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As Apple’s latest TV commercials for the iPhone 4’s “FaceTime” functionality dazzle us with blandness, it got us thinking about the company’s ad campaigns of years gone by. Although Apple has had some amazing ad successes in recent years — so much so that the release of a new Apple ad becomes news in itself — that’s not always been the case. Here, we step back in time and bring you ten vintage commercials from Apple that time forgot — and in many cases, for good reason. 1. Alligators What's a good euphemism for the cutthroat world of business? Oh yeah... alligators. Thank goodness someone boats in with a Mac, although we're not convinced with the whole water + electronics sends the right message safety-wise. Unless they were suggesting a new way to really eliminate the competition. 2. Homemaker Here talk show host Dick Cavett becomes the first celeb to advertise for Apple, although with his blatant sexism we're not sure he's quite a poster boy for the brand. And since career-minded women were featured regularly in early Apple ads, it suggests the female market was a target audience. However, we're not convinced that calling a computer "the appliance of the 80s" would have made that many rush out and buy one. 3. 20th Anniversary Mac With its unusual design the limited edition T.A.M. was a love it or hate it machine. Although it's now a collector's item, at the time its high price tag made it a commercial flop, and after seeing this overblown ad, we're not surprised. 4. Kevin Costner This shows how much times have changed since the early 80s for Apple. In this case, there's a lot less Kevin Costner and pit bulls. Made in the days before it was branded a "Mac," it's interesting to hear the slogan about the two kinds of people in the world, "those who use computers and those who use Apples." This soon changed for good when the Macintosh line came along. And really how many times have you heard someone say they "use an Apple?" Exactly. 5. The Personal Computer Just try and follow the complex train of thought here. And while we're on the topic, what's with the lame sound effects? 6. Newton - Restaurant So the message here is to get a Newton in case the person you're having lunch with turns out to be some kind of psychopath? Huh? And FYI -- if you've interviewed a hundred people for one position then there might be something wrong with your recruitment process. 7. Nightmare Ever have one of those "forgot to do your homework" nightmares? No, neither have we. 8. The Power to Succeed Unlike today, many of Apple's early ads focused on the business market in an "anything you can do I can do better" battle with Windows PC. This cringe-worthy ad aired in the UK and offers an awful, caricatured glimpse into the world of business. 9. Middle Seat Not really "vintage," but this ad from 2001 for the iBook, featuring Heros star Milo Ventimiglia as the guy you hope you never have to sit next to on a plane, may well be the reason some PC users have a low opinion of Mac owners. 10. We Are Apple (Leading The Way) Not an advert, technically, more a corporate message. This is still unspeakably bad. It's hard to see how Apple made it from this to the ultra cool consumer brand it is today. It makes Apple's success all the more remarkable. More Apple resources from Mashable: - Top 6 Free World Cup iPhone Apps - 10 Great iPhone Apps for Growing a Garden - 5 Fantastic Free iPhone E-book Reader Apps - 10 Essential Money-Saving iPhone Apps - 10 Fun Facts You Didn’t Know About Google More About: advertising, adverts, apple, commercials, videos, vintage For more Apple coverage:Follow Mashable Apple on TwitterBecome a Fan on FacebookSubscribe to the Apple channelDownload our free apps for iPhone and iPad
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