How Steve Jobs’ legacy lives on through Apple’s creative impact

Who was the man wearing the turtleneck? Tortured genius? Inspired inventor? Creative visionary? On what would have been his 70th birthday, it’s important to reflect on Steve Jobs’ remarkable career and the unparalleled legacy that continues to revolutionise the tech landscape. 

What truly sets Jobs apart was his ability to leave a lasting impact on Apple, without tethering its growth to his own identity. While Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are intertwined with Tesla and Amazon, Jobs built a brand that long outlived him and ensured that Apple could thrive, whoever stood at the helm. 

To achieve this, he implemented a framework focused on one overriding principle: Creativity drives growth. This idea defined Apple’s identity and, more importantly, shaped everything that it did. Instilling this philosophy at the heart of the brand was the catalyst to Apple’s lasting success. 

Since opening its doors almost half a century ago, every product, every physical space and every interaction with the brand has used creativity to create products and experiences that serve customer needs and builds longevity into the relationship the brand has with them. 

It drives its commitment to minimalism, intuitive functionality and connected experiences—pillars that have anchored every Apple product. From computers, phones and wearables to content and the connected home (which will be complete after the launch of its television set later this year), Apple has built an ecosystem that priortises accessibility, connectivity and privacy and becomes embedded in people’s daily lives. 

Even in the race for AI dominance, Apple is betting on this to win. It is focusing on making devices smarter in ways that users don’t even realise, and in product models at lower price points. This is more than just being the business that cracks how to effectively make AI accessible to the mass market. This is testimony to the power of design thinking and how it is a stepping stone to sustainable business growth. 

This school of thought isn’t just dictating long-term product development. Aside from its status as a premium hardware manufacturer, Apple has recently embraced its role as a leading studio. This has coincided with the adoption of a more overt and creative strategy for its original content for Apple TV; nowhere is this clearer than its activations around Severance. 

The media world was abuzz following the installation of the glass box in New York's Grand Central Station (complete with lookalike actors). But this was just the beginning; what followed was a cornucopia of creativity. A LinkedIn profile for the fictional "Lumon" company, an audiobook based on a book that is referred to in the show, the launch of a companion podcast—the creative storytelling universe kept on expanding, evidence of a relentless commitment to immersion.

Creativity. This is the idea that defines Apple. A simple concept on the surface, the business is testimony to the power of prioritising design, product and customer needs. This is also the best way to summarise Steve Jobs’ enduring legacy. His passion for creativity provided the blueprint for Apple to evolve from a computer company into an ecosystem that touches all our lives. 

Claire Huxley is strategy partner at Design Bridge and Partners.