Super Bowl LI is almost here, not forgetting of course the high-profile TV commercials that accompany the event. While recollections of notable Super Bowl ads from years gone by typically reference Apple's groundbreaking "1984" commercial, fewer mention the company's 1999 ad starring HAL, the malicious computer from Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey.

"HAL" was Apple's first Super Bowl appearance since its 1985 "Lemmings" commercial and arrived amid a flurry of largely media-driven panic surrounding the Y2K bug, which was supposed to make computers go haywire when the millennium ticked over and bring about a precipitous collapse of global infrastructure.

1200x630bf
Macs on the other hand would be immune to the bug, thanks to their ability to recognize dates at least up to 29,940 – a fact not lost on Steve Jobs, who in 1999 had not long begun his second stint as Apple CEO. Over 12 months before the collective PC rollover from x99 to x00, Jobs decided he wanted to do a commercial that would promote the advantages of Mac ownership before worldwide calamity struck. So, Jobs tasked Ken Segall, then-Apple creative director at TBWA/Chiat/Day, to get the ball rolling and come up with an idea for an ad that would highlight the Mac's resistance to the Y2K bug.

This week, Segall relayed detailed memories of making the "HAL" ad. In a blog post on his site, Segall relates his experiences of dealing with Jobs directly as the idea for the commercial took shape, and reveals how his team overcame legal, technical, and Steve-related challenges to make the commercial a reality – and a surprise Super Bowl hit. For an interesting read, check out Segall's full story here, and "HAL" below.

Tag: Ads

Top Rated Comments

venusboy Avatar
87 months ago
The Y29940 bug is gonna be HUGE
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
AngerDanger Avatar
87 months ago
However, if Dave decided to fully embrace the Apple ecosystem, 2001 would've been a completely different movie…



Attachment Image
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Pakaku Avatar
87 months ago
The Superbowl is one of my favourite places to watch ads, but I never understood why they show football during the breaks?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
MH01 Avatar
87 months ago
Classic ad, don't make them like that anymore
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Doctor Q Avatar
87 months ago
If you take the letters H-A-L, add 5 to the H, leave the A alone, and subtract 9 from the L, you get M-A-C. What an amazing surprise!
Score: 4 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Murphintosh Avatar
87 months ago
However, if Dave decided to fully embrace the Apple ecosystem, 2001 would've been a completely different movie…

I've changed the name of my bookmark for MacRumors to "AngerDanger" to reflect my top interest at this site.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)

Popular Stories

Apple WWDC23 macOS Sonoma hero

macOS Sonoma Launching This Week With These New Features

Sunday September 24, 2023 12:45 pm PDT by
Apple previously announced that macOS Sonoma will be released this Tuesday, September 26. The free software update includes many new features and changes for the Mac, including the five that we have highlighted below. In addition to these five features, we have shared the full release notes for macOS Sonoma below for a complete overview of everything new. Desktop Widgets macOS Sonoma...
iPhone 16 Mock Header With Dynamic Island

Skipping the iPhone 15 Pro? Here's What's Rumored for iPhone 16 Pro

Friday September 22, 2023 9:29 am PDT by
Are you skipping the iPhone 15 Pro and waiting another year to upgrade? If so, we already have some iPhone 16 Pro rumors for you. Below, we recap new features rumored for the iPhone 16 Pro models so far:Larger displays: The iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with larger 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch displays, respectively, according to Ross Young, CEO of Display Supply Chain...
iPhone 16 Side Feature

iPhone 16 to Include an Additional Capacitive 'Capture' Button

Monday September 25, 2023 12:50 pm PDT by
The iPhone 16 series is expected to gain an additional capacitive button, known internally as the "Capture Button." Codenamed "Project Nova," the button is likely to be one of the main selling points of the iPhone 16 lineup, assuming it gets past the initial testing phase. The Capture Button is located on the same side as the Power button, only positioned slightly lower - where the mmWave cutout...
ipad mini blue

Apple to Launch iPad Mini 7 Later This Year, Industry Report Suggests

Monday September 25, 2023 3:16 am PDT by
Apple could be preparing to release a seventh-generation iPad mini before the end of the year, based on a new report by DigiTimes. In an article discussing stagnating global tablet demand in the second half of 2023, the Taiwan-based outlet forecasts an uptick in Apple's share of the market owing to orders for a "small-size" iPad in the fourth quarter. From the report (see bold): In the...