I received an email from Apple this morning, inviting me to order the iPhone 5. And I thought, “Wait, does Apple seriously think that I wasn’t aware of this week’s arrival of the greatest thing ever created by anyone ever?”
Oh, Apple, you’re so silly…but thanks so much for being one of my best friends.
This got me thinking, not so much about Apple, but about the flurry of commercials I’ve seen recently for Samsung’s Galaxy X III. You’ve seen them too. They show crowds gathering outside a (wink wink, nudge nudge) Apple store, awaiting the arrival of the greatest thing every created by anyone ever. Then, a bunch of arrogant folks show up and tap their big-screened Galaxy X’s together to share videos, haughtily proving to the earbud-wearing drones in line that they are superior beings because “the next big thing is already here” and they have it.
I have a few problems with this. First of all, they’re making the Cult of Apple (iCult?) look like brainless morons. Second, they show no less than eight people randomly hanging around the faux Apple Store with their Galaxies–as if this would ever happen in real life (I’ve never seen a flock of Galaxy users anywhere). Third, and most importantly, whether or not you believe that the iPhone 5 is the greatest thing ever created by anyone ever, you can’t argue with the fact that it is the next big thing.
Samsung’s ad misses the mark because it paints the Cult of Apple as something that is fueled by the desire to obtain the next Apple product. No! The Cult of Apple is not about mere gadgets. The Cult of Apple is about Apple.
For years now, the Apple branding strategy has focused on emotions rather than products. They are all about innovation, passion, and freedom. They make our complex lives easier, and they inspire and move us and, when we happen to have one of those Apple products in our hands, we are part of something special. In fact we are special. We are one with Samuel L. Jackson and Zoey Deschanel and (years ago) the guy who identified himself as “a Mac.”
Samsung pitches products. Apple sells us a belief in a better life.
It’s all about feelings with Apple. They want to inspire people to be different, to think differently, and to make gazpacho. Well, okay, Apple really does want us to buy their products, but they start by telling us why they make these products in the first place.
Simon Sinek explains this beautifully in his book Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. He points out that, unlike their competitors, Apple does not simply come out and announce that they have awesome phones and we should all buy one. Instead, they start with “In everything we do, we believe in thinking differently and challenging the status quo…so, since you believe what we believe, join us in this pursuit.”
Sounds like a cult to you? Me too…and I can’t wait to get my new iPhone.
kevinstapleford 