#6 Regis McKenna

Dec 8, 2020
63 min

The Display Show is back and we're kicking off our new season with a very special guest: Silicon Valley legend Regis McKenna!

This episode covers early Silicon Valley, Apple, Intel and the state of tech marketing today. Brian and Regis both spent time at Apple in the 1980's and 90's– Regis was the first marketing person at Apple while Brian worked on the original Mac and brought color to the Mac with the Macintosh II. The two share some great stories from early Apple from the first time Regis met Steve Jobs to the inspiration behind the original six-color Apple logo and Steve's return to Apple. Regis also shares some marketing wisdom on the biggest issues facing technology marketers today and the potential for small companies to disrupt markets.

For many or most of us, Regis needs no introduction. He is well known for his vast marketing and public relations expertise, as well as his high-profile contributions to major corporations here in Silicon Valley. Just to name a few, he helped Intel market the world’s first microprocessor, he guided Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and other Apple executives through Apple’s formation and growth phases, and he helped Genentech roll out their first recombinant DNA genetically-engineered product. Other companies who turned to Regis for his Marketing and PR expertise include Electronic Arts, Compaq, Microsoft, National Semiconductor, SpectraPhysics, Silicon Graphics, 3Com, and a host of others. Among various companies he advises today, he is a board member of Nanosys, who is sponsoring these talks. Regis has received many awards and it is safe to say that he is a major part of Silicon Valley folklore.