Apple's 1984 Ghostbusters Parody Unearthed

[Michael Essany]

As it turns out, there was another exceptionally creative commercial devised by Apple in 1984 - the first, of course, being Big Brother-themed ad that remains one of the most iconic TV commercials in broadcast history.

Apple's stashed documents at Stanford University contains a video that, despite having never been ostensibly hidden from public view, has been viewed by very few people to date. The segment in question was an internal company ad at Apple that presented a once-timely and altogether cheesy spoof of the 1984 classic comedy Ghostbusters.

Called Blue Busters, the parody video paints Apple as the Ghostbusters, who try to suck the "Big Blue" a.k.a. IBM up and liberate the world. Blue Busters was made for a 1984 international sales meeting.

This little gem is just a small piece of the gargantuan collection at Stanford, which is hailed as the largest assembly of Apple historical materials. "Through this one collection you can trace out the evolution of the personal computer," says Stanford historian Leslie Berlin. "These sorts of documents are as close as you get to the unmediated story of what really happened."

If you haven't yet seen the 'spook'tacularly nerdy video referenced above, check it out below.



Source: Dvice

[robby_persaud]

'spook'tacularly nerdy video

[dennder]

The "blue" is IBM i suppose? Font and color are certainly a match. (i haven't read the text yet, just watching the video).

P.S. If Samsung (read sam-suck) would have come with something like this for it's products rather than "apple sheep are stupid" and "tablet apple tried to stop", i would have not argued. This is entertaining, highly offensive, especially the "freaky blue's" part at the end, but entertaining. Main and most important difference is - this is anti-IBM product ad, it does not make "stupid sheep" of the customers...

[djdraco]

Should have cast Chevy Chase as the store owner.

[CZroe]

The "blue" is IBM i suppose? Font and color are certainly a match. (i haven't read the text yet, just watching the video).

P.S. If Samsung (read sam-suck) would have come with something like this for it's products rather than "apple sheep are stupid" and "tablet apple tried to stop", i would have not argued. This is entertaining, highly offensive, especially the "freaky blue's" part at the end, but entertaining. Main and most important difference is - this is anti-IBM product ad, it does not make "stupid sheep" of the customers...

If you know anything about IBM then you should know that their nick-name is "Big Blue."

[sziklassy]

The "blue" is IBM i suppose? Font and color are certainly a match. (i haven't read the text yet, just watching the video).

P.S. If Samsung (read sam-suck) would have come with something like this for it's products rather than "apple sheep are stupid" and "tablet apple tried to stop", i would have not argued. This is entertaining, highly offensive, especially the "freaky blue's" part at the end, but entertaining. Main and most important difference is - this is anti-IBM product ad, it does not make "stupid sheep" of the customers...

I don't remember Samsung saying anything of the sort. They never pointed out that anyone that was "stupid" was an "apple sheep". The fact that we all made the connection is what made it so clever...

[plcrules]

idk y but it made me smile seeing woz's face at the end

1:56 - 1:59 correct me if thats not woz

[Zokunei]

I don't remember Samsung saying anything of the sort. They never pointed out that anyone that was "stupid" was an "apple sheep". The fact that we all made the connection is what made it so clever...

That's a good point!

[ALIEN1974]

Should have cast Chevy Chase as the store owner.

Hahaaa...👍

[chstriker11]

idk y but it made me smile seeing woz's face at the end

1:56 - 1:59 correct me if thats not woz

That is, indeed, the almighty and powerful wizard of Woz