(Hint: It’s a computer.) magazine insert (2000)

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, part of Apple’s print advertising included magazine inserts. Some inserts were “mini-magazines” within magazines and others, like this example, was a fold-out poster. These inserts were glued with a pliable rubber cement that could be easily removed.

This example is an advertisement for the Power Mac G4 Cube. As the ad unfolds (literally), the cover shows a photo of the G4 Cube with the caption “(Hint: It’s a computer.).” The first unfold (2-up) reveals, “Actually, it’s a supercomputer” with five short paragraphs touting the Cube’s size and power. The second unfold (4-up) has the headline “So much technology. So little space.” and shows connections, features, and peripherals available for use with the Cube. Fully unfolded (8-up), a poster is revealed that declares, “Presenting the Power Mac G4 Cube. Actual size. Think different.” The back of the fully folded insert is another view of the G4 Cube with three available displays and the headline “A marvel of engineering. And economics.”

Folded, the size of the insert is 7.3125 x 10.125 inches. Fully unfolded (into 8 panels) the size is 29.25 x 20.25 inches.

I also have a poster version (rolled in a tube) of the fully unfolded image used in this ad (at 24 x 36 inches).

Introducing Power Mac G4 Cube. Actual Size. Poster (36 x 24 inches, 2000)

The Power Mac G4 Cube was introduced in 2000 as a small desktop computer in an 8 x 8 x 8 inch form factor (actual measurements including the base were 7.7 x 7.7 x 9.8 inches). The computer ran silently without an internal fan and featured a sound system by Harman Kardon. The G4 Cube was announced on July 19, 2000, at Macworld Expo. It was the last topic introduced by Steve Jobs as “one more thing” at the end of Keynote.

This 36 x 24 inch poster (in landscape orientation) was printed to commemorate the release of the G4 Cube and to depict its exact size. The G4 Cube is shown along with its newly designed keyboard and mouse, each in a crystal clear case with black keys on the keyboard and a black accent in the mouse, and the included clear spherical speakers. Also shown is the then-new 15-inch Apple Studio Display (its design matched the 22-inch Apple Cinema Display that was released at the same time).

The poster is on a white background with a photograph of the devices. The text, “Introducing Power Mac G4 Cube. Actual Size.” is printed in the Apple Garamond font and includes the tagline “Think different.” along with a graphite Apple logo. Text printed along the lower-left side (also in Apple Garamond) reads, “© 2000 Apple Computer, Inc. All rights reserved. Apple and the Apple logo are trademarks of Apple computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Power Mac and ‘Think different’ are trademarks of Apple computer, Inc. L05449A.”

Sources: Wikipedia, Apple