Apple’s retail store bags have been used at Apple Stores beginning in 2001 when the first Apple Store opened. Please refer to my blog post, 20 Years of Apple Store Bags (2001–2021), for more details.
In November 2023, Apple began an email, web, and Apple Store campaign using the tagline “All kinds of wonderful” online and “Wonder awaits” on Apple Store windows. The visuals included a stylized white Apple logo with a gift bow and winter scene.
A simplified version of the logo was printed on Apple’s retail store bags to replace the typical solid gray Apple logo. This paper bag is one example of the 2023 holiday Apple Store bags.
The blog post includes a photo I captured of the winter logo on the window of the Apple Store Michigan Avenue in Chicago on November 5, 2023.
These product brochures were available in Apple Stores and elsewhere in the early 2000s. They measured 4.25 x 6.5 inches folded, and designs were sometimes stapled and folded out into different layouts. All of these brochures feature a photo of the product on the front panel, information inside, and specifications on the back panel.
iLife ’04 (2004) This brochure’s cover features five interlocking puzzle pieces—picturing a video camera, headphones, digital camera, MIDI keyboard, and DVD—that represent the iLife suite along with the headline, “Every new Mac comes preloaded with some amazing software. We call it iLife.” The brochure folds out into an 8-up mini-poster that shows an iBook G4 surrounded by items that work with iLife, including a MIDI keyboard, a digital video camera, a digital camera, an iPod, and a stack of DVDs. The headline reads, “iLife ’04. The easiest way to organize, create, and share the things you love.”
Power Mac G5/Apple Displays (2004) This brochure is two-sided. One side features the Power Mac G5 and the other side features Apple Displays. When opened, the 2-up layout headline reads, “Think fast. Think big.” and a Power Mac G5 is pictured along side a 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display. Inside, the 4-up horizontal layout shows all available default configurations of Power Mac G5 computers and Apple Cinema Displays.
These product brochures were available in Apple Stores and elsewhere in the early 2000s. They measured 4.25 x 6.5 inches folded, and designs were sometimes stapled and folded out into different layouts. All of these brochures feature a photo of the product on the front panel and specifications on the back panel.
Apple Displays (January 2003) This stapled Apple Displays brochure features a 3-up fold out section showing three models: 20-inch Apple Cinema Display, 23-inch Apple Cinema HD Display, and 17-inch Apple Studio Display. The next 2-up layout includes: 10 reasons why Apple all-digital LCD displays are clearly superior. All-digital active-matrix LCD. Pure digital interface. Wide viewing angle. Fast pixel response. Save on energy bills. Color fidelity. Uniform color. Stable colors. Easy to calibrate. Clutter-free. The final pages include product specifications.
Power Mac G4 (January 2003) This stapled 8-page brochure features a Power Mac G4 (mirrored drive door) on the cover. The next 2-page spread shows the Power Mac G4 with the door open and the copy: “Power Mac G4. Super fast. Super affordable. Supercomputer. The new Power Mac G4 features faster performance, more expansion, and the highly efficient Xserve-based dual processing architecture.” The center spread features the headline, “The ultimate system for the digital pro.” The last pages contain Technical Specifications and Power Mac G4 configurations.
iPod+iTunes Mac and Windows (October 2003) The cover of this brochure is bright yellow and features the iconic “silhouette” iPod imagery—a black silhouette of a person holding a white iPod wearing white earbuds connected by white wires. The opening copy reads: “iPod and iTunes. Perfect harmony. Together, iPod and iTunes changed the way Mac users listen to music. Now everyone can join the digital music revolution, because iTunes now works on Windows PCs—the same way it does on a Mac. So no matter what computer you use, you can enjoy the most acclaimed portable digital music player and jukebox software ever created. And go anywhere with up to 10,000 songs in your pocket.” The remainder of the brochure features iPod and iTunes features and specifications.
Power Mac G5 (July 2003) The Power Mac G5 brochure opens to a 2-up layout with the headline “Power Mac G5 The worlds fastest personal computer.” along with a “hero” photo of the product. The next 4-up horizontal layout features four stunning photographs, each representing one of four disciplines: color graphics, video production, scientific research, and music production. It fully opens to an 8-up mini poster with the headline, “The Power Mac G5. Unprecedented everything.”
These product mini-brochures were available in Apple Stores and elsewhere in the early 2000s. They measured 3 x 4.5 inches folded, and designs folded out into different configurations. All of these mini-brochures feature a photo of the product on the front panel, information inside, and specifications on the back panel.
iMac (January 2002) This brochure features an indigo iMac on the cover. The horizontal 4-up layout features several tasks that can be completed on an iMac with four photos and the headlines “Surf the Internet,” “Make movies,” “Mix music,” and “Make a photo album.” The fully unfolded 8-up poster features a birds-eye view of an indigo iMac with the headline, “Your digital life starts here.”
