Were Steve Jobs keynotes Apple’s grandest marketing campaign ever
Marketeers in general around the world will singularly agree that Apple and Nike are the two brands that everyone looks up-to as case studies into building a rock solid brand.
I have admired Steve Jobs for his vision of creating great products through a deep understanding of consumer psychology with a touch of arrogance and brave claims. Apple over the years have given the world some amazing ad campaigns. TBW/Chiat/Day led by the Lee Clow created the advertising master piece “Think different”, with this campaign they did something brands aspire for even today. Apple formed it’s own tribe, apple successfully managed to drive home the message if you think you stand out of the crowd you are an apple tribe. The campaign with the PC as guys in suits and Mac as a hip Justin Long dressed casually in jeans, t-shirt and sneakers, with this single campaign Apple was able to create a clear differentiation from IBM and Microsoft.
Simplicity + Creativity +Humanity are at the core of Apple’s principles, however to me there is a 4th element that Steve Jobs and Apple really banked on SEDUCTION.
While the world of PCs were meant for serious corporations, Apple stayed true to their audience and wowed the world with its candy coloured, curvaceous tear drop designs. Apple seduced the audience not with faster operating systems or more dick space, rather with a promise of elevating user’s potential. Since then every product that Apple has launched has managed to seduce the audience at large with its fundamental principles at core Simplicity + Creativity +Humanity. Apple’s design with keen eye to create a beautiful looking product that also works to expand your potential was the master seduction technique.
Ever since Steve Jobs return to Apple he was the brand ambassador and his keynotes are regarded as the best business presentation ever, I think those keynotes were the grandest marketing campaign by Apple. Breaking down the keynote speeches to the brand philosophy of Apple we can see how Steve Jobs carried those same brand philosophy on to the stage.
Simplicity: The keynote addresses were simple with just the speaker and the product in focus and nothing else to distract the viewers. The BTS was powered through meticulous planning and amazing number of re-runs to ensure no glitches during the keynotes.
Creativity: Steve Jobs keynotes were creative in way that it changed the way product launches are done. Steve Jobs created an experience through the keynote like none had ever done before. The attendees were able to actually experience the product without even holding it.
Humanity: Steve Jobs was notoriously famous for “one more thing” during his keynotes. That brought in the wow factor and surprise which we now in advertising and marketing are extremely powerful levers in brand building.
It’s easy to forget how humorous Jobs was during those keynotes and don’t we know that humour is a big element in the process of seduction.
Reasons why these keynotes were the grandest marketing campaign ever:
- Like all other marketing campaigns, the keynotes stayed true to the brand philosophy
- Managed to create anticipation prior to the event thus creating “anticipation” another powerful human emotion Apple so brilliantly capitalised
- Leave the attendees with a feeling of wow and elevated. This helped create a ripple of free press, word of mouth and bringing new audiences to the Apple Tribe
- Sense of belonging among people who dared to move out of the ordinary, follow dreams or people who were outliers. Apple users recognised themselves with the tribe of artists, rebels and outliers.
Being a part of the elite community of artists, rebels and outliers has its own appeal to it. Apple seduced people brilliantly into being a part of this community.
