Form, Function & Story wrapped by Apple
The news that Steve Jobs had a liver transplant a couple of months ago caught my eye this week, particularly as it came hot on the heels of the launch of the new iPhone 3GS. Once again, here was Apple deploying its masterful communications strategy of only communicating something when it wants to.
Once the new iPhone had grabbed all the headlines (and stocks had gone up), the company felt it was okay to leak news of Steve’s operation. At least, that’s how I read it.
Who needs social media?
You get the distinct impression Apple doesn’t give a damn about social media. Or rather not participating themselves in it. They’re not jabbering away on Twitter or giving us an insight into every move they make via some corporate Steve Jobs blog. No, they leave that up to their fan-base of brand ambassadors who generate masses of daily content that ultimately help to market Apple computers, iPods and iPhones.
To read a lot of the social media commentary that’s emerging at present you’d be forgiven for thinking that you’ve got to be out there, talking and communicating all the time. But Apple knows you don’t have to do that.
They rely on their loyal community to do that for them.
A lot of this comes from the fact Apple have carved out a distinctive brand identity as the favourite electronics manufacturer of design-conscious, hip consumers in all demographics. Kids, moms and business types all glow with pride at their MacBooks or iPhones.
Form, Function & Story
Apple’s formula for achieving and maintaining this has a lot to do with they way their products (and marketing) is built around a combination of form, function and story. Form, in that their products are easy to use and beautiful. Function, because Apple products just work. And Story, the story of how Apple products add value to a customer’s life.
The iPod is a perfect example of how these elements come together.
When it first came out the iPod wasn’t the best product in terms of sound quality or durability (remember those battery problems”). But the marketing message of “a thousand songs in your pocket” instantly told the story of what the iPod would bring to your life.
Added to the mix was its unique look: a pure white “pod” with white bud earphones that made it stand out against all the other black metalic Mp3 players on the market.
So the entire package was a product that said: “I’m exclusive, different, desirable and will make you stand out from the rest AND let you carry around your music collection.”
Just wandering around with those white bud earphones was a statement of affluence and cool hip style. No wonder it did so well.
What About Your Business?
Instead of tweeting away, or flooding the market with content and copy today, why not take a moment to think about what you business could learn from Apple’s approach.
Do you provide beautiful, functional products? Products that tell a meaningful message ? – a story as effective as: “a thousand songs in your pocket”?
What story can your business or products offer your customers?
And how can you get other people to do the talking for you? How is your business creating a community?
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