Motorola — “Apple turns 030.”

A component ad piggybacking on Apple’s credibility: the chip becomes the upgrade narrative.

What this ad is really doing

It uses Apple as a trust engine. Motorola isn’t selling a processor — it’s selling the feeling that the future has a part number. The headline is pure technical swagger, dressed as inevitability.

Why it worked then

In the late 80s and early 90s, “computer power” was legible as progress. Specs felt like culture. If your machine had the right guts, you were on the right side of history.

Why it feels unhinged now

Modern tech marketing hides the internals. This ad puts the insides on stage and expects you to clap. It’s strangely sincere — like performance per watt is a personality trait.

Status: Alive (as a scan). Cause of death: consumers stopped caring what was inside.