Who directed Apple’s famous 1984 Macintosh television commercial?
Answer
Ridley Scott
Ridley Scott directed Apple’s famous 1984 Macintosh television commercial.
The advertisement presented a dystopian cinema filled with uniform viewers watching a giant screen. A runner carrying a sledgehammer then disrupted the image, introducing the Macintosh as a symbol of individual expression.
The commercial was created by the advertising agency Chiat/Day, with copywriter Steve Hayden and art director Brent Thomas among the key creative figures. It aired nationally during the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII on January 22, 1984.
Jobs helped champion the campaign, but he did not direct the film. Ridley Scott was already known for films including Alien and Blade Runner, and the advertisement’s cinematic style reflected that background.