A Few Strong Words…

From the beginning, Apple was IT chic – a phrase that would be an oxymoron with any other company.

When I was growing up, everyone wanted an Apple II. But it wasn’t cheap: at about $1,200, most of us settled for the widely popular Vic-20 and/or Commodore 64 instead.That didn’t stop us from wanting one though.

During the 1984 Superbowl, Apple unveiled its Macintosh computer with an unforgettable ad showing a colourful Olympian throwing a hammer at Big Brother’s screen, changing the world forever.

It also forever-solidified the image of Apple vs. IBM (now embodied with Microsoft and the generic “PC”). Apple was colourful, exciting, fun. IBM was not.

Soon after that landmark commercial, Steve Jobs left Apple – quit, or was about to be fired, take your choice – and the company entered its own form of the Dark Ages. Some hardcore Apple lovers, mostly musicians and graphic designers, hung on. Market share was abysmal though, hovering around 3-5% by the mid-90s.

Then Steve Jobs came back, first as a consultant and then as the interim CEO. Reportedly, after the takeover he drifted into the boardroom in his shorts, t-shirt, and 3-day stubble and asked the BOD: “What’s wrong with this company?” After resounding silence, he offered: “The products. What’s wrong with the products?” More silence. “The products SUCK!” he shouted. “There’s no sex in them anymore!”

The sexy Apple is back now more than ever. With its long-running “I’m a Mac, and I’m a PC” ads, the truth is painfully clear on the TV screen. Mac is cool, hip, and yes, sexy, while PC is rigid, square, and mundane. In short, it is IT chic vs. IT geek.

So what is it about Apple that makes it one of the sexiest companies out there, IT or otherwise?

It can be broken down into two broad reasons: creating a strong, consistent perception over the decades, and delivering beyond expectations.

The Art of Apple’s Perception

Let’s be honest: Steve Jobs is the heart and soul of Apple. His departure left Apple floundering, and his return was like the second coming. And it’s his vision that drives both the products and the marketing of those products.

The problem with the computer industry as a whole is that most of the players are self-absorbed. The race to the faster chip, more memory, bigger storage, etc. etc. etc. The difference with Apple – and Steve Jobs – is that the emphasis is more on how the customer is going to use that technology. Joe Plumber does not care that his computer is 2.2 Ghz with 3GB RAM and a 320 GB hard drive. He wants to be able to schedule appointments, do the books, AND listen to some music on his computer with as little fuss as possible.

Apple gets this. Although the company may have suffered because it didn’t “open up” its computer to generic vendors like IBM did, it gains in the fact that it has total control over the programs that run on Apple. The result: fewer software conflicts, fewer crashes, and overall an easier experience for the user.

And there it is, the two little words that define Apple: user experience. We have been trained to think of computers as doing the work for us. In fact, we “touch” our computers as little as possible – it is the virtual world, not the real world.

Apple started to really change that in 2001 with its iPod. With the sexy touch wheel and easy access to all your music, you really do touch and feel your computer. That tradition continues with the iPhone and the iPod Touch. Can a full Apple touch screen computer be far behind?

iPod Puts Apple in the Hands of the People

The really cool thing about the iPod is that suddenly all the people who wanted to own an Apple, but couldn’t because of practicality (almost all of my clients are on PC) or price could buy into the Apple Dream. I remember my first iPod, a Nano that my wife got me for Christmas. Sleek black front, colourful small screen, and easy-to-use touch wheel.

But what really impressed me was the shiny silver back. Impossibly shiny. Why were they hiding this? It was one of the little extras that really blew my mind. I bought into the Apple perception, and unlike many products where the perception is just the hook, Apple met my expectations with the sleek design. And then it exceeded them with this shiny silver backing. Sounds silly perhaps, but I really felt like I had arrived.

And that experience is turning into a little windfall for Apple. Hooked on iPod, they are now jumping the PC ship and buying Apple computers. According to CNNMoney.com, Mac is now sitting at about 21% market share in the US. Yes, aggressive marketing is certainly key, but it is hard not to see the connection between the popularity of the iPod and its siblings, and the rise of the Mac.

A Final Word

Apple is a strange one. It is a tech company that is able to embody cool, have rock-star launches, and put forward a CEO that looks like he just got in from a day at the skate park. Apple backs up the sexy, casual image with sexy, user-friendly products. However it is Microsoft, the Darth Vader to the Emperor PC, continues to dominate the market.

Is it possible that Apple sets the standard too high?

Or is it perhaps Apple doesn’t feel it has to dominate the world, just service its own little part of it as well as it can?

Now there’s an interesting concept for you…

What I take from Apple: building and controlling your perception (aka your image, your brand) is extremely important. Since 1984 and before, Apple has maintained essentially the same image, and underlined it with the same messaging.

But what really sets Apple apart is that it then delivers on that perception. Most companies create a perception that associates them metaphorically. For example, the McDonald’s ads with the touching scenes of kids sharing their fries with their calm, understanding über-Dad is nothing like the madhouse of screaming babies and pushed-to-the-edge parents after a long day of work it really is.

In Apple’s world, you would get there and your kids would give you a sip of shake as well as some fries…

Bottom line: build your perception and your business on concrete expectations, and then make sure you deliver – even exceed – those expectations.

So there you have it: a minor dissertation on why Apple is one of the best perception-mongers in the business. What do you think? Are there other companies that do it better? Or is Apple just smoke and mirrors, and I’m missing something here?

Let me know by leaving a comment below.

~Graham

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