Think Different

I'm in love with a rare series of posters made by Apple in 1997. As part of their "Think Different" campaign, they created posters with 10 individual designs featuring great minds and people of the 20th century. One of those people was Jim Henson (and Kermit iconically posed in the background). In addition, there were major figures like Amelia Earhart and Ghandi. It was part of a marketing strategy to re-brand Apple in a world where IBM was greatly eclipsing it, circa 1997.


The take home message of each poster: "Think Different" juxtaposed with someone who changed the world through their passion and their achievements - I think that's really powerful. It's no wonder that originally, Apple sent them out as complete packages of posters to schools and educators all over the country.

The campaign was a huge success and you can read more about it here, at the Low End Mac blog.  Now, more than a decade later, the series in both sizes, 11x17" and 24x36" are highly sought after and have become major collector's items. Just one like the Jim Henson poster here is selling for at least $200+ on eBay and other sites.


If you're interested in making the investment, I've read that they are only going to grow in value. One site where you can readily get them is here, at the Missing Bite (overpriced in my opinion, but consistently available right now). I'd recommend purusing eBay and craigslist, however, you should be cautioned that there are many fakes out there. eBay has a great article that details what may constitute a fradulent "Think Different" poster so be sure to consult it before buying.


Even if you can't afford one of these posters now (aka you're like me) - take a second, be inspired, and watch 59 seconds of the Apple "Think Different" commerical below.

It's a Muppet-kind-of-Monday

There's nobody quite like Jim Henson. At least not to me. I read a script about a year ago that was floating around the industry- The Muppet Man, a biopic for Henson. By the time I finished the story, I was in tears as it ends with his sudden death in 1990. Later, I was amazed to find that a lot of what happens in the script was based on actual truths from his life. It re-awakened in me my childhood love and identification with the Muppets. 

It probably all started with Muppet Babies, but really - even now, things like the Muppet show and the movies - the sense of humor, the sense of innocence and irreverence, the undeniable strength of heart the characters have - it all still really moves me. 

Out here in LA, I saw a posting for a position with the Jim Henson Company. It had all the normal requirements but there was one that caught my eye and has definitely stuck with me since -to work for Henson, one must have a "sincere love of silliness." A sincere love of silliness. Yep, that fits me to a T. 

Below is a really honest and touching segment from the Muppets post-Henson's death. They sing "Just One Person," a song that was apparently his favorite and it really hits home when you think about his legacy and all the creations he brought us. If you look further on YouTube, there's a lot of clips from his funeral that are equally haunting and inspiring. Be sure to check out Frank Oz's touching speech and Big Bird singing "It's Not Easy Being Green."