Hong Kong teen Jonathan Mak has designed a tribute to Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs, who passed away this week. The design went viral Thursday, leading to a job offer and a host of commemorative merchandise featuring the design, according to reports.
The 19-year-old student told media outlets he felt overwhelmed and that it felt “unreal” that his logo tribute to the Apple genius has become a sensation worldwide.
Mak’s design idea incorporates Jobs’ silhouette into the bite of the Apple logo, a move that symbolizes the innovator’s lasting presence at the core of the company he co-founded in his parents’ garage.
Already, hundreds of thousands of posts have been made on the Web — and even commemorative caps and T-shirts have been reported on eBay — featuring the teen’s design.
Actor Ashton Kutcher also highlighted the Mak’s tweaked logo on his Twitter account, Reuters reported.
“It’s been a crazy day for me,” Mak told Reuters, adding that he has gotten a job offer because of the design. “I’m both excited and terrified.”
He also posted on Twitter that “I really am speechless.”
Jobs died Wednesday at the age of 56. He was battling a rare form of pancreatic cancer. He resigned from the company in August.
Jobs’ resignation was what led Mak to create the logo.
“Originally, I was going to put a black modified logo against a white background,” Mak told Reuters of the logo, adding that he also paid tribute to Jobs at Hong Kong’s Apple store. “It just didn’t feel somber enough. I just wanted it to be a very quiet commemoration. It’s just this quiet realization that Apple is now missing a piece. It’s just kind of implying his absence.”
