Have (fantastic) product, will (out) sell – I

Jul 9, 2010 | Sandhya Srinivasan | Uncategorized

We are in a 21st century hyper metropolis. Where an ocean of brands greets us every day. Somewhere in the midst of it all, are a few brands that surprise all the time. They haven’t yet forgotten that they can sell a great product a millions times over. In a search for these masterpieces, a few stood out. Sharing the aura of one today.

In an era where many products have another 10 clones or where new brands come into an exceedingly cluttered category, Apple stays refreshing & differentiated.

In an era where benchmarks are set by every competitive move, Apple begins & ends with its own ‘do’s & don’ts’.

In an era where technology and not formulas rule, Apple has consistently proven its control over the former rather than be overwhelmed or caught unaware by it.

In an era where creating fans requires hyper engagement or then past relationships to back it up, Apple has crowds who get hyper emotional in anticipation.

In an era where discount stores, brand price-offs & value minded shoppers abound, Apple has simply moved up the value chain and comfortably taken delicious slices of wallet.

Yes you’ve just met yet another Apple sychophant today. But here is a very real, rational take on this amazing product.

‘i’ ensured that the iMac, iPhone, iPod and iPad were mine from Day 1. Despite the genuis that be the product, it was all about my convenience, my comfort, my needs, my joy and not just a laptop, music or mobile device advertising a new feature or application. And ‘i’ was so cool that it let me believe that every brand I owned of Apple made me a certain kind of personality. So either you are an Apple person or  you’re not.

Look at what lies beneath. Every relaunch has some new features to boast about. It’s worth the price premium too. Tangible new product highs have created an image of superiority from the 1st relaunch. Coupled with the fact that these features are hugely consumer friendly and immensely thoughtful. I find the ‘2 cameras-2 views’ in the iPhone 4 so much about the little details of life. Insightful to say the least.

The thing about Apple is that, the day they announce the ‘concept’, fans experience tachycardia (fast heartbeats). The product isn’t in the market yet but the very prospect of it getting manufactured is enough to get people excited. And the earlier variant simply makes way for the new one. Doesn’t matter that my ‘ownership period’ is less than 2 years. What creates the sound of music is often the anticipation on design. There are Apple products at one end and at the other end are the rest, more often.

iPod was super fast with its relaunches. And obsolescence followed in hot pursuit. Nevertheless the innovation continued. What never ceases to amaze me though is how the sycophants are already thinking about the next variant, even as they are buying the fresh new one for this season.

Imagine the things you can do with an apple. Besides eating it raw, you can make apple custard, apple sour cream pie, apple juice, wash up with apple & mint shower gel & what not. As shoppers we have bought a brand that serves one purpose & possibly a few allied purposes. So a soap/shower gel brand, could take care of skincare needs and possibly give an amazing spa experience too. And if the definition of this bath brand was to ‘empower women through beauty’ then the possibilities were myriad. Apple has lived that.

Interpreting from Theodore (Ted) Levitt’s ‘Marketing Myopia’, a larger customer satisfying ‘market’ definition works better than than a product producing ‘goods’ definition. So what was Apple thinking?

Surprise me. Excite me. Tell me something new. Make me curious. Tease me. Maybe these were the words that were used to inspire the product team. Isn’t it interesting how the brief to ‘usually rational creators’ was probably charged with emotion? Every feature/application that is discovered on the purchase of an Apple always evokes child like delight & spontaneity. All Apple products are like toys in the total abandon they bring on purchase. I still get excited by the dock in my MacBook!! I must also add that this delight possibly has no real rational backup. But it’s an emotion that ensures a I’ll come back for more.

So maybe the product team has sociologists & psychologists too! Just maybe.

It’s all about the nuts & bolts. The large screen & finger touch that made a communication exciting, the miniaturized boom box that made songs/videos an experience or then the simplicity of convergence, made the product stoke the senses. It changed the way we treated devices/products/objects/means to an end. An iPhone, iPod, iMac in itself became the destination.

Somewhere at the start of all of this was an outstanding product. Rest is a love brand called Apple.

On 22nd May 2010 my iPhone got stolen. Now I guard my iPod with a passion. Just goes to say why the apple is a forbidden fruit after all.

Looking at the big draws for Apple stated above I can’t help but notice that most are rational stories couched in emotional ones. As for the shopper in me, I stay an Apple sycophant. As a marketeer, I am keeping a close watch on what the future spells with the Android mobile platform & new definitions of convergence.

What do you think? What could be other fresh, young brands that constantly offered outstanding products, making our lives fuller? Would love to hear.