logo
episode-header-image
Apr 2024
38m 40s

Ideas That Stick with advertising legend...

SIMON SINEK
About this episode

Apple's "1984" commercial, the Energizer Bunny, and the launch of Air Jordans all have one thing in common. They're all creations of legendary ad man Lee Clow.

As creative director of Chiat/Day, Lee spent decades making work that transcended advertising and became cultural icons. He shared a close relationship with Steve Jobs, and his Think Different campaign revitalized Apple, transforming it into the brand we recognize today.

As someone whose career started in advertising, Lee's a hero of mine, and I was thrilled to sit down with him. He shares the entertaining stories behind his most iconic work and some insights into Steve Jobs's leadership, his rare ability to fearlessly embrace creativity.

This...is A Bit of Optimism.

For more on Lee and his work, check out:

Apple's "1984" Macintosh commercial

Lee in the Creative Hall of Fame


 

 

Up next
Aug 19
Simon Goes Nuclear with nuclear energy influencer Isabelle Boemeke
“Nuclear” might make you wince—but the real problem isn’t the energy, it’s the branding. Safe, low-carbon, and scalable, nuclear could be a climate hero—if only we told the story right.Isabelle Boemeke is on a mission to change how we think about nuclear energy. A Brazilian model ... Show More
1h 6m
Aug 12
The Brilliance of Boredom with creative polymath Elle Cordova
We’re wired to chase the next spark - scrolling, swiping, refreshing - but some of our brightest ideas sneak in when we stop chasing, let boredom settle in and give our minds room to wander.Elle Cordova knows the power of that pause. When the pandemic hit pause on her life as a t ... Show More
1h 5m
Aug 5
The Privilege of Bad Experiences with NASA astronaut Jonny Kim
This was the most epic Zoom call we’ve ever been a part of — an incredible conversation with NASA astronaut Jonny Kim, live from the International Space Station, with sunrise on Earth as a stunningly causal site behind him as they barreled at 17,000 mph in orbit. Thanks to the am ... Show More
26m 10s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2022
What it was really like building Apple with Steve Jobs, with Founder & CEO of FNDR James Vincent
James Vincent has helped develop brands for some of the biggest companies in the world. For 11 years he met Steve Jobs every week to come up with some of the iconic campaigns for Apple’s products. And then to launch the very first iPhone, James started Media Arts Lab, Apple’s exc ... Show More
1h 11m
Jun 2023
Steve Jobs' Most Valuable Talent?
I once watched a fascinating interview of Jony Ive, the former design leader at Apple who is also known as Steve Jobs' closest working partner. As I observed the conversation, I discovered a leadership insight that I'd never heard before...  While Steve was clearly inte ... Show More
2m 7s
Oct 2023
How to Tell Sexy Stories About Unsexy Brands
Not every company has a whiz-bang product, so how can you make it pop? Squarespace Chief Creative Officer David Lee has done that, winning tons of awards and making campaigns with the likes of Adam Driver, Zendaya, Dolly Parton, Keanu Reeves and John Malkovich (which earned him a ... Show More
27m 31s
Jun 2022
#249 Steve Jobs In His Own Words
What I learned from reading I, Steve: Steve Jobs In His Own Words by George Beahm.[1:05]On Steve Jobs#5 Steve Jobs: The Biography #19 Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary Leader #76 Return To The Little Kingdom: Steve Jobs and The Creation of ... Show More
49m 34s
Sep 2022
Dave Aaker: Brand Strategies For Market Leadership with The Father of Modern Branding | Marketing | E187
Think about some of the most successful brands in the business: Amazon, Tesla, Etsy… the list goes on. They all have certain qualities in common: they took a unique approach to an existing category of products and services and they continued to innovate and grow their brand to me ... Show More
49m 7s
Apr 2023
#299 Steve Jobs (Make Something Wonderful)
What I learned from reading Make Something Wonderful: Steve Jobs in his own words.----Get access to the World’s Most Valuable Notebook for Founders at Founders Notes.comYou can read, reread, and search all my notes and highlights from every book I've ever read for the podcast. Yo ... Show More
2 h
May 2024
#350 How To Sell Like Steve Jobs
What I learned from reading The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience by Carmine Gallo ----Come build relationships at the Founders Conference on July 29th-July 31st in Scotts Valley, California----Learning from history is a form of ... Show More
47m 6s
Aug 2021
Jason Harris | The Soulful Art of Persuasion
Join Jason and me for a phenomenal conversation around the importance of persuasion through storytelling, authenticity and relationship building.   Jason Harris is the co-founder & CEO of the award-winning creative advertising agency Mekanism, co-founder of the Creative Alliance ... Show More
48m 20s
May 2024
The commercial that changed advertising: 1984
Forty years ago, a Hollywood director, some tech revolutionaries and a group of London skinheads created a commercial that would rock the advertising world.Based on George Orwell’s dystopic novel ‘1984’, and launched in the same year, the ad was like nothing that had been seen be ... Show More
10m 4s
Aug 2023
Innovation and the absurdity of life: how staying curious is the key to great marketing
Allen Adamson, co-founder of Metaforce, author and adjunct professor at the New York Stern School of Business on how to innovate experiences beyond the consumer perspective and the importance of curiosity in the age of the marketeers. As someone who comes with a rich background i ... Show More
31m 49s