Apple (via YouTube)
If there was ever one ad that would make you want to change the world using your MacBook Air, it’s the “Behind the Mac – Greatness” ad that Apple released in November 2020. There was kind of a lot going on in November 2020, so if you missed it, let us recap: The ad opens with a black and white photo of Tom Hanks, sitting at his laptop and looking at the camera lens. camera in a way only Tom Hanks can do it. A voice says, “There is a certain type of person …” and then proceeds to list the qualities of a disruptor, a rebel, a pioneer.
As the voice speaks, extolling the virtues of those who want to challenge the status quo, we watch a series of photos and videos, all in black and white, featuring familiar faces. There is Gloria Steinem at her desk, surrounded by piles of paperwork. There is Queer eyeJonathan Van Ness in nothing but heels and a towel, and filmmaker Spike Lee in his sneakers and a baseball cap. Billie Eilish sits cross-legged on a sofa, while Lady Gaga is elegantly perched on an unconscious sofa. DJs, protesters, RuPaul, Black Lives Matter organizers, Stephen Colbert, Jane Goodall and even Lisa Simpson appear in the ad. And besides their greatness, what all of these people have in common becomes evident from the little glowing apple symbol that appears in every photo: They all use a Mac.
The advertisement is compelling for many reasons. Seeing celebrities in their natural habitat is intriguing, and the photography triggers a lesson we’ve all learned as kids: if it’s black and white, it must be important. But it’s the rhythm in the background – the rhythm that beats, that walks, that builds – that really injects urgency into the announcement.
This is the song used in Apple’s “Behind the Mac – Greatness” commercial.
“Take Back the Power” is perfect for this ad
Apple (via YouTube)
The track is “Take back the power” by Raury, a song that Cool hunting highlighted in June 2020 for its place in the Black Lives Matter movement.
Back in 2015, Time interviewed Raury Tullis, then an 18-year-old singer-rapper-songwriter whose debut album was due out this summer. Time called it a “weird mix of nostalgic child flower and angry brandon”, and the angst of being broken over the piano chords in “Take Back the Power” really feels like it came from the latter. The Apple commercial version of the song removes vocals and leaves the beat (with great effect), while the original track features Raury’s intense and culturally relevant lyrics.
Whether you feel like starting a movement or just wanting to take your steps, the urgent drumbeat and uplifting voice of “Take Back the Power” provide the perfect motivation. Ten to one say you’ll be streaming it – probably from your Mac – for months.
Apple (via YouTube)
If there was ever one ad that would make you want to change the world using your MacBook Air, it’s the “Behind the Mac – Greatness” ad that Apple released in November 2020. There was kind of a lot going on in November 2020, so if you missed it, let us recap: The ad opens with a black and white photo of Tom Hanks, sitting at his laptop and looking at the camera lens. camera in a way only Tom Hanks can do it. A voice says, “There is a certain type of person …” and then proceeds to list the qualities of a disruptor, a rebel, a pioneer.
As the voice speaks, extolling the virtues of those who want to challenge the status quo, we watch a series of photos and videos, all in black and white, featuring familiar faces. There is Gloria Steinem at her desk, surrounded by piles of paperwork. There is Queer eyeJonathan Van Ness in nothing but heels and a towel, and filmmaker Spike Lee in his sneakers and a baseball cap. Billie Eilish sits cross-legged on a sofa, while Lady Gaga is elegantly perched on an unconscious sofa. DJs, protesters, RuPaul, Black Lives Matter organizers, Stephen Colbert, Jane Goodall and even Lisa Simpson appear in the ad. And besides their greatness, what all of these people have in common becomes evident from the little glowing apple symbol that appears in every photo: They all use a Mac.
The advertisement is compelling for many reasons. Seeing celebrities in their natural habitat is intriguing, and the photography triggers a lesson we’ve all learned as kids: if it’s black and white, it must be important. But it’s the rhythm in the background – the rhythm that beats, that walks, that builds – that really injects urgency into the announcement.
This is the song used in Apple’s “Behind the Mac – Greatness” commercial.
“Take Back the Power” is perfect for this ad
Apple (via YouTube)
The track is “Take back the power” by Raury, a song that Cool hunting highlighted in June 2020 for its place in the Black Lives Matter movement.
Back in 2015, Time interviewed Raury Tullis, then an 18-year-old singer-rapper-songwriter whose debut album was due out this summer. Time called it a “weird mix of nostalgic child flower and angry brandon”, and the angst of being broken over the piano chords in “Take Back the Power” really feels like it came from the latter. The Apple commercial version of the song removes vocals and leaves the beat (with great effect), while the original track features Raury’s intense and culturally relevant lyrics.
Whether you feel like starting a movement or just wanting to take your steps, the urgent drumbeat and uplifting voice of “Take Back the Power” provide the perfect motivation. Ten to one say you’ll be streaming it – probably from your Mac – for months.