iPad: Maybe So, Maybe No
by Josh Levine
If you’re like me, you’re among the many who were disappointed with yesterday’s reveal of the Apple iPad, and possibly even more disappointed by the name.
But the public reaction is even more interesting than the product itself, and it speaks to the incredible power Apple has built in its brand.
I had two client meetings yesterday. The first one was right around 10am — the time of Steve Jobs’ keynote — and was repeatedly interrupted by various people in the room reporting real-time announcements they got from their smartphones. Ironically, none of these people were using iPhones, and they described themselves as “non-Apple people.” But they were glued to the news just like the rest of us, illustrating the extent to which Apple has ingrained itself into the fabric of American culture.
In the second meeting, the guy went on for about a minute listing all of the things wrong with the iPad: No camera, no Flash, no phone, etc. Then, almost on cue, he stops and says, “don’t get me wrong, I’m buying one.”
Me? I don’t love it, but truth be told, I’ll probably end up buying iPad 2, or should I say iPad Super.
Tell us what you think. Are you going to buy it? And what can we learn from Apple about branding?
Julia
iPad Super — LOVE IT. I’m just now finding out how much men actually know about “feminine” products.
Jan 28, 2010 @ 11:42 am
Josh Levine
Funny, Julia,
You know, we do have wives and mothers.
I got an email this morning suggesting that a future WiMax version will be called Max iPad.
Jan 28, 2010 @ 11:45 am
Kristen
Josh, you’ve got to see this video if you haven’t:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsjU0K8QPhs
MadTV came up with an iPad parody two years ago that Andrea just posted on FB. Hilarious!
Jan 29, 2010 @ 6:45 am
Josh Levine
Great! So do you think Jobs is taking creative cues from MadTV? Or maybe those writers can just see the future.
Jan 29, 2010 @ 8:36 am
David Harris
I resemble some of those remarks!
Jan 29, 2010 @ 11:22 pm
Josh Levine
Indeed you do! But it was great because it really illustrates the strength of the Apple brand. We’re watching their every move, regardless of whether we’re “Apple people” or not.
We know that great brands don’t just build products, they create experiences. They create opportunities for people to believe in something, or disbelieve, or argue. That’s what Apple does better than anything else.
Jan 30, 2010 @ 10:37 pm