it's Josip not joseph

Tag Archive: Apple

Are We Experiencing “Apple Vision”?

Written on June 9, 2011 by Josip Petrusa

10 years ago marked the beginning of innovation as we know it. Few could’ve ever foreseen or imagined what the future holds, except for arguably one man. It redefined up and coming industry trends. It created new paradigms. And with it’s intuitive and beautiful nature, it has forever altered our understandings and perceptions of many of the characteristics that dominate our everyday life today.

It all started with white earphones. White earphones have defined the times over the last decade. They defined how you wanted to be seen. They defined who we are. Hip, trendy, stylish and cool. They made technology fashionable. The made technology luxurious. They made the rebel, the geek and the small-guy, the coolest kid in class. They made Apple the most valuable brand in the world. 10 years later and it was a pair of white earphones that started it all.

Alright, maybe it wasn’t just the white earphones, but the iPod’s earbuds were the early ingredients and integral components of an ironic brand in the making. They became the primary vehicle in penetrating a market that was Apple-less. With a significant shift towards the digital world and the mainstream mass pirating of online music, the iPod encompassed the coolness, rebelliousness and major trend of the time. Discmans were popular. But iPods were the new thing. And the white earbuds let everyone know you were the one with the iPod.

Fast-forward a decade and you find yourself looking at the prominence that Apple has created with the iPod, MacBook, iPhone and iPad. All playing off the distinctive whiteness that can only be inherently associated and truly attributed with the Apple brand. In a sea of black and grey, white shines through. It creates something pure, elegant and utterly appealing. It puts fashion and appearance on the same level as functionality and user experience. It turns technological utility into technological beauty.

The resulting impact has created a seemingly domination of Apple products and Apple-only world view. Apple fanatics promote brand fundamentalism. The digitally and technologically inhibited become evangelists and ambassadors. And everyone else is left wondering if and when they should make the jump. Apple has created a machine that can sway public opinion. One that credit this to powerful branding and very creative and magical marketing.

But sometimes I sit and wonder. Have we been blinded by the beauty? Are we only seeing the white earbuds because we choose to only see the white earbuds? Are we all, to one degree or another, experiencing and suffering from “Apple vision”? Are we willingly controlling the situation or are we willingly allowing ourselves to be controlled?

Indeed, Apple does make some extraordinary pieces of technology that are very appealing, innovative and extremely intuitive. And they have indeed lead the way by popularizing the mp3 player, online music purchasing, touch-screen smart phone technology and the growth of the tablet market. Once you add their MacBook segment you have yourself a company that’s worth approximately $317.6 billion. Many would say this undoubtedly gives Apple precedence and ultimate bragging rights. But I’m not so sure.

We’ve become absorbed by the Apple lifestyle. Too many of us would live and die by Apple products. Too many of us have become complacent with Apple being the only alternative. Too many of us are being engulfed into an increasingly apparent iCloud. A cloud that is asking for our trust but obscuring our ability to see the horizon and those around us. Competition manifests creation. Open-mindedness perpetuates evolution and growth. This is not about denying greatness. This is about asking you the essential and defining question. Are you experiencing “Apple vision”?

(Photo credit)

Do Millennial Brand Wants Equal Facebook “Likes”?

Written on February 21, 2011 by Josip Petrusa

0 Comments

Millennials are incredibly brand-centric. For them, brands have become a lifestyle. They represent more than simple names and products. They represent the essence and expressions and attitudes of this generation. It is a growing paradigm that is further catalyzing and characterizing the very human nature that brands are taking on as they humanize themselves.

Social media, and especially Facebook, is propelling the brand into a dynamic that is truly unprecedented. From their own Facebook pages, along with the vastly emerging page abilities, and on-going attempt at the brandification of your social presence, Facebook has brought the brand to the epicentre of our lives. Something of which has been realized and taken on by many brands from the earliest days of Facebook.

Facebook itself from its earliest days has been a Millennial thing. Even now it’s something that is still dominated by the youth segment of society with 61% of U.S. and 67% of Canadian users falling under the age of 34. Now, once you step back and take a look at the overall picture, you have Millennial demographic, in the midst of taking over the lucrative 18-34 year-olds market segment, combined with the concoction of brands on Facebook and you have yourself something that appears to be awe-inspiring. Or so it seems.

A recent report conducted by L2, know as the “Gen-Y Affluents: Media Survey”, further emphasized the increasing importance the digital and social media worlds will have on your brand and further brand success. And though I won’t dive into the complete vastness of the report itself, I want to look at something quite specific. Particularly, the brand wants Millennials have and how they equate and reciprocate to Facebook “likes”, which have become an element of rising significance.

