Macintosh First Ad (1984) and 'You Are All Different'

I've long wanted to publish here the first TV ad for Apple Macintosh computer. I remember seeing the first Mac in the Associated Press bureau in Tokyo in the 80s, when 'computers' were green-faced terminals. I was immediately seduced and danced around it so long that I forgot what I'd come to do there.

Since the late 90s Steve Jobs managed to turn around the fortunes of the company so successfully that it is now difficult to remember what it was up against in 1984. But the main theme that has stayed throughout Apple's marketing later – and its approach to creativity – is already there. Compare it to 'Think different. Think Apple'. Or to 'Mac vs PC' tv ads series.

Or, better still, compare to the scene from Monty Python's Life of Brian where he tries to persuade the  crowd of confused followers that he is not the Messiah: 'We are all different!'

This what the wikipedia article about the tv ad says:

It is now considered a watershed event and a masterpiece in advertising, and is widely regarded as one of the most memorable and successful American television commercials of all time.

And here is Brian telling the crowd to think for themselves, think different (sermon begins at 1min 30sec into the clip):