Combine car seller with a comedian and you get Steve Jobs on stage. iPod sells without a car seller but the computers still need at least a comedian to motivate the prices and low input from consumers. I miss the creativity and innovative big steps that really build the Apple brand. It is business like in the old management school, where it is bad business to sell a car from the future (then you have nothing to sell tomorrow). I like Apple but instead of showing episodes from desperate housewife they should be desperate for innovation. Consumers buy into the future when we consume a product it means we invest in the future. They have to deliver more than this naked Apple with anything to dress in.
To stress Apple evolution, consumers should
start a competitor brand called Pear.
See Steve Jobs pimp a naked Apple.
Update Jan 11:
The purpose of this post is that Apple needs to speedup their evolution/development of their products. Today Apple doesn’t have any competition in many ways. But if companies like DELL should start to work with strong input from consumers they would discover that the Apple brand is naked.
Update 2 April:
Read Michael Kanellos/Cnet.com article: If Apple Computer is so great, how come it’s so small?
Apple must realize that the consumer truly is the King when many consumers converge at the same place on the Internet. Instead of engaging in “brand wars”, Apple should involve their consumers in their daily business. Consumers buying the new iPod are complaining on the battery and on the quality of the iPod. What Apple needs to do is to involve their customers/fans in order to improve their product quality. Then they can avoid quality problems before the product is released. Quality is not only about creating good products but also about making good relationships.
It is sad that a company that is innovative when it comes to products should be so stagnated when it comes to dealing with inputs from its customers. What Apple don’t need to do is sue their fans, as they have done in the past. Passion can turn and burn.
Why can’t they use Apple fans like Isamu Sanada whom came up with better ideas than the company’s own R&D? After twenty years with Apple, Steve Jobs is saying “The great thing is that Apple’s DNA hasn’t changed.” But it doesn’t take much to see that the consumer has changed a lot in these recent years. Perhaps it’s also time for Apple to change its DNA? Apple is, to their credit, still a top innovative company, yet, they are still about six months behind their own fans. Maybe it’s time for “ONE” for Apple? And let there fans in the Apple?
There are still things to change for Apple and work with questions like: why does today’s computer projector look like a shoebox? How could an APPLE PROJECTOR look like and work?
When costumers believe strongly in Apple then Apple need to let that positive energy influence their corporate DNA to make the Apple taste tastier. Otherwise both employees and costumers will not show that they are stupid enough to eat an Apple that doesn’t taste good anymore. Don’t misunderstand me, I have used Apple since Mac Plus was released. But the need for a new player that can tap in to the religion Apple seems to be more and more legible. This new player could be Apple if they update their corporate DNA.
What new brand do you think could open up for the Apple believers?
When do you think Apple will update there corporate DNA or break their brand?
Podcast: Listen on World of Wisdom, EP176 by Amit Paul.
Recently I had the honor of holding a keynote/workshop for AmCham (American Chamber of Commerce in Sweden) I felt privileged to have nearly 100 people attend from Mastercard, Spotify, Klarna, Pfizer, KPMG, Ericsson, Autoliv, Getinge, Hitachi, and others watching from Germany, Mexico and the United States etc.
Stefan, thank you for a thought-provoking session on Sharkonomics.
Managing Director, Peter Dahlen, American Chamber of Commerce in Sweden
What I found most interesting, was that there were so many more questions than at a normal lecture. It seems that many dared to ask more challenging questions, since they were not seen in person. Many of the questions were about how to move from weakness to strength, and attack stronger in both disciplines – My guess is that, the quarantine is giving many time to self reflect. Hopefully my shark answers will get them moving forward, and have them taking action with the inspiration of Sharkonomics.
Some of the sharpest questions:
How can businesses find new waters to fish in during the pandemic?
Where do you see blindspots while swimming with sharks like Amazon and Apple? How do you analyze and find these blindspots?
What’s your best recommendation on how to compete in e-commerce with tha digital shark Amazon?
Great questions move minds just like the Great White Shark.
I feel humble to represent the knowledge developed by sharks over 420 miljon of years.
Specially thanks to AmCham, United Spaces and Four PR.
After a marathon of fake news, authenticity is now being demanded. Companies like Apple strengthen its communication with this trend of authenticity.
Having just returned from New York, I witnessed a real trend. In the past, many wanted to embellish reality, but today they want to highlight and praise its credibility.
A marathon of fake news has created a strong desire for the opposite.
A good example is Apple’s store in Williamsburg, NY. When Apple took over an old brick house, it was renovated back to its structural origin. They became a local heroes and part of something larger than just themselves.
This trend from NY can benefit many companies if they pack their core values and translate them into dollars. They can then, just like Apple, build their value, brick by brick.
Storytelling is not just about telling a story, its about creating genuine and authentic values.
How can you increase your success with this authentic trend?
I was this week attending at The Future Retail Workshop in New York USA – It was created by Evry, and encompassed some of the leading brands from the Nordic region (NK, Clas Ohlson, AMF Fastigheter, Lagerhaus etc). Upwards of 50-60 Vikings or more.
The discussions where extremely valuable, in that a game was created, exhibiting approaches to the creation of retail in the future.
There were a mix of games and “business model canvases”, which were adopted for retail.
In my opinion it was a fantastic suggestion to put us, the audience, into different groups, and do a video report on saving a hypothetical company in 6 months. Retailers were also briefed on how to use Apple products and move sales forward.
This was a pleasurable exercise in which we could envision its reality. Once again, I appreciated the audience being allowed to use their various skills.
Great lectures by Maks Giordano, Andrew McLaughlin and Ola Ahlvarsson. To conclude the workshop, we received a moving lecture from Therese Gedda.
It was also thrilling to see construction taking place on the upcoming Fotografiska in NY…it will be amazing!!.
At a NY night club, the DJ played previous hits and great remixes – Perhaps this workshop could lead to “new hits” in retail by making a “Retail Remix”.
The workshop was located in a great place called The Future Project (a place with cool vibes).
Thanks to Evry, their partners, and all the Vikings in attendance, for a great workshop.
Be the future.
Allison Johnson, Quote from speech at Sime. Legendary former VP World Marketing Communications at Apple.
