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iBURN



I wasn’t sure where or how to start this entry.  Obviously it’s an homage to the late great Steve Jobs.  Anyone that knows me, knows the fierce connection I feel towards the brand.  Not just the products but the idea behind the brand.  The mantra of “Think Differently” is ingrained in my soul. When the whole world says white my first instinct is to think black. 

Now this isn’t born out of a sheer love of being a contrarian, no it’s the result of having WHY burn inside like a primal fire inherited from my ancestors that received that gift from Prometheus. “WHY” is a gift that allows us to… on the surface question the status quo but go deeper and one will discover that “WHY” actually allows us to innovate. I like to think it’s the flame of genius that consumes those that dare to embrace it as others simply choose to admire its light and warmth.

My introduction to computing was on a PC and that relationship was nothing more than utilitarian, a means to an end that I didn’t even think about. My introduction to Macintosh and the unique operating system improved that experience but the love affair didn’t start there.  It was the marketing, product development and user integration all working in concert that did it for me, which was all Steve. Although I am an ad guy, I am not immune to the effects of smart advertising, but this was something more than a clever headline or an inspirational 30: second commercial.  It was the articulation of an idea shared by so many disconnected eccentrics. When the world said, “We use PCs and so should you” we all laughed reveling in our exclusivity and felt connected.

Although it was not needed, it provided some validation which inspired me to embrace WHY in more aspects of everything I did and will continue to burn in everything I do.

I never met the man but I can say that he did impact my life beyond the Apple products I own. So I’ll end with an appropriate quote from Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner”

“The light that burns twice as bright burns half as long and you have burned so very, very brightly…”

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