“Think different” was a response

In 1915, IBM’s general manager vented at his sales and advertising team. “The trouble with every one of us is that we don’t think enough. We don’t get paid for working with our feet—we get paid for working with our heads.” This theme resonated with the manager, who made “Think,” IBM’s slogan. (It’s how IBM’s ThinkPads got their name.) Over 80 years later, a struggling company made a decision to respond to this. Apple’s co-founder, Steve Jobs, had just been acqui-hired to lead the company again. At this point, Apple was nearing bankruptcy. Apple’s advertising agency came up with a campaign with the slogan, “Think Different.” These words anchored a commercial and marketing campaign that helped Apple take a stance, as well as reactivate its brand and core customer base. (I can’t help but wonder if Steve’s general dislike for IBM, brewed further through doing business with them during NeXT, gave energy to this creative direction.) It’s a reminder that responding to somebody—even, perhaps…