In marketing and advertising, you need to hook somene emotionally to get a strong response. Google proved that with a simple yet effective Superbowl Ad. I must admit, it gave me chills the first time that I saw it. I showed my wife and found her headed for the tissues after viewing. The picture that they painted, the story, etc. They hooked people with emotion about a story. Apple uses their marketing and brand to convey cool and uses that hook.
Apple does cool better than anyone RIGHT NOW. There can be a shift from time to time, but if you want a fantastic gadget or device that will tell others “I’m Cool”, or I care about great products, an Apple device accomplishes that in one fell swoop.
Will the desire to be part of the “IN” crowd with an iPad be too much for people to avoid? Prior to the product launch, I convinced myself that this device would be $899 and I wouldn’t need to touch it at that price. Well, Apple hit a price point where I am saying that I have to have one. Now I ask myself the question… is it a desire to be “cool” or a desire to have a product that has all of the functions that I want, and does them well?
Here is what Apple does.
- Their products convey cool.
- They make the best stuff! Hands down. Simple to use out of the box. Well thought design and interface.
Forget the fact that some of the rival “pads” or “slates” will have more features. What Apple is doing is providing a terrific price point and what is likely to be a terrific product. I can say that since the iPhone is a terrific product and this is essentially a larger take on the iPhone…for now.
Will you buy just for the cool factor? We always have choices. Gmail or Hotmail, iPod or Zune, Tivo or DVR, Nike or Adidas, Coke or Pepsi… you get the picture. One interesting factor is whether the product used to convey who and what you are is in public view, or just in view of a select group of friends (private view).
- Public View Example: iPod vs. Zune. Both very nice products.
Winner: iPod (cool)
Loser: Zune (not so much) - Private View Example: Tivo vs. cable co. DVR. Tivo is head and shoulders above the DVR’s provide by your cable company, however, it is in private view and cool is not one of the deciding factors. Cost and function are enough.
Winner: Any old DVR
Loser: Tivo
If you are considering a rival to the iPad, for price, OS, or functions you need, consider the list put together by TechCrunch.com. My hunch is that Apple will have another winner on their hands. At least in terms of market share. How big the ‘Pad’ market is has yet to be determined.