Over the last couple of days it’s been impossible to avoid the Super Bowl. Anyone who spends their time on one of the internet bottlenecks such as reddit will be fully aware that a) there seems to be more US internet users than the rest of us combined and that b) all they’ve been talking about has been Sunday’s game. Those with no interest in the NFL are analysing the commercials. However, I’m more interested in an ad that didn’t air on Sunday night – Apple’s 30-year anniversary spot.

Apple unveiled the Apple Macintosh in 1984, during the 3rd quarter of Superbowl 18, with the now-famous ‘1984’ spot. The commercial has since been inducted into advertising halls of fame and numerous ‘greatest commercial’ lists. Having announced the coming of their brave new world 30 years ago, Super Bowl 48 seemed like an appropriate venue to gauge Apple’s success. There has been much speculation that Apple would air an advert on Sunday night, but we were kept waiting until Monday morning, US-time.

The company sent out 15 camera crews to 15 global locations to record “1.24.14”, which you can view below. Filmed 30 years to the day after the ‘1984’ spot was aired, the commercial underlines the vast number of ways in which Apple products now touch our day-to-day lives. It strikes a stark contrast with ‘Empowering’, the Microsoft spot that did air during the Super Bowl. The Apple ad focuses on the company’s product line, whereas Microsoft emphasises technology in general.

Having watched the advert a couple of times, I think that I understand why Apple elected not to air the video during the Super Bowl. Marketing as part of the most-watched television spectacle of the American year – when everyone is clamouring to be the most memorable, quirky and original – can mean that commercials run the risk of being lost in the crowd.

This may not be the punchiest or attention-grabbing spot that Apple have ever done, but it really drives home the fact that they have stuck to the promise they made consumers in 1984 – they’ve put the power of technology into everyone’s hands.