"Those cliches reflected the way the company's founders and long-time CEOs were depicted as well: Steve Jobs the rebel, Bill Gates the business drone. My, how times have changed. These days Apple CEO Tim Cook has become one of tech's Sycophants-in-Chief to US President Donald J. Trump, while Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, in his own quiet way, has been the only tech exec to face the president down when necessary."
"Jobs built Apple's mystique in two ways: creating beautifully designed, groundbreaking products and launching ad campaigns that made people feel that if they used Apple products it would prove they were rebels, free thinkers, and creatives who fought the stultifying status quo and forged their own unique path in the world. The most well-known Apple ad from that time was the "1984" Super Bowl ad introducing the Macintosh; it showed Big Brother and his brainwashed minions defeated by a beautiful young woman."
Apple and Microsoft historically represented contrasting tech personas: Apple as the rebel brand and Microsoft as the corporate choice. Steve Jobs was portrayed as the rebel while Bill Gates was seen as the business-oriented CEO. Apple built its mystique through design and advertising that positioned Macs as tools for free thinkers, notably the “1984” and “Think Different” campaigns. Contemporary leadership has shifted these roles: Tim Cook has become aligned with President Donald J. Trump, characterized as a sycophant, while Satya Nadella has intermittently confronted the president in defense of company or industry positions.
Read at Computerworld
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