The Man Who Drew Apple's Apple

A junior graphic designer from the South Bay did something special back in 1977

Police shot and killed a woman who led officers on a high-speed pursuit from Buena Park to Santa Ana with a baby in the backseat of her car.

Just like many other Silicon Valley geniuses, Carlos Perez does his work from his garage.

His artwork is recognized all across the Bay Area, and beyond.

But there’s one in particular that humbles him, and makes him proud at the same time.

“It’s a great feeling. I do feel very fortunate,” said Perez about his 1977 design.

Perez was a junior graphic illustrator for a powerful marketing firm called Regis McKenna when a man set up a meeting with the agency.

“He came… with torn Levi’s and long hair, wanting to see if this established agency would take his account,“ said Perez.

The "he" Perez is talking about was Steve Jobs. The account was Apple Computers.

Perez says a man named Rob Janoff from Regis Mckenna designed the logo for Apple.

Steve Jobs approved it.

Then it went to Perez.

“I was asked to create the tissue that I would render the final artwork from and that final artwork became the artwork that was used in the campaign,” said Perez. 

Perez still has the original tissues and now wants to donate them to Apple’s historical archives.

And he’s humbled by the fact that Steve Jobs himself approved his artwork.

“It’s a great honor," said Perez, an immigrant from Mexico City who has his fingerprints on a part of the American fabric.

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