The graph above and below clearly represent a series of “last prestige brand purchased” and “prestige brands aspired to own” by Millennials. They will represent the brands. Further, we’ll make a series of assumptive points for this context. Based on the numbers above, we’ll say that those 1-34 year-olds represent 60% of the Facebook user-base, something which is particularly low in any context. And lastly, the L2 report represents the U.S. Millennial, something we’ll simply come to represent Millennials themselves.

After you begin to look at the brands provided and start to search for the number of brands “likes” you begin to realize a few things. Firstly, Apple is clearly a favorite in all aspects of each graph and their iTunes page is the only one to break into over 10 million mark of all the brands presented. However, fascinatingly, there is no actual Apple Facebook page. Secondly, other than the iTunes page that makes it into the Top 100 Facebook pages, the rest of the brands don’t appear until a few hundred pages later in the rankings and only appear at page “likes” under 5 million with some of these prestige brands only have a few hundred thousand likes.

Now, any of these numbers would be more than flattering for anyone. Who wouldn’t want a few hundred thousands likes in the brand world? But with the Facebook savvy and brand-centric Millennials, who dominate one segment and will dominate the next, one has to wonder if Facebook “likes” at all represent the wants of customers, consumers and Millennials alike.

Don’t get me wrong here, I’m clearly taking a very assumptive approach, as I stated above. Equally, we’re only dealing with “prestige” brands here, 0f which many Millennials believe they will actually have. But, it’s something that discounts the “every day” brands such as Coca-Cola and Starbucks who continue to exhibit great social success. Though, even then, the correlation between the brand and Facebook is lukewarm at best. And to answer the purpose of this article, it seems that in fact Millennial brand wants do not equate to Facebook likes. At least for the time being.

Much of this can be attributed to a variety of reasons. Most immediately, the fact that a vast majority of brand-relationships begin and end with the action of the “like”. Furthermore, there is no overall benefit to liking anything even if does let your friends know something about you as each “like” gets lost in a growing sea of likes. Equally, Facebook’s minimal platform has often resulted in the same haphazard minimal brand approach. And though pages are being liked they do not represent anything near in scale to the power of Facebook and the Millennials that base their life around it.

By no means is any of this easy to comprehend. Nor simple to implement. But it should provide some clarification into the world of the Millennials and their branded experience. However, if Millennial brands don’t equal Facebook “likes”, maybe the “likes” themselves are a view into Millennial wants. In any case, it’s a brand and social paradigm that will need and get more attention as time goes on. Most of which will ultimately refine itself through the evolution of our social graphs.

(Photo credit 1, Photo credit 2)

11 Simple but Amazing Millennial Insights… by a Millennial

Written on July 16, 2010 by Josip Petrusa

3 Comments

Over the past 5 months and forty-something blog posts later, I find myself picking up on more than a few things. And since it’s Friday and since I’ve looking at my laptop screen way too much, I’ll keep this post short, simple but amazingly insightful.

Here are 11 amazing insights about Millennials, by a Millennial. And whether you agree or disagree, you can’t help but know they’re true.

We’ll never pay for social media. Don’t even suggest the thought. But we’ll spend thousands of dollars in our lifetime on mobile phones, smart phones, voice/data plans and apps.
Interrupting someone or cutting them off while they’re speaking is rude. Checking your BlackBerry and sending off a Facebook update, tweet, text, bbm or email in the same conversation is normal.
The “times are changing” and “things are different” are the two best excuses we ever came up with. They are also the two most immediate and difficult realities we face.
We won’t necessarily take any job for the sake of having work. But we’ll work for free in hopes of getting a job we would like.
We are always looking at three screens: mobile/smart phone screen, computer screen, TV screen.
The majority of us have invested too much time into one social network. As a result, the majority of us will only stay on one social network.
We resonate with a “you live once” ideal. With that, we will save money to buy the things – brands – we want in hopes of living our “dream-life”. We won’t save money for the things we need, liking preparing for the future – general savings accounts, retirement saving and planning, and the such.
We’ll connect, follow and “friend” complete strangers online. But we wouldn’t ever add our parents or uncles and aunts.
Prediction: everyone will watch the Facebook movie. Otherwise known as the “The Social Network”. A Twitter movie, Apple movie, Google movie and similar variations are simply a matter of time.
We’re influenced by the people we hangout with, talk to and connect with online. I still can’t grasp why the majority of advertisers and marketers haven’t picked up on this.
And I saved the best for last. The generational blame game. We’re seen as entitled, lazy and deserving. We see our elders as stubborn, not understanding and old-school minded. Imagine how better off we would all be if there was less whining and complaining but more accepting, opportunity and just getting that chance. Who am I kidding, I’m still pointing my finger at the Baby Boomers and Gen Xers.

