Thirty Super Bowl Sundays ago, Apple released its iconic commercial with the famous tagline, “Why 1984 Won’t Be Like 1984,” displaying Macintosh’s first home computer to the world for the first time.

This ad was the perfect demonstration of Apple’s attempt to revolutionize the computing industry. And it helped Apple do just that.

The commercial shows a congregation of skinheads in a room being brainwashed on the “Unification of thoughts” by a large leading figure on screen. A woman sprints into the room while being chased by police officers and throws a sledgehammer through the screen, signifying the revolt against tech rival, IBM.

Former Apple advertising manager, Fred Goldberg, was completely unaware of the effect the commercial would have on the market. “It was the first time that anybody did something so outrageous on the Super Bowl,” Goldberg said in an interview with Business Insider. “I didn’t immediately know it was going to be what it was, but it sure was a really great way to introduce the product and get attention.”

The ‘1984’ commercial not only changed the landscape of the technology industry, but it unknowingly set a new precedent in marketing. Consumers would go on to purchase $155 million worth of Macintosh computers in the three months following the Super Bowl.

From then on, Super Bowl Sunday has become the biggest day for tech companies to flaunt their best products and boost brand awareness. With the majority of the world watching, this is the most coveted time to let the world know what your business is all about. This year is no different. Tech companies will continue to use the big game to boost their sales.

GoDaddy, a web-hosting company infamous for sexual imagery in their ads, looks to use the Super Bowl platform this year to change the public’s raunchy perception. CEO Blake Irving hopes to overhaul GoDaddy’s previous image and unveil a new line of website services that appeal to the 28 million small businesses in the United States as opposed to the large powerhouses. Irving believes his strategy of giving lower budget companies “a real simple way to get out of the shoebox and become a real business” will add to their already impressive revenue total in the new year.

Online marketing has become almost as popular as television promotion. It gives companies an additional outlet to view their advertisements before and during the game. Businesses across the globe are beginning to take note of the importance of online marketing.

Even older companies such as Bud Light and Volkswagen have allocated portions of their budgets to ensure their names are on the front pages of sites like Google and YouTube. Bud Light and Volkswagen have bought all Internet searches containing the words “Super Bowl ads,” meaning you’ll be greeted with a lovely advertisement above your search results.

In essence, the Super Bowl has introduced us to a world of ads about ads.

While only two tech companies will be participating in this year’s Super Bowl activities, technology will be far from absent this Sunday. You’ll see more Instagram handles and real-time tweets flash on your screen than ever before.

A lot has changed in 30 years since the ‘1984’ ad and simply having a commercial is not enough. I’m expecting a hard-fought battle between the Seahawks and Broncos and between the many business marketers set to toe the line on the biggest advertising day of the year. The team that best embraces the fast-paced, social tech world we live in wins.

Aarick Knighton is a sophomore information management and technology major. His column appears weekly. He can be reached at adknight@syr.edu

Published on January 29, 2014 at 2:23 am