DiscoverNudgeThe surprising true story behind “the greatest ad ever made”
The surprising true story behind “the greatest ad ever made”

The surprising true story behind “the greatest ad ever made”

Update: 2025-06-16
Share

Description

Most marketers will remember Apple’s 1984 ad. 


Many consider it the “greatest ad of all time”. 


But you probably don’t know that just 12 months earlier, Apple released a similar ad that failed. 


Why? 


Today on Nudge, bestselling author and storytelling expert Will Storr explains why. 


--- 


Access the bonus episode: https://nudge.kit.com/0d88279296


Read Will’s book: https://shorturl.at/yUGRC


Visit Will’s website: https://www.thescienceofstorytelling.com/


Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list


Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/


Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/


--- 


Sources:


Bransford, J. D., & Johnson, M. K. (1972). Contextual prerequisites for understanding: Some investigations of comprehension and recall. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 11(6), 717–726.


Flock Associates – Recife Sport club: Immortal Fans. Integrated Campaign by Ogilvy Brazil. https://youtu.be/E99ijQScSB8?si=TS3poMArJIqb-FtE


Muth, C., Pepperell, R., & Carbon, C.-C. (2013). Give me Gestalt! Preference for cubist artworks revealing high detectability of objects. Leonardo, 46(5), 488–489.


Walker, R., & Glenn, J. (2009). Significant Objects. Retrieved from https://significantobjects.com/


Wiessner, P. W. (2014). Embers of society: Firelight talk among the Ju/’hoansi Bushmen. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 111(39), 14027–14035. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1404212111

Comments 
00:00
00:00
x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

The surprising true story behind “the greatest ad ever made”

The surprising true story behind “the greatest ad ever made”

Phill Agnew