Brand Cults

Lee Clow once said of the Apple 'Think Different' campaign:

"Brands aren't just a way of remembering what you want to buy any more.  They've become part of the fabric of our society.  Brands are a part of our system of ordering things - they even create context about who we are and how we live...They articulate who you are and what your values are." ("Twenty-five visions: the future of Brands", by Rita Clifton and Esther Maughn]

In that spirit, a W+K'er put together a timeline of their personal relationship with Apple.  I took out the felonies.

1981
I enter the world. The Heavens Open. My Mom and Dad buy a house. Steve Jobs drops out of Reed College.

1986
I got my first Apple Computer.

1992
Built an Appletalk network in my parent’s house.

1993
Bought a Mac LC III. Spent my entire summer in our basement on various BBSs.

1994
Called out of class multiple times to help fix my elementary school's Macs.  Got in trouble for stealing [redacted] off a BBS.... And then using the [redacted] to [redacted]   

1995
Bought myself a Power Macintosh 5200.  Kicked off AOL for Porn and started subscribing to Apple's e-World service.  Fell asleep on e-World. Hated my 14.4k modem. Hated Life.  Convinced 3 friends to buy Macs.

1996
Bought myself a Power Macintosh 6400

1997
Bought myself a Newton Message Pad 2000 and a Power Mac G3.  Got in a fist fight during a Mac VS PC debate with the biggest dork in my High School.

1998
I become the neighborhood Mac tech support guy.

1999
Bought the first iMac for my sister.  Convinced my High School to create a Mac Lab.

2000
Realized I would give my life for Apple.

2001
Got Grandma an iMac DV for Christmas. (Note to self: Never by Grandma anything electronic again.) I become a member of SpyMac.com.  My college roommate and I convert our dorm bathroom into the “Mac” bathroom.

2002
Convinced my dad he needed an iMac.  Bought myself a PowerMac G4 and join Appleinsider.com

2003
Purchased a PowerMac G5.  Went on a road trip down Hwy 101. Stopped in Cupertino but was not allowed on the Apple Campus.

2005
Purchased a PowerBook G4

2006
Installed a Mac Mini in my parents house. Got it to control the entire sound system for the house.  Convinced my dad that CDs were dead and that MP3 was the future of music.  Bought myself a Mac Book Pro.

2007
Waited seven hours in line for the iPhone.  Bought an Apple TV.

When you stand for more than a single product release, and instead represent a cultural or lifestyle choice; when 'purchasing' is a component of participating, but participating is so much more...you got something.  Gotta hand it to Lee and Apple.

Comments

[Dizzle]

Dude, you completely rock. That was awesome.