Ten cool things Steve Jobs did in this presentation.

Steve Job intrduces ChiatDay’s new campaign

1.) He didn’t work from notes. Notes suck. Notes say, “What I’m saying is so unmemorable, even I had to memorize it.” Speak from the heart.

2.) It didn’t feel like he was presenting. It felt like he was talking with us.

3.) He stopped 23 agencies from pitching for Apple’s business and just assigned it to an agency he admired. God, the pitch process sucks so bad.

4.) He sounds like a creative making the pitch to a client, not a client.

5.) He was actually proud that Apple had done what he called “award-winning work.” These days, even agencies are afraid to say their work win awards. (Today award-winning means the work didn’t sell stuff but was really cool.)

6.) The speech is entirely about brand advertising; about values, about “soft” stuff like that. Yet today Apple is the one of the most valuable brands on the planet and for awhile there, Apple had more cash reserves on hand than the U.S. Government.

7.) I challenge you to find just one speech by a company CEO talking about his company’s “values and vision” that does not either set off your bullshit alarm or put you into a deep, restful, and refreshing sleep.

8.) Makes a cool point about how a company’s market challenges can change wildly, but its values do not; or should not. Companies which have values and stick to them, they last. (Which is what the book Built To Last is all about.)

9.) He made it very clear that Apple’s core value is this: “We believe people with passion can change the world.” And there he was, a walking example of it. How many other brands can  a.)  talk about having such a cool core value,  and b.) can then actually walk the walk?

10.) He used the phrase “the soul of this company.” How many companies have a soul? Apple does. Did  any of the phone companies in your life have a soul? Press 2 if your answer is no.

8 Comments

  1. Great find! You forgot one point: Only Steve can wear shorts and sandals at a presentation.

    Reply
  2. Great video and great observations.
    All creatives should watch this and Don Draper’s selling of “The Carousel” at least twice, and then watch again before preparing for presentations.

    You could bet on the work being good enough to sell itself, but better to bet on the work AND your set up.

    Reply
  3. apple…core values. Get it? What a wacky dude!

    Reply
    • You are a nut, Licked-And-Held. Miss hangin’ out with you.

      Reply
  4. luke. nice. actually had to print it out. sorry tree. t.

    Reply
  5. Good stuff. Thanks for blogging.
    Hope all is well.

    Reply
  6. Whipple, you know how much I agree with all this.
    I spend my life preaching it.
    And it’s in my new book.
    Can you work this teaching into the curriculum
    at SCAD?
    Keep up the good work.

    Reply
    • When’s your book come out. Have your pub send us some freebies.

      Reply

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  1. You must sell before your ad can sell | northlich | the rehavior movement starts here - [...] first is Steve Jobs selling the “Think Different” campaign to an audience of his fellow Apple employees, with keen…

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Luke Sullivan

Author, speaker, and ad veteran available to recharge, reinvigorate, and refocus marketing, advertising, and branding firms.

I give a hugely energetic series of presentations on innovation, creativity, branding, and marketing. I spent 32 years in the trenches of advertising (at agencies like Martin, GSD&M, and Fallon) and I’ve put everything I learned into my book, Hey Whipple, Squeeze This. But for me nothing beats taking the message out and speaking to living breathing audiences at clients, agencies, and conferences. You can book me on the button below.

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