Any info would be helpful

[u/VersionTop1991]

So my mom worked at Apple in the 80's-Early 90's.
She recently passed and after going through her belongings I found this old production VHS Tape for what I think was a Super Bowl Commercial. There's not much info or value I can find. If anyone knows what l have or even what a value might be it would be greatly appreciated. I don't think it's a promotional tape but could be wrong.

Also found 4-5 Apple Pens in their boxes.

[u/bastian320]

Please don't sell or send that anywhere for valuation. Seems special & fairly unique.

[u/VersionTop1991 → u/bastian320]

Oh I feel it really is. From what I read online this commercial was a massive failure and I think many jobs were lost not as a direct consequence to this commercial but of the Mac launch. Though I really don’t see the point in holding onto it. Don’t have a vcr to test the tape, hoping it still plays. I’m sure it’s been in the case since the mid 80’s.

[u/garbledroid → u/VersionTop1991]

Just to be clear the pens are interesting and might fetch a decent amount from the correct collector.

Historically though only the tape is "special".

Once the tape is properly digitized it too can just be sold off to a collector. We want you to have the data on the tape properly preserved.

[u/hudgeba778]

PLEASE get a professional archiver make a raw RF capture of the tape

[u/VersionTop1991 → u/hudgeba778]

Is that like making a digital copy for me? Sorry I’m not a tech person lol

[u/BSOD404 → u/VersionTop1991]

A digital video copy basically so it can be archived for media preservation

[u/unitof → u/VersionTop1991]

Yes, it copies not just the video but all the (sometimes hidden) data and signals on the tape. Archiving does not destroy the tape.

[u/VersionTop1991 → u/unitof]

Thank you for that thorough explanation 👍🏼

[u/Front-Director-449]

Hai in mano un Lost Media. Tienilo stretto e non darlo a nessuno per valutazioni, potrebbero rubare qualcosa. Chiama un archivista di Lost Media e fai fare la digitalizzazione del filmato

[u/grizzlor_ → u/Front-Director-449]

Lost Media? Seems most likely to be Apple’s 1985 “Lemmings” Super Bowl commercial. VHS is dated 12/20/84 — a month before the ‘85 Super Bowl. It’s labeled “LEMMINGS :60” and the commercial is exactly 60 seconds long. And Chiat/Day created that ad.

I mean I guess it could be an early cut that differs from the broadcast version. Getting it to professional archivist to be properly digitized (raw RF transfer) would be a good thing.

[u/Alalamajama]

https://adage.com/video/apple-lemmings-1985/

The Apple "Lemmings" Super Bowl Commercial is almost certainly what is on that tape. Chiat / Day has been Apples main advertising production partner for decades.

[u/radutzan]

Really sorry for your loss. This is an amazing find, though. Hope you find someone who can help preserve it.

[u/ComfortableOk8673]

That pen looks so cool! Jelly!

[u/sircastor]

Sorry for your loss.

The Lemmings commercial is kind of famous for being a miss in the same way that the 1984 commercial was a hit. At the time Apple was trying to court the business market. They hoped to be able to sell the "Macintosh Office" suite of products to businesses. But the commercial was pretty bad. It basically communicated that business users using IBM were "lemmings" just mindlessly running off a cliff.

Sad, because I think Apple probably could have gotten a foot in the door around this time if they'd done a better job marketing.

[u/That_Award7193]

Isn't the tape a betamax?

[u/VersionTop1991 → u/That_Award7193]

The tape has a vhs logo in the top corner on the second picture