“Think Different”
A captivating phrase that created a revolution in the marketing world is one of the most successful campaigns of Apple Inc. In 1997, after Steve Jobs resumed his position in the company as the CEO, Apple decided to come up with a campaign that would raise a storm in the market.
And it did!
The Apple slogans, like its iconic logo, have always been unique, classy, and captivating, adhering to the premium standards of the brand. Most of the marketing taglines received immense appreciation from a global audience. Using short yet clear, concise and simple phrases, the slogans echoed the company’s values and helped enhance Apple’s brand identity globally.
“Think Different” had a major impact on the audience, who still recall it as one of the most powerful slogans in the history of marketing taglines. Apple launched its iMac G3 in 1998 in the shadow of the “Think Different” campaign, and within the first week, about 27,0000 units were sold. In a year, about 2 million units were sold, doubling the stock price of Apple to $7 per share (from $3.56 per share).
However, the slogan was not the first choice for the campaign. BBDO, an advertising agency first came up with “We’re Back” to put the brand in its premium position once more. Every one in the room approved it, except Jobs, who called it “stupid” as the company wasn’t “BACK” yet. He went on to consult other advertising agencies, ultimately approving the “Think Different” tagline, which was created by Craig Tanimoto, the Art Director at TBWA\Chiat\Day.
Well, Jobs was right in going with this one. The “Think Different” campaign also won the Grand Effie Award in 2000 for marketing effectiveness.
Although the slogan is not a active part of Apple’s marketing campaigns today (over trademark issues by the EU Court of Justice in 2022), it remains a success mantra for the company and its loyal followers.
However, there are other powerful taglines that Apple released over the years to promote its premium products.
List-worthy Powerful Apple and iPhone Slogans
Apple’s slogan strategy has always caught the eyes of branding enthusiasts. The subtle phrases had a powerful impact on the audience, who started loving the brand beyond its identity as a tech company. The Apple admirers referred to these slogans in their day-to-day lives, from social media posts to tech blogs and news articles.
Let’s now explore the list of some of the most popular Apple slogans, and the products they promoted:
| Year | Product Name | Slogan |
| 1997 | Apple Inc. | Think Different |
| 1998 | iMac and Mac mini | iThink, therefore iMac. |
| 1998 | iMac | Blows minds, not budgets. |
| 1999 | PowerBoo | The plot thins |
| 1999 | iBooks | The iMac to Go. |
| 2000 | Power Mac | Two Brains are better than one |
| 2001 | iPod classic | 1,000 songs in your pocket. |
| 2003 | iPod classic | 7,500 songs in your pocket. |
| 2003 | PowerBooks | Less is more |
| 2003 | Power Mac | The world’s fastest computer |
| 2003 | Xserve | We mean business. |
| 2004 | iPod classic | The best keeps getting better |
| 2004 | iPod classic | 10,000 songs in your pocket. |
| 2004 | iPod mini | Teeny doesn’t mean weeny. |
| 2004 | iPod classic | Paint it black. |
| 2004 | iMac | Where did the computer go? |
| 2004 | Power Mac | Engineered for the Creative Class |
| 2005 | iPod shuffle | Do not eat iPod shuffle |
| 2005 | iPod classic | Watch your music15,000 songs. 25,000 photos. 80 hours of video. |
| 2005 | iPod nano | 1,000 songs. Impossibly small. |
| 2005 | iPod shuffle | Give chance a chance.Life is random. |
| 2005 | iPod shuffle | Random is the new order.Enjoy uncertainty. |
| 2005 | Mac mini | The most affordable Mac ever. |
| 2005 | iMac | Now showing. The new iMac G5 |
| 2005 | Power Mac | The 64-bit professional dream machine |
| 2006 | MacBook | Everything2 |
| 2006 | iPod classic | Movies, TV shows, games, and music. Now playing on an iPod near you. |
| 2006 | iPod nano | Put a different kind of change in your pocket. |
| 2006 | iPod classic | Back for an encore. |
| 2006 | iPod shuffle | Put some color on. |
| 2006 | iMac | The new, all-in-one iMac |
| 2006 | Mac mini | Small is Beautiful |
| 2006 | MacBook | Meet the family. Now complete. |
| 2006 | Power Mac | Power Mac G5. The power of four. |
| 2006 | iPod nano | Completely remastered. |
| 2006 | iPod shuffle | Clip and go. |