The new iMac. (January 2002) This brochure features the first flat-panel iMac (with a white half-sphere base) on the cover. The opening 2-up layout features the copy, “iMac redefined. With a state-of-the-art 15-inch digital flat panel display, a PowerPC G4 processor, and a SuperDrive that burn CDs and DVDs, the new iMac completely reinvents the all-in-one computer.” The fully unfolded 8-up mini-poster features the headline “Here we go again.”
These product mini-brochures were available in Apple Stores and elsewhere in the early 2000s. They measured 3 x 4.5 inches folded, and designs unfolded into different configurations. All of these mini-brochures feature a photo of the product on the front panel, information inside, and specifications on the back panel.
Precious metal. (PowerBook G4 Titanium) (January 2001) This mini-brochure folds out into an 8-up landscape-orientation mini poster featuring the Titanium PowerBook G4.
The New iBook. (May 2001) This iBook mini-brochure unfolds into an 8-up landscape-orientation mini poster featuring the white iBook and the words “Your life. To go.”
Power Mac G4 (Quicksilver) (July 2001) This Power Mac G4 mini-brochure unfolds into a 2-up layout touting the SuperDrive: “SuperDrive. Superfast.”—then a horizontal 4-up display featuring various tasks that can be performed on the Power Mac G4—and finally an 8-up landscape-orientation mini-poster featuring a “hero” photo describing the “Quick silver” Power Mac G4 as a supercomputer.
Apple Displays (July 2001) This mini-brochure unfolds into an 8-up landscape-orientation mini poster featuring Apple’s three LCD displays (15-, 17-, and 22-inch models) with the tagline, “The first family of flat-panel displays.”
iMac (August 2001) This iMac mini-brochure features an uncharacteristic shot of a snow iMac in a room—instead of on a white background. The horizontal 4-up layout features several tasks that can be completed on an iMac with four photos and the headlines “Surf the Internet,” “Make movies,” “Mix music,” and “Make a photo album.” The fully unfolded 8-up poster features a birds-eye view of an indigo iMac with the headline, “Your digital life starts here.”
iBook (October 2001) This iBook mini-brochure unfolds into an 8-up landscape-orientation mini-poster listing several features (make movies, go wireless, organize your organizer, Mac OS X, rip thousands of MP3s, make a photo album, watch DVDs, burn DVDs, AppleCare) and the tagline “Your life. To go. The new 600MHz iBook.”
PowerBook G4 (October 2001) This PowerBook G4 mini-brochure unfolds into an 8-up landscape-orientation mini-poster featuring the Titanium PowerBook G4 and the tagline “1 inch thin, 5.3 pounds, DVD, 5-hour battery, AirPort, 15.2-inch mega-wide screen.”
These product mini-brochures were available in Apple Stores and elsewhere in the early 2000s. They measured 3 x 4.5 inches folded, and designs unfolded into different configurations. All of these mini-brochures feature a photo of the product on the front panel, information inside, and specifications on the back panel.
iMac (July 2000) This iMac mini-brochure featured the graphite and snow iMac DV Special Edition models. It opened to four horizontal panels and featured all iMac colors of the time—ruby, indigo, sage, snow, and graphite. Features described included Internet, playing DVDs, digital video editing with iMovie, optional AirPort wireless capabilities, and AppleCare. iMac Specifications on the back outlined the four available configurations: iMac DV Special Edition, iMac DV+, iMac DV, and iMac.
AirPort (original, July 2000) The AirPort mini-brochure opens first to a 2-up layout showing Apple’s Wi-Fi-capable devices at the time (iBook, iMac, PowerBook G3, and graphite Power Mac G4 tower). The brochure then opens to a 4-up horizontal layout showing “Three easy steps to a wireless world.”
Apple Displays (July 2000) The Apple Displays brochure pictures an Apple Studio Display on the cover (17-inch CRT model). The brochure folds into a horizontal 4-up layout that shows all three available display models at the time along with features—Apple Studio Display (17-inch CRT), Apple Studio Display (15-inch LCD), and Apple Cinema Display (22-inch LCD).
This collection includes Apple Store holiday guide brochures from three different years. Two items from 2007 include a gift guide and a brochure. A 2010 and 2012 gift guide are also included.
Apple Store 2007 Holiday Gift Guide (2007)
2007 was the first holiday season with the iPhone, and unsurprisingly, it is featured prominently. Upon opening, the copy reads “Were they really, really good this year?” under a photo of the original iPhone. Inside, an iPhone panel shows eight different accessories including the Apple Bluetooth Headset, an AirPort Extreme base station, an earphone, a cable, a charger, and device protection. The other panels include Mac and iPod along with 16 accessories and software ideas. Folded, this full-color gift guide measures 4.25 x 10 inches.
