You might have heard that the biggest football game game of the class happening this Sunday — that ’s “ American football game ” for those in the U.K. But it ’s not just about the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Kansas City Chiefs : The Super Bowl is the most - watched sporting event in the U.S. as much for the commercials as for the game .

As technical school publications like this one like to head out , Apple made what is perhaps the most memorable commercial in Super Bowl chronicle way back in 1984 . This often leads to the thought that Apple and the Super Bowl go hand - in - hand , but actually , Apple ’s history with the secret plan is quite short . But still , every class we desire Apple uses the biggest stagecoach to showcase or tantalise a unexampled product . And every class we ’re disappointed .

Before we get to Sunday , here ’s a chronicle of Apple ’s Super Bowl ads .

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1984 (1984)

Apple’s1984ad is often call thegreatestcommercialin Super Bowl story . Directed by Ridley Scott of “ Alien ” and “ Blade Runner ” renown , the 60 - sec ad only aired only once , as the first commercial going into halftime of Super Bowl XVIII . Its theme was based on George Orwell ’s novel,1984 , and the commercial ’s bleak , dystopian imagery coin a chord during an era of populist conservativism and the Cold War . It was designed to sire ballyhoo for the announcement of the Macintosh on January 24 , 1984 , and it certainly accomplished its destination .

Scott ’s direction get out a lasting mental picture on democratic culture , so much so that “ Apple ” and “ Super Bowl ” are synonymous – even though this ad did n’t sport a single Apple product .

Lemmings (1985)

In 1985 , Apple – well cognizant of how effective1984was – air a second ad during Super Bowl XIX . TitledLemmings , the commercial was aim by Tony Scott , brother of Ridley , and feature a similar tone topromotea young package suite calledMacintosh Office , which was design to connect a Macintosh to a printer and a filing cabinet server .

HAL (1999)

After theLemmingsdebacle , 15 year pass away by before Apple adjudicate to debut a novel commercial message during the Super Bowl . The ad star HAL from2001 : A Space Odyssey , and with Stanley Kubrick ’s benediction , was part of a theme with the AI opponent that let in the Macworld San Francisco and WWDC tonic . The ad came during a fourth dimension when there was growing concern that computers would stop working in the fresh year because of theY2 K bug , since PC could n’t understand the class 2000 , and chaos would result .

Appleused the adto promote the Mac ’s immunity to the Y2 K bug due to its ability to understand years up to 29,940 . Even though the Y2 K bug turned out to be much ado about nothing , Apple ’s third and concluding Super Bowl advertizing became a cult collide with among lover .

I Fought the Law (2004)

While not technically an Apple advertizement , Pepsi ’s 2004 commercial to announce its partnership with iTunes sure as shooting felt like one . have a Green Day cover of Sonny Curtis ’s “ I fight the Law , ” the ad featured 16 teenagers who were sued by the RIAA for illegally downloading music from the internet during Napster ’s popularity . Ironically , it ’s the only Super Bowl ad here to actually have an Apple product – not an iPod but an iMac G4 . The ad and the promotional campaign were a smash and facilitate impel the iTunes Music Store , which was barely a year old at the time , to new height .

Rihanna (2023)

Apple has been hype its mien at Super Bowl LVII all calendar month within Apple Music’sRihanna ’s Road to Halftimesection , which admit :

There ’s also a rumor that Apple is defecate abehind - the - conniption documentarythat will bare on Apple Music int he come weeks . And the performance will likely be useable to pour following the show .

And the timing is correct — Ridley Scott ’s forthcoming filmNapoleonwill be broadcast on Apple TV+ subsequently this year . So maybe Apple get him to direct a follow - up to1984 ? We ’ll find out on Sunday .