APPLE'S 1990s: YEAR BY YEAR
Early 1990s
Financial Crisis:
At the beginning of the 90s, Apple was in a very difficult position. The company was in serious financial turmoil. The company was not competing like they hoped they would.
Market Reality:
The mainstream computing world was still dominated by Microsoft and the IBM-compatible PCs. These machines were often seen as work-focused devices that should be intended for spreadsheets, business software, and dull word processing.
1997 THE TURNING POINT
Late 1997:
The huge decisive turning point came in late 1997, when the well known Steve Jobs returned to the company Apple following its acquisition of "NeXT". Jobs did not just simply restructure the entire company; he redefined its whole purpose.
Late 90s
Think Different Campaign:
The real cultural turning point of Apple came in the late 90s with the well-known launch of the "Think Different" marketing campaign. The marketing included having ads with historical figures such as Einstein, MLK, and Amelia Earhart.
1998 THE REVOLUTION
iMac Launch:
The most iconic embodiment of Apple's late-90s philosophy officially arrived in 1998 with the initial release of the iMac G3. Steve Jobs: "It will set the new gold standard and it is beautiful"
Sales Performance:
iMac leads Retail Sales (1998): "iMac's rankings have steadily improved, moving from fourth place in August, to third in September and second in October."
Marketing Message:
The slogan "three steps & you are on the internet" addressed an initial major barrier of the time which was the difficulty many households had getting online.
RESEARCH BY MICAH MANOOKIAN
11/05/2025
Apple's transformation from near-bankruptcy to cultural icon