The Macintosh-introduced with a flashy Orwellian ad during the 1984 Super Bowl-takes off, Adweek names Sculley “Marketer of the Year.” Apple enters the For-tune 500.
Costs balloon; the company loses direction. Sculley regroups and cuts 1,200 jobs in 1985; cofounders Steve Wozniak and jobs quit.
With his 1987 book, “Odyssey: Pepsi to Apple,” Sculley becomes a best-selling author. The publicity polished his image–and Apple’s–around the world.
After taking a nine-week sabbatical in Maine in the spring of 1988, Sculley reorganizes the company into four divisions.
In 1990, a management shakeup produces a sharp strategic change. The new focus: lowcost Macs for as little as $999.
In February, Sculley appeared at the president’s state-of-the-union address. one rumor had him headed for the cabinet. Another: headed for IBM.
Amid reports of slumping sales and squeezed earnings, Sculley last month handed over his title as CEO to Michael (the Diesel) Spindler.
Third-quarter losses are worse than expected-and Wall Street cringes. The stock dropped 25 percent in five days.