| 2006 | Mac Pro | Room to grow. Introducing Mac ProLife Made Easier |
| 2007 | Original iPhone (1st model) | Apple reinvents the phone.This is only the beginning. |
| 2007 | iMac | You can’t be too thin, Or too powerful. |
| 2007 | MacBook Pro | Vroom with a View |
| 2007 | MacBook | Same lovable MacBook. New lovable speed. |
| 2007 | iMac | The ultimate all-in-one. Now shipping with Leopard |
| 2007 | iPod nano | A little video for everyone. |
| 2007 | iPod touch | Touch comes to iPod |
| 2008 | MacBook Air | There’s something in the air |
| 2008 | iPhone 3G | The first phone to beat the iPhone. |
| 2008 | iPod touch | Now there’s even more to touch.What’s new to touch.Everybody Touch. |
| 2008 | Mac Pro | Expand at will. |
| 2008 | iPod classic | Play more than music. Play a part. |
| 2008 | MacBook | Book smart |
| 2008 | MacBook Air | Thinnovation |
| 2008 | iPod nano | nano-chromaticRockalicious |
| 2008 | iMac | Beauty. Brains. And now more brawn. |
| 2009 | MacBook Air | Thin as always. Faster than ever. |
| 2009 | iPhone 3GS | The fastest, most powerful iPhone yet. |
| 2009 | MacBook | An even quicker study. |
| 2009 | iPod shuffle | Small Talk. |
| 2009 | iPod touch | The funnest iPod ever. |
| 2009 | iPod classic | Your Top 40,000. |
| 2009 | Mac Pro | Beauty outside. Beast inside. |
| 2009 | Xserve | More power. Less energy. |
| 2009 | iMac | The all-in-one for everyone. |
| 2009 | Mac mini | Faster. Greener. Still mini.It’s a good time to be a desk.Brilliance, squared.Small is huge. |
| 2010 | iPhone 4 | This changes everything. Again. |
| 2010 | Mac Pro | Mac. To the power of 12. |
| 2010 | iPod touch | Game on. And on. And on. |
| 2010 | iPod nano | A new way to nano |
| 2010 | iPod shuffle | The perfect mix. |
| 2010 | iMac | The ultimate all-in-one. Turbocharged. |
| 2011 | iPod touch | Share The Fun.It has fun written all over it. |
| 2011 | iPod nano | Multi-Touch. And multi-talented. |
| 2011 | iPhone 4s | The most amazing iPhone yet. |
| 2011 | iMac | The ultimate all-in-one goes all out. |
| 2012 | MacBook Air | Now it’s even faster than it looks. |
| 2012 | MacBook Pro | It’s a whole new vision for the notebook. |
| 2012 | iPod touch | Millions of songs. Thousands of videos. Hundreds of games.Pump up the volume. iPod Touch Now in 32GB. |
| 2012 | iPhone 5 | The biggest thing to happen to iPhone since iPhone. |
| 2013 | iPhone 5s | Forward thinking |
| 2013 | iPhone 5C | For the colorful |
| 2014 | iPhone 6 and 6 Plus | Bigger than bigger |
| 2015 | iPhone 6S and 6S Plus | The only thing that’s changed is everything. |
| 2016 | iPhone 7 and 7 Plus | This is 7. |
| 2017 | iPhone 8 and 8 Plus | A new generation of iPhone |
| 2018 | iPhone X, XR, XS, XS Max | X – Say hello to the futureXR – Brilliant. In every wayXS and XS Max – Welcome to the big screens. |
| 2019 | iPhone 11 | Just the right amount of everything. |
| 2019 | iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max | And then there was Pro. |
| 2020 | 2nd-gen iPhone SE | Lots to love. Less to spend |
| 2020 | iPhone 12 | Blast past fast. |
| 2020 | iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max | It’s a leap year. |
| 2021 | iPhone 13 | Your new superpower. |
| 2021 | iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max | Oh. So. Pro. |
| 2022 | iPhone 14 | Big and bigger. |
| 2022 | iPhone 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max | Pro. Beyond. |
| 2023 | iPhone 15 | Newphoria. |
| 2023 | iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max | Titanium. So strong. So light. So Pro |
Coming to some other Apple slogans, these are noteworthy:
- Byte into an Apple (1970s) – The first-ever marketing slogan of the brand, the phrase urged customers to take a ‘bite’ of the ‘Apple’ technology and enjoy a tech upgrade. The ‘bite’ is spelled ‘byte’ here, intentionally, to depict the brand’s tech identity.
- Get a Mac (2006-2009) – It was an advertisement campaign on television with the sole aim to promote the Mac computer. The slogan is simple yet impacting and captivating, to say the least.
- The power to be your best (1987) – The slogan was meant to promote the corporate mission of the company. Though quite impressive, it was later replaced by “Think Different”, which had a better impact.
How the Apple Slogans Connected With the Audience?