But, isn’t that innovative? An idea to collaborate on both sides. But what do I know. I’m only a twentysomething Millennial. Just pay attention, many of these things are more obvious than you think. And these insights are more important than you think. You just haven’t realized it yet…

11 Reasons Why Microsoft’s Kin Was a Failure

Written on July 5, 2010 by Josip Petrusa

2 Comments

Last week’s announcement of Kin’s failure was a surprise. But it wasn’t that shocking. As product exposure was none-existent during it’s tenure, the death of the Kin followed that same lacklustre effort. No one really cared about the Kin before. And no one really cares about the Kin now. “Why the Kin was a failure?” is probably the most important element to come out of this entire situation. That question itself is fascinating simply since we’re talking about Microsoft here.

Microsoft is certainly no small player. But their concept around the Kin was way out of their league. Though their research might have shown some positive results, in my mind, Microsoft clearly missed a few key components to establishing themselves in the smart phone realm. And most of it has to do with Millennials and their characteristics.

Here are 11 reasons why Microsoft’s Kin failed.

Millennials are digitally savvy consumers. We represent a vast part of the social media and smart phones segments. Too bad the majority of us have never even heard of the Kin, talked about getting a Kin, or even know what the Kin is. Or should I say “was”.
Kin’s website concept already exists through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and all other social networking sites where we don’t have to buy/pay for a Kin to use it.
I didn’t know the Kin was based on a website and smart phone relationship. Only did I realize this when I went on the Kin website – for the first and only time - after Microsoft scrapped the product.
One-solid-piece smart phones are the trend. Sliders are so 2 years ago.
I guess product placement, creating awareness and advertising weren’t a high priority. Maybe they’re leaving that to Apple and BlackBerry.
I don’t think a lot you would know what a Kin looks like until you saw the pick in this post. I didn’t know until after #3.
In the minds of many people, Microsoft is only synonymous with Windows. And there’s been almost too many cases I’ve encountered where people have forgot that Xbox is part of Microsoft. The Microsoft name does not resonate with consumers.
There is no unique story behind the Kin. Millennials love to be part of a story. To name a few, Apple has the cool apps and BlackBerry has BBM.
After looking at #2 and #7, why would I want a Kin? And why would anyone around me even want one?
Smart phones are not simply phones. They are about style, cool, fashion and how we want the world to see us. If Microsoft understood this, the Kin might have done a little better.
Microsoft made a smart phone they “thought” the Millennials would want. The problem is that Millennials already have the smart phones they want. And the Kin is nothing like them.

The reality is Microsoft is a latecomer to the smart phone and social media worlds. Although the Kin itself is not a bad product and it’s website concept might be for another time, the essence and issues of its failure can directly be attributed to their lack of understanding of the Millennial demographic. Millennials don’t resonate with Microsoft and they would want a product that offers more than what is currently available. Because why else would they want a Kin over a iPhone, Bold or Android? What’s interesting is the that the Kin failure might be a foreshadowing of other brand and product failures. Until companies realize they need to have some sort of Millennial mindset, what they “thought” might work is extremely different from what will work. This is just another chapter in old mindsets trying to dictate new trends.

How Will Gen-Y Change the World: A Gen-Y Mini-Series (Part 5 of 5)

Written on June 9, 2010 by Josip Petrusa

0 Comments

Here we are, Part 5 and the final piece to this Gen-Y Mini-Series. What a ride it’s been! And although at the end of Part 4 I wrote that Monday would be the original posting day, I decided that with so many articles still being read along with myself being busy and away from my beloved laptop I would post it today. Alas, here it is. Hopefully, you’ve all had the chance to read the rest of the series. But in any case, pull up your socks. Today we’re going through a series of trends that Gen-Y will ride into the future. Here is how Gen-Y will change the world…

It’s An App World After All

The social media craze, wave, take-over and whatever else you want to call it is pretty apparent. Or wait, is it social networking? Regardless, going “social” seems to be one of the major things trending as of now, on a global scale. With the greater means to connect and communicate, the power of “social” is not in the websites, where “social” began, but rather it’s in the apps. Not only is this an aspect of a world that is continually pursuing service-based industry over product-based industry, it’s an extension of ourselves through technology. As technologies become more “personal”, we will become increasingly app-based in an gradually dominating world of apps.

