Old Apple commercials from the 1980s have been resurfacing on YouTube channel EveryAppleAds over the past few days, offering an extensive look at vintage Apple advertising that is normally overshadowed by Apple's famous Super Bowl commercial "1984".

The commercials, which feature both the Macintosh and the Apple II, introduce and promote the general concept of the PC and its usefulness to every day life. The first ad presents the Macintosh computer as a communication tool, while the second promotes the Apple II as a learning tool.


Coincidentally, the ads happen to be resurfacing close to the release of Steve Jobs movie "JOBS", which takes place in the 80s and tells the story behind the creation of both the Macintosh and the Apple II. The movie, which is currently in the promotional stages, is set to be released in theaters on August 16.

Additional vintage Apple ads can be found on the EveryAppleAds YouTube channel.

Top Rated Comments

trekkie604 Avatar
156 months ago
They should bring back this campaign ;)

Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ThisIsMike Avatar
156 months ago
That second commercial is actually really clever... loved that ending. :)
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Michaelgtrusa Avatar
156 months ago
You have to hand the crown to apple, they rule.
Score: 6 Votes (Like | Disagree)
DrMotownMac Avatar
156 months ago
My Favorite Apple Video...

In 1998, when I first started dating the woman who is now my wife, I let her talk me into buying a Dell when my 5 year old Mac needed to be replaced. Of course, this was RIGHT BEFORE the iMac came out. So, I ordered my Dell with Windows 98 installed on it, and it was a piece of crap right from the start. None of my old peripherals worked properly, even after I spent money buying Adaptec PCI cards with the appropriate connectors. When I'd call tech support, I'd get the runaround, with Dell telling me it was a Windows problem, Microsoft telling me it was an Adaptec problem, and Adaptec telling me the problem was with my old HP scanner (which worked fine with my old Mac just one week earlier). Also, the bootup time was obscene, the default organization of files and folders didn't make any sense, and it just wasn't fun to use. And I won't even start about the viruses and system crashes....

So, after only 3 months of owning it, the iMac had been announced and I saw this video while browsing the internet one night:

iMac G3 promo video - Simplicity Shootout iMac vs. PC (1998) (http://youtu.be/_spF8pHs-Fc)

So, I showed this to my then girlfriend, and as we both laughed (and almost cried), we agreed that I had made a horrible mistake. This video captures, in a nutshell, exactly why the Mac is superior to the PC. Simplicity. We ended up finding someone to pay me slightly more than 50% of what I paid for the Dell, and I promptly got rid of it and bought an iMac. That Dell was the only PC I had ever owned since my parents bought our family's first computer -- an IBM PC (one of the originals...with two floppy drives and no hard drive) back in 1984...coincidentally the same year the original Macintosh was released. Every other computer I've had, from 1987 until present, has been a Mac.

And as I type this post on my 13 inch MacBook Air (Oct. 2010 release), I contemplate when I'm going to get my NEW MacBook Air! That 12 hour battery life with the faster processor and 512 GB SSD sure is tempting! Not to mention that my AppleCare Warranty will be expiring in late October, AND that my 6-year-old daughter is just learning to type and use computers at school (unfortunately, they're DELL PCs -- YUCK!). So, I need to train her properly in the ways of Apple before she gets lured to the dark side. But, if one of us is getting a "new" computer, it might as well be the one who's paying for it, right? Especially, since my 3-year-old MacBook Air is in perfect condition!
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
deannnnn Avatar
156 months ago
These ads were made three years before I was born.

And I'm not a little kid, I'm 23 years old. I grew up with my parents and grandparents constantly telling me what life was like without computers and cell phones and the internet. What are we going to tell our kids we grew up without? I can't wait to find out.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
GermanyChris Avatar
156 months ago
Good thread, thanks!
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

ios 19 messages app

Apple Sues Jon Prosser Over iOS 26 Leaks

Thursday July 17, 2025 8:40 pm PDT by
Earlier this year, YouTuber Jon Prosser shared multiple videos showing off what he claimed to be re-created renderings of what was then presumed to be called iOS 19 and which was eventually unveiled by Apple as iOS 26 at WWDC in June. In his first video back in January, Prosser showed off a Camera app redesign with a simpler set of buttons for moving between photo and video modes, and he...
iPhone 17 Colors

All 15 New iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro Colors Revealed in Latest Leak

Wednesday July 16, 2025 6:50 am PDT by
We may finally have a definitive list of all color options for the iPhone 17 series, ahead of the devices launching in September. MacRumors concept In a report for Macworld today, Filipe Espósito said he obtained an "internal document" that allegedly reveals all of the color options for the upcoming iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Air, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max models. The report includes ...
iOS 26 on Three iPhones

Here's When to Expect the iOS 26 Public Beta

Tuesday July 15, 2025 11:07 am PDT by
Apple previously announced that a public beta of iOS 26 would be available in July, and now a more specific timeframe has surfaced. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman today said that Apple's public betas should be released on or around Wednesday, July 23. In other words, expect the public betas of iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS 26, and more to be available at some point next week. Apple will be releasing...
iPhone 17 Pro Dark Blue and Orange

Ranked: The Best Features Rumored for the iPhone 17 Lineup

Wednesday July 16, 2025 4:17 pm PDT by
We have just under two months to go until the debut of Apple's iPhone 17 models, and rumors have been ramping up in recent weeks. We went through everything we know so far, pulling out the most exciting rumors and highlighting some other changes that aren't going to be so great. Top Tier Ultra Thin iPhone 17 Air - The iPhone 17 Air is 2025's most exciting iPhone rumor, because it's the...
Foldable iPhone 2023 Feature Homescreen

Foldable iPhone's Thickness and Price Range Detailed in New Reports

Wednesday July 16, 2025 11:31 am PDT by
Apple's long-rumored foldable iPhone will likely have a starting price between $1,800 and $2,000 in the U.S., analysts at investment banking firm UBS said this week. If so, the foldable iPhone would cost more than a MacBook Pro, which starts at $1,599. With a starting price of at least $1,800, the foldable iPhone would be the most expensive iPhone model ever released, topping the Pro Max at...
iPhone 17 Pro in Hand Feature Lowgo

iPhone 17 Pro Coming Soon With These 16 New Features

Friday July 11, 2025 12:40 pm PDT by
Apple's next-generation iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are only two months away, and there are plenty of rumors about the devices. Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models. Latest Rumors These rumors surfaced in June and July:A redesigned Dynamic Island: It has been rumored that all iPhone 17 models will have a redesigned Dynamic Island interface — it might ...
Apple Watch Ultra 2 Complications

Apple Watch Ultra 3: What to Expect

Sunday July 13, 2025 10:30 am PDT by
The long wait for an Apple Watch Ultra 3 is nearly over, and a handful of new features and changes have been rumored for the device. Below, we recap what to expect from the Apple Watch Ultra 3:Satellite connectivity for sending and receiving text messages when Wi-Fi and cellular coverage is unavailable 5G support, up from LTE on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 Likely a wide-angle OLED display that ...