It’s a sad day for technophiles, the world
over. After months of speculation about his failing health and newly added belt
notches, Steve Jobs finally saw the spinning rainbow wheel and went into
permanent shutdown. As with every other major Apple announcement, his timing
was impeccable, clinging to life long enough for the iPhone 4S announcement to
be made before logging off.
Within a couple of hours of his death, the
Facebook news feed was a mess of Apple logos and condolences to a man none of
my friends had ever met. Several of the messages pointed out how Jobs had
transformed their lives in the last 20 years. Others even speculated how
different their careers might have been were it not for the various innovations
ushered in under Jobs’ benevolent rule.
Countless books have been written,
attempting to unwrap the enigmatic appeal of the Apple brand. Not least the
forthcoming Jobs biography which, according to reports, will apparently feature
the last weeks of his life. In technology circles, that’s called ‘planned
obsolescence’.
No doubt the designs are exceptional, the
brand single-minded, and the pricing structure clear (if a little top heavy).
But the real reason so many people have bought into the brand, is because Jobs
understood the difference between a user and a customer. He made every
touchpoint, from the retail environment to the iPhone calendar, a pleasurable
experience. Too many brands seem to build a product, then figure out how to
sell it. Jobs focused on making the best possible product, then letting it sell
itself. And it did.
Most offices have at least one iVangelist.
If you work in marketing, as I do, you’re probably surrounded by them. A PC in
a creative department is about as welcome as Sarah Palin at a Mensa coffee
morning. But it’s not just the software and functionality either – that little
apple on the laptop is a badge of honour for any creative. We take our machines
into meetings so clients instantly know which end of the table the ideas will
be coming from.
Of course, we can all take brand love a
step too far. Apple cornered the market in brand addiction, inspiring legions
of fans to turn out in the middle of the night ahead of launch day for every
new product release, irrespective of how minimal the cosmetic changes may be. People
who knew the power of the new. Of
course, they were also the ones who made apologies for a company that released a new phone with an antenna that didn’t work if you held it in your hand: “Yeah, no, it’s fine, I
mean I don’t really use it as a phone anyway…”
Critics scoff, and tell us to get a life.
But only because they haven’t drunk the Appletini flavoured Kool-Aid. And
that’s the thing about Steve Jobs. He doesn’t just leave behind a legacy of
intuitive, beautifully designed gadgetry. He leaves behind a movement of loyal
followers who will mourn his passing as if he was a member of their extended
family. Steve, you made a cult out of all of us. Damn you autocorrect…
Nice one!
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