Tim Nudd, Ad Age:

Steve Hayden, the advertising copywriter who helped redefine the relationship between tech and culture through Apple’s legendary “1984” commercial and later rose to become vice chairman of Ogilvy, has died. He was 78. […]

Hayden, then a 36-year-old writer at Chiat/Day, conceived “1984” with art director Lee Clow. Directed by Ridley Scott, the Orwellian allegory introduced Apple’s Macintosh computer as a liberating force against conformity. The most famous ad ever made, “1984” aired just once nationally but became a cultural milestone, heralding both the age of the personal computer and a new era in brand storytelling.[…]

Hayden crafted the dictator’s speech based on quotes from Mussolini, Mao and Hitler […]

Hayden’s impact on Apple and the ad world is undeniable. RIP to an advertising legend.

(Via long-time Apple employee Chris Espinosa, who called Hayden “the best of the best.” He also shared Hayden’s 2019 Commencement speech at Interlochen Arts Academy, which Espinosa says “captures him, in all his love, humor, wit, and genius.”)