Let the holidays begin (2007)
Also for 2007, a slightly larger, bright red, two-panel brochure announces a “special one-day Apple shopping event” that occurs on Black Friday, but never mentions “Black Friday.” This brochure measures 4.25 x 10.5 inches.
Apple Store Gift Guide Holiday 2010
The Gift Guide for Holiday 2010 features a colorful arrangement of iPod nano devices (square with a color screen). When first opened, two iPod touch devices are shown with the iPod nano devices with the tag line “If it’s on their list, it’s in our store.” Inside, four panels feature gift categories including iPhone, iPad, Mac, and iPod—each with service, software, and accessory suggestions. This full color brochure measures 4.25 x 10 inches.
Apple Store Holiday Gift Guide (Japan, 2012)
Finally, this 2012 Gift Guide from Japan is bright red and features four iPad devices with red Smart Covers arranged to resemble ribbons wrapping a package with a tag that translates to “Gift Guide.” When opened, iPad and iPod devices are shown with text that translates to “A perfect gift is not limited to one.” Inside, each of four panels is dedicated to iPad, iPhone, iPod, and Mac. Several accessories and services are shown under each product as gift suggestions. This full color brochure measures 4.25 x 10 inches. This Gift Guide is written in Japanese.
In the early 2000s, Apple Stores provided printed brochures to customers to announce their upcoming in-store events. Flagship Apple Stores, such as North Michigan Avenue (Chicago, IL) and Ginza (Tokyo, Japan), used full-color, fold-open designs that featured stunning photography and many events. Smaller stores, such as Woodfield (Schaumburg, IL), used a more basic design.
This collection of Apple Store Event Guides includes three stores from 2003 and 2004.
Apple Store North Michigan Avenue Events June 27–July 31, 2003
The flagship store Apple Store, North Michigan Avenue, then located at 679 North Michigan Avenue, promised “The ultimate Apple experience.” The cover of this brochure invited Apple Store visitors to “Celebrate the grand opening of the Apple Store, North Michigan Avenue, the most amazing Apple Store yet. Grand opening events include appearances by a guest musical artist, DJs, and performers, as well as presentations about digital photography, music, and so much more.”
Indeed, a series of “Made on a Mac” talks listed thirteen different speakers, including rock legends Cheap Trick. Each night also included “music demonstrations featuring a different musical guest.” The Music Nights included a performance and demo of the iPod and iTunes Music Store.
Folded, this brochure measures 4.25 x 8.5 inches.
Apple Store North Michigan Avenue Calendar of Events September 2003
The Apple Store North Michigan Avenue Calendar of Events for September 2003 included features in the Apple Studio Series offering in-depth, personalized instruction; offers on HP printers; a synopsis of Final Cut apps; descriptions of store services; and an extensive schedule of events in the Theater, Studio, and Genius Bar. The brochure includes a “More than a store” description:
“We’ve taken everything we learned from our other stores and designed the ultimate Apple Store especially for you. It’s filled with the full range of Apple products and accessories, including the entire iPod family, and a selection of digital cameras, camcorders, and other products. We offer more than 300 unique educational events every month, covering every aspect of the Mac. We even put in our first-ever Internet Café with 16 computers where you can check your email and experience the Mac at your own pace.”
Folded, this brochure measures 4.25 x 8.5 inches.
Apple Store Woodfield Calendar of Events: May/June 2003
This more subdued brochure folded sideways into four panels. The cover stated: “Join us for a variety of unique and educational presentations, demonstrations, and workshops throughout the year—all free of charge—and discover how to take full advantage of Mac products and solutions.” It also included a daily calendar of events and described Apple Presentations and Apple Workshops that were offered in the store. This brochure also described the now defunct “Mac Pac” service: “Mac Pac is a complete service solution that helps you get started on your Mac and keeps you going.”
Folded, this brochure measures 4.25 x 8.75 inches.
Apple Store Ginza Calendar of Events June 2004
The Apple Store Ginza in Tokyo is another flagship Apple Store. This brochure was similar to the North Michigan Avenue brochure and offered its own unique “More than a store” statement:
“The Apple Store, Ginza, brings one of America’s most exciting new shopping experiences to Tokyo. Here you will find four full floors dedicated to Apple’s legendary products, including our full line of computers, the entire iPod family, and the iSight web camera, as well as digital cameras and camcorders that work perfectly with a Mac. You’re invited to check your email and try out iChat AV at the Internet Cafe. Attend a free Mac workshop in our state-of-the art theater. Or get advice at our Genius Bar. As your neighbor, Apple is honored to have you as our guest.”
The back of the brochure highlighted each of the store’s 5 floors: 1F: Home, Pro 2F: Genius Bar, Movies, Music, Photo 3F: Theater 4F: Accessories, Software, Kids, Internet Café 5F: Studio Training Center
