One for the strapline nerds Part 1: getting inside Apple’s “Think Different”

In 1997, after Steve Jobs returned, Apple and TBWA\Chiat\Day launched Think Different—a line that helped reset the company and the category.

What it was
A brand platform celebrating people who move the world forward—run in black-and-white print ads and a TV spot voiced by Richard Dreyfuss. It opened with the now-famous line: “Here’s to the crazy ones…”

Why it worked

• A clear point of view: It didn’t sell features. It sold a belief—creativity and non-conformity.
• Audience reframing: Apple wasn’t for people who cared what a computer does, but what they can do with it.
• Tension in the line: “Think Different” irked grammar purists (shouldn’t it be “differently”?). But the “error” is the idea: an imperative to be different, not just to think in a different manner. The friction made it sticky.
• Brand/identity alignment: The words, stark visuals and product design all pulled in the same direction.

What it changed
It rebuilt Apple’s cultural momentum, turning a computer brand into a creative badge—and set the tone for the iMac, iPod and everything that followed.

Takeaway for brand folks
A great line isn’t wordplay; it’s a decision about who you are for. Make the belief sharp, the execution simple, and let the product prove it.

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