Apple 1984: The Commercial That Only Aired Once and Changed Everything

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 19:15:00 +0000

January 22, 1984. Super Bowl XVIII. The Los Angeles Raiders were leading the Washington Redskins in the third quarter when a 60-second commercial aired that would be analyzed, debated, and referenced for the next four decades. It was called “1984.” It aired nationally exactly once. And it changed what advertising could be.

Apple’s “1984” commercial, conceived by Steve Hayden and Brent Thomas at Chiat/Day and directed by Ridley Scott — fresh off Blade Runner — is universally regarded as the greatest Super Bowl advertisement ever made and one of the most important commercial films in history. It didn’t show a product. It barely mentioned a product name. What it showed was a vision of the future, a declaration of war, and an artistic achievement that most feature films can’t match.

Chiat/Day on Inside That Ad

Apple 1984: The Commercial That Only Aired Once and Changed Everything