Media Album: Apple Marketing Communications CD-ROM Collection (1994, 1995)

This Media Album is a white vinyl 2-ring binder that measures 135mm x 185mm x 40mm. It contains 7 plastic CD pages, CD-ROMs, and 2 card stock inserts (1 folds out into 3 panels).

The interior card stock page includes the welcome message:

“Check out all of the cost-saving, high-impact Apple marketing materials on your three new CDs-especially the new lifestyle images!”

Each of the plastic CD pages contains a CD-ROM on one side and a paper insert on the other side that describes the contents of the CD. CDs include a Marketing Toolkit for the Performa line of Macintosh computers, Product Photo Libraries, Media Toolkits, and 3 Media Image Discs. All CD-ROMs are from 1994 and 1995.

The CD-ROMs contain a variety of file formats and applications designed to run on Macintosh Systems of the time (many do not open or run on modern macOS computers). Several of the images are compressed with now-defunct file concatenation formats (e.g., Stuffit). Other images appear to be in a now-unreadable Kodak PhotoCD format. However, a few folders contain JPEG images that can be opened (in 2023)—after manually appending each file name with “.jpg” so it can be recognized.

Source: Apple

StartingLine: Apple Marketing Communications Catalog (Spring 1993)

This catalog is titled StartingLine: Apple Marketing Communications Catalog and was released in Spring 1993. It measures 8.5 x 11 inches and is spiral-bound with white plastic. The front and back covers feature colorful, brush-stroke stylized graphics of the types of products featured in the catalog. The cover describes the contents of the catalog as containing:

Ad Slicks
Literature
Product Art
Merchandise
Photography
Videos
Data Sheets
Over 150 new items to choose from

The Table of Contents reveals four major sections: Product Materials, Merchandising, Markets and Solutions, and Additional Information. The catalog provides a welcome message:

“Welcome to the Spring 1993 edition of StartingLine, Apple’s marketing communications catalog. As you can see, there have been some exciting changes. We’ve combined the Print, Revue, Merch, and Video catalogs into a single volume with hundreds of new items to line up to all your marketing and sales support programs. Plus, as always, we’ve included a completely updated Apple Media ToolKit CD-ROM, Apple’s electronic source for customizable marketing communications materials.”

For a collector, the Merchandising section of this catalog is a treasure trove of Apple-logo item information from the time. Included below are photos of the entire Merchandising section that provide product shots and descriptions. This source has allowed me to confirm provenance, date, and an “official” description for several items in my collection.

Source: Apple

Wooden pencil (white, red logotype, 1993)

Not to be confused with the Apple Pencil, this wooden Apple pencil is painted white and features the Apple logotype printed in Apple Garamond in bright red.

This product is featured on page 59 of the Spring 1993 Starting Line: Apple Marketing Communications Catalog. Its description reads:

Apple Pencil
Perfect for seminars, meetings, trade shows, and sales events, this item is the natural companion to Apple notepads. It’s the irresistible, old-fashioned, low-tech, number-two wooden-and-graphite pencil, complete with eraser and silkscreened Apple name in red. APL476

I was lucky to get about 30 of these pencils.