Apple launches the Mac
The Raiders were blowing out the Redskins in the third quarter of Super Bowl XVIII when TV viewers were startled by a TV commercial. Directed by Ridley Scott, the iconic spot plugged Apple’s new Macintosh personal computer — “Think Different,” get it? — and signaled the upstart company’s arrival as a major player. It also helped make the Super Bowl an annual showcase for splashy, big-budget commercials.