The Apple slogans have always built an emotional connection with the audience. A major part of the company’s branding success can be attributed to this fact. The slogans were crafted in a way that resonated with some universal human emotions, like empowerment, sense of belonging, and craving for innovation. Not only the Apple users, but also other people were drawn to the simple yet captivating slogans of the brand, raising the bar high for all Apple’s competitors.
Take the example of the “Think Different” campaign in 1997. The slogan not only highlighted the tech innovations in Apple’s new line of products, but also urged people to upgrade their preferences.
“Think Different” nurtured the emotions of the people by focusing on:
– Advanced technologies
– Adaptation to change
– Desire to belong
– Thirst for creativity
In other words, the slogan went beyond Apple’s tech identity to something that even the common people could relate to. By “Thinking Different”, the company urged its audience to break from conventions and embrace the change that’s meant for their future development.
Another quirky slogan was the “Get a Mac” slogan of Apple’s 2006 campaign. Although it was meant to promote the Apple Mac, the slogan appealed to the younger population, because of its fresh essence and open-mindedness. The campaign made people feel that the need to upgrade is not just some tech strategy, but a break from age-old systems. It was a reflection of the brand’s identity that always rooted for ‘change’ as the ‘need of the hour’. The emotional aspect of the slogan was so impacting that people considered replacing their outdated systems with the new Mac computers to flaunt their preferences as progressive and ‘modern’.
One of the earliest slogans of the brand, “The Power to be Your Best”(1987), highlighted the benefits of Apple’s products in a motivating tone. It signified how far you can proceed in your career by using the latest range of computers presented by Apple. It projected Apple’s computers as the ladder to reach your professional goals.
The connection that customers felt with Apple’s powerful slogans enhanced brand development and fostered brand loyalty. The company made its marketing taglines sound like ‘success’ in the simplest tone. Hence, customers were drawn to the brand like flies.
Apple Slogans and Their Impact on Branding
Apple Inc. effectively used its marketing slogans over the years to enhance brand development. The marketing taglines don’t seem promotional but informative and somewhat humorous. By using such taglines for each of Apple’s products, the company took its branding effects several levels high.
In the list of slogans mentioned earlier, you’ll see how the simple catchphrases impact the mind. Whether it’s the 2005 slogan for Apple’s iPod shuffle, “Give chance a chance.”, or the 2008 MacBook Air slogan, “Thinnovation”, you’ll notice a quirky aspect in the phrases. Then there’s the slogan for the iPhone 13, released in 2021, which read as, “Your new superpower.” You see what Apple did there? They made the marketing taglines sound like some Avenger’s movie dialogue.
Powerful and compelling, Apple slogans have played a major role in its branding. Here’s how:
Timeless brand impact
The impact of the slogans in the minds of the audience has been timeless. Even today, people use the slogans as motivational quotes in blogs, newsletters, and other marketing materials. It has been possible because of the simple nature of the slogans that possessed deep meanings. For example, “Think Different” not only appears as a marketing tagline of a tech company but a call-out to all people, who want to create and innovate.
Ensuring brand loyalty
It’s a natural human tendency to be a part of a movement, something that enhances their individual identity, as well as fosters a sense of community. Every one wants to ‘belong’ somewhere. And the Apple slogans have always catered to this particular emotion of the audience. By ‘thinking different’ and ‘getting a Mac’, people felt connected to Apple’s community that promoted innovation, progressive thinking, and creativity. Ultimately, these customers became the brand’s advocates, thus ensuring brand loyalty.
Targeting competitors
Some of the brand’s slogans directly targeted its rivals. For example, “Get a Mac” hinted at the uselessness of a Windows PC that was clunky and outdated. The television advertisement was somewhat funny, creating personifications of both Mac computers and old PCs and comparing both explicitly. This direct challenged posed by Apple’s slogan strategy helped position the brand in the market as a cooler, futuristic, and more innovative option for computer users.
More humane approach
The tech company always tried to speak to its customers in a tone that they could comprehend. Its slogans are simple, many of them consisting of 2-4 words only. These short, simple and crafty slogans appeared humane and humorous at the same time.
Take the example of the 2010 iPhone 4 slogan – “This changes everything. Again.”
What does the slogan have except a few words? But you’ll agree that these four words evoke curiosity, fun, excitement, and intrigue, all at the same time.
Most of the Apple slogans are easy-to-read, easy-to-understand, and difficult-to-forget. This helps create a human bonding with the customers, something that tech companies fail to do.
Brand identity of a tech company generally revolves around everything ‘tech’. But Apple successfully uses its marketing slogans to take its identity beyond ‘tech’ and create a stronger bond with its audience. It’s one of the biggest impacts that the slogans have on the company’s branding.
5 Common Features of All Apple Slogans
Go back to the list of Apple slogans over the years. Do you notice similarities?
