Rolling Stone Wants the Whole World to Think, and Dress, Just Like Steve Jobs

In this amusing 90-second spot for Rolling Stone, men and women of all sorts dress up like Apple's late co-founder Steve Jobs. They don wire-rim specs, black turtlenecks and blue jeans as they question aspects of their lives, large and small, ranging from health regimens and toupees to technology's impact on the future.

The patently absurd sight of a geeky Steve army marching down the street is like an image plucked from Bill Gates' darkest dreams. (Heck, it's enough to give anyone nightmares!)

Produced in English and Spanish by The Community, the ad targets young adults in Argentina, encouraging them to "Question Everything" and find ways of improving their situations. It closes by showing a 2011 Rolling Stone cover: "The Steve Jobs Nobody Knew."

The visuals here are pretty memorable, but the concept feels like a stretch, and doesn't tie back to the magazine as well as it should. (The Community's recent Corona spot, with winter narrating mournful letters to summer, is equally offbeat but more on brand.)

Mostly, "The Steves" reinforces Jobs' standing as an icon of the highest magnitude. Ironically, that's a distinction Rolling Stone itself once enjoyed, and the magazine's effort to piggyback on the tech pioneer's lasting relevance speaks volumes about our changing cultural landscape.

CREDITS

Client: Rolling Stone

Agency: The Community

Chief Creative Officers: Joaquin Molla, Jose Molla

Executive Creative Officers: Ramiro Raposo, Fernando Sosa

Art Director: Fernando Zagales

Copywriter: Juan Mesz

Group Account Director: Sebastian Diaz

Account Executive: Lucas Saez

Audiovisual Producer: Matias Castro

Responsible for the Client: Branowski Bárbara, Paula Rottenbücher

Production Company: Barry Company

Director: Mariana Youssef

Director of Photography: Adolpho Veloso

First Assistant Director: Elton Takii

Art Director: Guilherme Marini

Production Director: Tadeu Piantino

Wardrobe: Heloisa Cobra

Account Manager: Juliana Martellotta

Executive Producer: Krysse Mello

Editors: Alexandre Boechat, Rodolpho Ponzio

Postproduction: Fulano Filmes

Postproduction Coordinator: Karina Vallesi

Postproduction Supervisor: Ale Cois

Assistant Postproduction Supervisor: Sabrina Comar

Sound: Animal

Music Production: André Caccia Bava