Apple's first ad featuring Samir Soni makes waves on social media

Amidst the buzz for Apple's 2024 latest product launch, a throwback to the company's formative years has captured the hearts of social media users.

An advertisement from 1996, which originally aired on Doordarshan, has gone viral, eliciting a wave of nostalgia and showcasing Apple's early attempts to establish a foothold in the Indian market.

The advertisement features a young Samir Soni, portraying a confident professional in a quintessential 1990s office setting. The scene unfolds with a senior executive entering the room with a Windows floppy disk in hand, looking for a compatible PC.

Soni, using a Power Macintosh, offers his machine despite the executive's doubts about the Mac being a "serious business computer." In a memorable twist, Soni removes a fluffy toy from atop his Mac and successfully runs the disk, quipping, "Does that help?" as he challenges the prevailing skepticism.

The nostalgic ad is a stark reminder of Apple's early days in India, when personal computing was still gaining traction and Apple products were met with considerable doubts. This contrasts sharply with the current status of Apple in India, where it is now seen as a prestigious brand with a significant market share.

The ad resurfaces at a time when Apple is re-engaging with the Indian market more robustly than ever. Since 2016, the company has tailored a series of advertisements specifically for the Indian audience, coinciding with the iPhone's rising popularity in the region.

On September 9, 2024, Apple introduced its new products, including the highly anticipated iPhone 16 and the latest smartwatches, at its 'It's Glowtime' event. This event marks a significant moment for Apple in India, reflecting both the long journey since the days of the 1996 ad and the growing importance of the Indian market in Apple's global strategy.

Fans joined the excitement and watched the live event on Apple's official website and YouTube channel on September 9 at 10:30 pm IST.