is missing a limb, it is extremely rare that a person with a disability is featured in an ad that doesn’t scream, “Pity me.” Granted the ad was created for a campaign to help raise awareness about disability issues in the French speaking area of Belgium. But be honest, disability isn’t the first thing you thought when you saw the ad? As somebody with an advertising background and a disability I was extremely proud of this ad.

The advertisement—placed in newspapers and postcards distributed in restaurants around Brussels. Again, the campaign was meant to bring awareness to disability issues. The company behind the campaign is CAP48, a non-profit that helps raise awareness of disability issues in Belgium.

The model, Tanja Kiewitz, a Belgian graphic designer is missing her left arm just past the elbow. Kiewitz has become quite the celebrity since the ad first began to appear. I wonder if that's because Belgians were shocked or surprised?

The ad is a play on another ad that featuring Eva Herzigova, in the apparently famous Wonderbra print ad below.

Also, the headline reads, “look me in the eyes ... I said the eyes.”

The agency behind the print ad (above) is Air Brussels.

Best
-A.B.

Amen, Brother

Craig Brimm, founder of the advertising blog Kiss My Black Ads, created the image above. I had to write about the ad because as a guy on the client service side of advertising. I felt truer words were never spoken.

Plus, I really like the background design that the text lays on.

Best,

-A.B.

It's Complex Cover

I saw the above cover page of next month’s Complex Magazine issue and I thought to myself I have to write a post on it. Why, you ask? Because when I saw Nicki Minaj’s picture in another blog that I follow I figured she has to be on my blog too. Well and the other reason is there is a large disparity between the number of posts I write discussing print ads compared to television spots.

One of the biggest issues I wonder about when looking at a beautiful celebrity in a magazine is how much the image was photoshopped. This beautiful rappette doesn’t need any retouching in my opinion. So, how much retouching was done to this image in your opinion people? Please leave comments below.

By the way, the image was taken by Lauren Dukoff, and from what I can tell, she’s an extremely talented photographer that works primarily with celebrities and major magazines. Let me ask you guys something else. Should I include a link to her site or is that just giving free advertising? For now, I will link to her Web-site until you, the readers voice your opinions.

None of the other blogs I read never mention who was responsible for the creation of the cover. Since it is this blog’s job to inform its reader of who done that ad. I’m mentioning the photographer.

Below is a short behind the scenes interview with Nicki Minaj, the subject and not the photographer of the cover.

Best,
A.B.