You may need heard that the most important soccer recreation of the 12 months taking place this Sunday—that’s “American soccer” for these within the U.Okay. Nevertheless it’s not simply in regards to the Philadelphia Eagles vs. the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs: The Tremendous Bowl is the most-watched sporting occasion within the U.S. as a lot for the commercials as for the sport.

As tech publications like this one wish to level out, Apple made what is maybe essentially the most memorable industrial in Tremendous Bowl historical past approach again in 1984. This typically results in the thought that Apple and the Tremendous Bowl go hand-in-hand, however truly, Apple’s historical past with the sport is sort of quick. However nonetheless, yearly we hope Apple makes use of the most important stage to showcase or tease a brand new product. And yearly we’re disenchanted.

However Tremendous Bowl LVII could possibly be completely different. After a 10-year run by Pepsi, Apple Music is sponsoring the Tremendous Bowl halftime present, which is that includes Rihanna’s first main reside look since 2016. Suffice it to say, it will likely be watched by some 100 million individuals, one of many largest audiences Apple has ever had. It’s the primary time Apple is sponsoring the present, so we don’t actually know what to anticipate. Will Rihanna be sporting AirPods? Will MacBooks grace the stage? And most significantly, will Apple run an advert through the huge recreation?

Earlier than we get to Sunday, right here’s a historical past of Apple’s Tremendous Bowl adverts.

1984 (1984)

Apple’s 1984 advert is commonly referred to as the best industrial in Tremendous Bowl historical past. Directed by Ridley Scott of “Alien” and “Blade Runner” fame, the 60-second advert solely aired solely as soon as, as the primary industrial going into halftime of Tremendous Bowl XVIII. Its theme was based mostly on George Orwell’s novel, 1984, and the industrial’s bleak, dystopian imagery struck a chord throughout an period of populist conservatism and the Chilly Struggle. It was designed to generate hype for the announcement of the Macintosh on January 24, 1984, and it actually achieved its purpose.

Scott’s path left a long-lasting impression on standard tradition, a lot in order that “Apple” and “Tremendous Bowl” are synonymous–though this advert didn’t characteristic a single Apple product.

Lemmings (1985)

In 1985, Apple–properly conscious of how efficient 1984 was–aired a second advert throughout Tremendous Bowl XIX. Titled Lemmings, the industrial was directed by Tony Scott, brother of Ridley, and incorporates a comparable tone to promote a brand new software program suite referred to as Macintosh Workplace, which was designed to attach a Macintosh to a printer and a file server.

The advert tried to seize the tone of 1984 and it positively left an impression on viewers—simply not the one Apple supposed. With a large hype marketing campaign that included seat cushions through the huge recreation and full-page newspaper adverts warning viewers to skip their fourth-quarter toilet break—Lemmings didn’t sit properly with viewers. Individuals watching discovered the advert miserable and insulting, and nowhere close to as attractive as 1984.

HAL (1999)

After the Lemmings debacle, 15 years glided by earlier than Apple determined to debut a brand new industrial through the Tremendous Bowl. The advert starred HAL from 2001: A House Odyssey, and with Stanley Kubrick’s blessing, was a part of a theme with the AI antagonist that included the Macworld San Francisco and WWDC keynotes. The advert got here throughout a time when there was rising concern that computer systems would cease working within the new 12 months due to the Y2K bug, since PCs couldn’t perceive the 12 months 2000, and chaos would ensue.

Apple used the advert to advertise the Mac’s immunity to the Y2K bug because of its potential to know years as much as 29,940. Although the Y2K bug turned out to be a lot ado about nothing, Apple’s third and last Tremendous Bowl advert grew to become a cult hit amongst followers.

I Fought the Legislation (2004)

Whereas not technically an Apple advert, Pepsi’s 2004 industrial to announce its partnership with iTunes actually felt like one. That includes a Inexperienced Day cowl of Sonny Curtis’s “I Fought the Legislation,” the advert featured 16 youngsters who had been sued by the RIAA for illegally downloading music from the web throughout Napster’s recognition. Satirically, it’s the one Tremendous Bowl advert right here to really characteristic an Apple product–not an iPod however an iMac G4. The advert and the promotional marketing campaign had been successful and helped propel the iTunes Music Retailer, which was barely a 12 months outdated on the time, to new heights.

Rihanna (2023)

It’s been 24 years because the HAL industrial, and Apple is coming again to the Tremendous Bowl–however this time it’s as the foremost sponsor of the Tremendous Bowl’s present inside a present, the halftime presentation. Apple calls it the Apple Music Tremendous Bowl LVII Halftime Present that includes Rihanna, who hasn’t carried out reside in public since 2018.

Apple has been hyping its presence at Tremendous Bowl LVII all month inside Apple Music’s Rihanna’s Street to Halftime part, which included:

• Halftime Hype Radio: 10-part collection that appears again at previous halftime reveals.
• Rihanna Revisited Radio: Eight-part collection that displays on Rihanna’s music catalog.
• Dwell from Tremendous Bowl LVII: Day by day reside broadcasts that “seize the thrill” of the sport and the halftime present.
• NFL group and participant playlists.
• An interview with Rihanna on Apple Music Radio.

There’s additionally a rumor that Apple is making a behind-the-scenes documentary that may air on Apple Music int he coming weeks. And the efficiency will possible be accessible to stream following the present.

However will there be a brand new Apple advert through the huge recreation as properly? To this point there aren’t any rumors that Apple is working a industrial, however Apple would most likely wish to maintain such a factor beneath wraps. Plus, it’s frequent for the halftime present sponsor to run an advert through the Tremendous Bowl—Pepsi, Bridgestone, Dash, AOL, and others all had separate adverts along with the sponsorship. And Apple has been working fixed adverts for Undo Ship in Messages and Apple TV+ through the 2023 Playoffs, so a Tremendous Bowl spot is certainly attainable.

And the timing is true—Ridley Scott’s upcoming movie Napoleon will probably be airing on Apple TV+ later this 12 months. So perhaps Apple bought him to direct a follow-up to 1984? We’ll discover out on Sunday.