Meet the “Marvel” who gave the Macintosh a smile!
| From the desk of Miles Everson: Hello, everyone! I hope your weekend went well. Let’s start the week with another “Marketing Marvels.” Every Monday, we highlight individuals in the fields of marketing and business, and show what made them successful. Ready to meet this week’s “Marvel” ? Continue reading below! |
Apple ’s first-generation Macintosh(known today as the Mac) was a breakthrough in personal computing. Released in 1984, the original Mac was equipped with a built-in screen, mouse, and most important of all, a graphical user interface (GUI). The Mac’s inclusion and application of a simplified GUI helped popularize the use of personal computers in both office settings and personal use.
In just 100 days, Apple managed to sell 72,000 units of the original Mac. It was even introduced through a Super Bowl commercial directed by filmmaking legend Ridley Scott. The first-generation Mac was praised because of how intuitive it was to use at the time. According to an enthusiast, the Mac “had menus, it had folders, it had a graphical user interface, it had a mouse—it was everything I thought a computer ought to be.” However, it wouldn’t have been as iconic without the icons, the graphics, the typefaces, and other visual elements that made it pop. While Steve Jobs and his collaborators at the time made their mark on the Mac, they weren’t the ones who came up with those visual elements. It was none other than… Susan Kare!
Kare is known as the designer “who gave the Macintosh a smile.” After completing her Ph.D. in fine arts from New York University, Kare worked as an art museum curator before joining Apple in 1982. Once she joined the fledgling tech company, she was tasked with designing the visual elements used in the Macintosh’s GUI. This included the icons, typefaces, and other pixel elements.
What made Kare’s work with the Mac revolutionary lies in its simplicity and how easy it was to understand. Kare designed the visual elements of the Mac in a way that was easily understandable and visually attractive to both computer enthusiasts and everyday users. Personal computers didn’t have widespread appeal back then, so an intuitive user interface that was accessible to both enthusiasts and normal users was a big deal. In 1986, Kare joined NeXT as its creative director. This was the firm Steve Jobs founded after his removal from Apple. Kare left NeXT and became an independent designer. Throughout the 1990s, she worked with tech giants like Microsoft, IBM, Intel, Motorola, and entertainment behemoth Sony Pictures. In the late-2000s, Kare designed the pixel icons used in the virtual gifts feature of Facebook. In 2015, she became a product design lead at Pinterest and worked there until 2021. She is currently an independent designer. Kare’s design portfolio has been featured by prestigious institutions such as the National Museum of American History, the Museum of Modern Art, and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Her work on the first Mac also earned her the reputation of being a pioneer of pixel art and modern GUI. What Can You Learn from Kare’s Long and Successful Career?
In a world where professionals, personalities, brands, and companies compete for attention and visibility, Kare’s long career proves that the key to relevance and recognizability lies in creative limitation and knowing your audience. While these aren’t novel principles, Kare’s success shows just how relevant they are today in standing out, whether it be in a professional setting or in the realm of business. Hope you’ve found this week’s topic interesting and helpful. Stay tuned for next Monday’s Marketing Marvels! Rebecca Welton, a main regular character from the Apple TV+ series “Ted Lasso,” is the formidable owner of AFC Richmond, a Premier League football club she acquires after a high-profile divorce from her unfaithful ex-husband. Learn more about Rebecca Welton of “Ted Lasso” in next week’s article! |
Miles Everson
CEO of MBO Partners and former Global Advisory and Consulting CEO at PwC, Everson has worked with many of the world's largest and most prominent organizations, specializing in executive management. He helps companies balance growth, reduce risk, maximize return, and excel in strategic business priorities.
He is a sought-after public speaker and contributor and has been a case study for success from Harvard Business School.
Everson is a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Minnesota Society of Certified Public Accountants. He graduated from St. Cloud State University with a B.S. in Accounting.