Well, there are a few common features of the marketing taglines released by Apple Inc. That’s why many of its slogans sound almost similar. Let’s explore this.
- Simple Tone – All Apple slogans use simple, easy-to-understand English that people can read and remember without any hassle. For example – “Put some color on” (iPod shuffle, 2006), “Forward Thinking” (iPhone 5s, 2013)
- Funky, quirky phrases – Most of the Apple’s slogans have an extra humor element. It helps intrigue the audience and make them curious about the products. For example – “Vroom with a View” (MacBook Pro, 2007), “There’s something in the air” (MacBook Air, 2008)
- Emotional aspect – All popular slogans of Apple appeal to human emotions, like creativity, desire to belong, innovation, etc. For example – “Think Different” (1997), “Get a Mac” (2006)
- Sense of community – Most of the Apple slogans try to project its products as something that makes you a part of a progressive-thinking community. Breaking conventions, thinking out of the box, innovation, etc. are recurrent themes in the taglines. For example – “The world’s fastest computer” (Power Mac, 2003), “Your new superpower” (iPhone 13, 2021)
- Directness – The Apple slogans are no-nonsense, concise, and to-the-point. The directness in the tone of the marketing taglines is a common feature exhibited by almost all the marketing taglines of the brand. For example – “More power. Less energy.” (Xserve, 2009), “Game on. And on. And on.” (iPod Touch, 2010)
What Tech Brands Should Learn From The Apple Slogans?
Every tech brand has something to learn from Apple Inc. Besides its product design and quality. Apple’s slogan strategy can help you learn a thing or two about branding your business correctly. There’s no doubt that the Apple slogans are globally popular, enhancing awareness and strengthening the identity of the brand.
Here are a few things that tech brands can adopt from Apple’s branding strategy and its slogans:
- Unbounded by time or trends – Your slogans should have an universal appeal, like the marketing taglines of Apple. Can you place “Get a Mac” or “Think Different” in a definite time zone? No, right? Slogans like these transcend the boundaries of time or trends, thus appealing to a larger audience.
- Simple but impacting – The Apple slogans are simple, easy-to-read and understand. But they have a major impact on the audience. Why is it so? It’s because the company stresses on the feelings of the people more than promoting its products in the tagline. Even in the taglines that describe features of a product, the wordplay is intriguing and evoke curiosity. For example – “Same lovable MacBook. New lovable speed” (MacBook, 2007)
- Connections – Apple always prioritized connections. In its slogans, the brand tries to connect with the minds of the audience by creating a sense of belonging. It helps strengthen the bond with its customers, thus enhancing brand loyalty.For example – “Lots to love. Less to spend” (2nd Gen iPhone SE, 2020)
- Part of a Lifestyle – The Apple slogans have a subtle way of insisting that its product range is an example of a progressive mindset and modern lifestyle. The people, who always love to stay updated, well-informed and in vogue are thus immediately drawn to the brand. For example – “Oh. So. Pro” (iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max, 2021). The slogan immediately creates a link between the iPhone 13 Pro and a chic lifestyle.
- Focus on users, ALWAYS – The marketing taglines of Apple are completely focused on the users, and rarely on the brand. They tend to highlight the benefits that users may get from the brand, or any particular product. It helps make the users relate to Apple and its products more. For example – “Game on. And on. And on.” (iPod Touch, 2010)
The emotional connection that Apple forms with its users can also be credited to its ‘forward thinking’ and motivating slogans. If you want to learn something from the brand, its this –
The merge of creativity with technology and user benefits, interspersed by a tint of funk, is how a tech slogan should be.
Key Takeaways
- Apple slogans have always had a major impact on the audience, beyond technology and promotion.
- The slogans connected with a global audience by focusing on human emotions primarily.
- All Apple slogans have majorly contributed to the company’s branding success through their timelessness, authority, direct and humane approach. They have also solidified brand loyalty over the years.
- The 5 common features of all Apple slogans are simplicity, funkiness, emotional appeal, sense of community, and direct tone.
- Tech brands have a lot to learn from Apple’s slogan strategy, like universality, impact, ability to connect, sense of lifestyle, and prioritizing the users over promotion.
Over To You
The way you use your marketing slogans can make or break your business. If you focus more on promoting your products/services and less on how your customers feel, your branding strategies may fail miserably. Learn from Apple. They have always used every marketing phrase as a string to connect audience’ minds to the brand. And the results they have achieved is noteworthy. “Think Different” has been dropped from Apple’s campaigns but not from the mouths of its users. “Get a Mac” is still used as a friendly reminder to upgrade your system.
If you want THAT kind of impact with your slogans, it’s time to rethink your strategies, maybe. As the branding Guru (Apple) said – “THINK DIFFERENT”.