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Steve Jobs

Saying Goodbye: Steve Jobs

PhotobucketBy now, you’ve heard the same news that has saddened us.  Apple founder and visionary Steve Jobs has passed away.

We’ve made no secret of our admiration of Apple. There’s  just so much that Apple does right. That’s why they’re one of the few, elite organizations called Cult Brands. The responsibility for Apple’s success is due to the leadership of Steve Jobs.  It is with sincere and lasting admiration and respect that we offer our condolences and best wishes to Steve’s family, friends, and the extended Apple community.

It’s impossible to think about Steve Jobs without marveling at the impact this man, this one single man, has had upon the world.  His influence shows not only in the technology we use, but in the way we do business, communicate with each other, and view the role of individuality and creativity in our individual and collective lives.

Steve Jobs didn’t do this by selling MacBooks and iPhones to the masses.  He did it by selling his customers what they wanted the most: personal empowerment and self-fulfillment.  Steve Jobs’ genius, if we must pick a single one to name, was to thoroughly understand his customers.  He was tapped so deeply and completely into his loyal customer bases’ psyche that he understood what they wanted and why they wanted it. Using this knowledge is what propelled Apple into a dominant organization in the marketplace.

When customers buy Apple, they’re buying into the belief system that they can be amazing.  That’s Steve Jobs’ gift to the world. There are no limits anymore.  There are no barriers of entry to a life filled with creativity, connectivity, music, video, games, and play. You just need the right technology, and you can transcend class, background, or a serious lack of talent. It’s a message strong enough to build a community around  and a community people couldn’t wait to join.

For Steve, bringing people to the Apple community looked effortless.  Some said he had an intuitive marketing sense; others that he was a born salesman. We think it comes down to Steve’s (and by extension, Apple’s) practice of putting the customer first.  His ability to focus on what his customers wanted, in every aspect of their engagement with his company, and deliver that consistently in ways that surpassed their expectations serves as an example that we can all aspire to.

October 6, 2011 by

Apple After Jobs: Will The Brand Be As Successful?

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

So began Steve Jobs’ resignation letter. It is a short, simple document that has made headlines around the world. Will Apple be as successful, countless pundits have wondered, without Jobs at the helm?

There’s precedent to consider, none of it good.  During the ’80s, a Jobs-less Apple floundered.  It was only after Jobs returned to the company that the iEmpire began to grow in earnest. Today, Apple is the most valuable brand in the world. Has the infrastructure been put in place to allow Apple to maintain market dominance without Jobs’ day to day involvement?

It’s a question that will take time to answer.  While Jobs is stepping down as CEO, he has hand picked his successor, Tim Cook. He will remain as Chairman of the Board. One gets the sense that while Jobs is going, he’s not going any further than he absolutely has to.

At the same time, there have already been Apple fans declaring that the brand has already suffered.

It just feels more empty now; a little bit colder, a little bit less awesome. One blog commenter said, while another is already mourning the loss of Jobs’ genius. I’m concerned that a great man may no longer be around. It’s like losing a Newton or an Edison.

Many people view Jobs as the heart of the brand. He is the personification of “cool” for some and it is precisely because Apple knows who finds Jobs cool, inspiring, and right up there with Newton and Edison that we think the Apple brand is well positioned to remain as profitable as ever.

Customers First: Know Your Customers To Build Your Brand

Apple has done an extraordinary—perhaps even the world’s best—job of understanding who their customers are. This understanding goes into the conscious and unconscious motivators that influence purchasing behavior.  Apple’s stock in trade may be computers and entertainment devices, but as we discuss here, what they’re really selling is empowerment and self-fulfillment.

The most important thing that Apple needs to do during this transition period is maintain their commitment and focus on high-level customer understanding.  Brand Modeling tells us that it is essential for a company to remain constantly in touch with and aware of their very best customers.  This connectivity will allow Apple to stay in the empowerment and self-fulfillment business—where they have no viable competition and amazing profitability.

Steve Jobs’ role has been to consistently bring Apple back to that core, central value. The company has shown a tendency to wander away from this mission over the years, but Apple also excels at learning from its mistakes.  They’ve found their way to the best spot in the market. If they can remain focused on serving their best customers better than anyone else in the market does, Apple will stay there. It’s as simple as that.

September 7, 2011 by