Quite frankly, the proof is everywhere. Smart phones, pads and tablets are all based on apps. Take a look at Apple. When’s the last time you heard something about their MacBooks. And when’s the last time you haven’t heard about the iPhone or iPad. Most of accessing Twitter is based on apps. As well as the emerging “social” power Foursquare. We are coming to a point where we’ll be “checking-in” to everything everyday. And Gen-Y will be at the forefront of this. As Millennials progressively become individuals in “groups” think, an app-based world is not only evident but it will also be commonplace and an everyday aspect of life Gen-Y will “most-use”.

The Introduction of Social TV

As apps continue to expand in use and functionality, they will ultimately introduce what I like to call Social TV. Social media has existed on TV, in a sense, to draw attention to specific social media web pages. However it hasn’t really existed in a “tweeted”, “liked” or “shared” live-web sense. Though not to take all the credit, there have been instances where social media has been used to decide something for TV by popular demand. But what I am talking about will be the introduction of live feeds directly on TV. It will only be a matter of years until you will see the number of tweets in the corner of the TV to show how many people are watching. Though live Twitter feeds and the similar things are already in the works to be combined with your TV screen as you watch TV, they’re merely the combination of existing technologies.

What I am purposing with Social TV is the ability to have everything we can currently do on the web, take it one-step further and integrate it into live broadcasts, reruns and anything else that will allow us to share everything we’re “watching…” and see actual number of “watching” appear in the corner of screens. Gen-Y will be the ultimate sharing generation as apps, social media and the social TV become life. What a new and interesting world this is becoming as we move beyond web 2.0.

The Consumer vs. The Student

Over the series and different from the first two points of this article, I introduced the ideas of “Consumer Horizontalization” along with the“(De)value of Education” and the “Era of the Masters Degree”. The fascinating issue behind these ideas is the profound effects that Millennials will have on consumerism and education. The fascinating issue itself is that Gen-Y will gravitate towards the Consumer and away from the Student. It seems like a pretty simple and mundane idea however the consequences are vast. And it all seems to be a result of education losing its value. As there are more people that are educated, education is not nearly valued the same as when there were less people that were educated, even though it is literally be the same education. As the world opens up to areas where education might not be necessary to succeed, the downfall is that at a time where the gender gap is closing education loses value. Fundamentally, education is not providing Gen-Y the promises of a “better-life” and the “dream-life”.

Don’t get me wrong, education is imperative and is an absolute-must in any society. But as Gen-Y faces more con’s rather than pro’s, we will see a raising number away from education. Though this number won’t necessarily be lower. In relative terms, the ratio will be down. For those who in a sense “risk” going for the ROI value of education, they will be coerced into more education to fulfill basic needs. The result of this will push Millennials and all of Gen-Y to be the Consumer, since hyperconsumerism will at least satisfy their needs of a “better-life” and the “dream-life”. Let me be clear, it is a mistake to assume that these are negative undertones. Rather this is merely a shift in life that will grow with this generation. Even though we are making less money and it feels like it’s nearly impossible to get a job, we will still spend to fulfill our promised life. When it comes down to “the Consumer vs. the Student”, the Gen-Y Consumer takes the round. At least it looks that way for now.

As we conclude this Gen-Y Mini-Series, I understand that we haven’t covered a variety of other Gen-Y issues. Though this may be the final part to this series, it is not the end. I thank you all for reading and the great responses I have received. If you haven’t read the first 4 parts, I suggest you do. Hopefully this gave you all a glimpse into how Gen-Y will change the world and provided you with some answers. If not, stay tuned. You might be getting those answers sooner than you think.

Introducing Lifestyle Brands: The Emerging Branding Strategy

Written on May 10, 2010 by Josip Petrusa

1 Comment

My blog post today has been inspired by the feedback I’ve received from two previous posts that I’ve written. And I’m going to expand on the ideas and insights a little further (free of charge of course). Not too long ago, I wrote a blog post called 4 Insights Into the Future of Advertising that has received some buzz. The article itself addressed what the future of advertising will look like. And I highly suggest you read it before or even after this article.

Not too long after that article, I also wrote a guest blog post on idaconcpts.com called How to Market to Millennials, which received some significant buzz. It dealt with the mysterious issue of marketing to the Millennials (or Generation-Y) demographic. Again, I highly suggest you read it before or after this article.

By Christopher Chan

The idea behind today’s article originally stemmed from a comment left by Carol Phillips but involves ideas from both articles. She suggested a 5^th insight into the future of advertising where it “may be the beginning of the end for the ‘product brand’ and a golden age for ‘lifestyle brands’.” And I completely agree with her on this. Either brands will have to transform or it will be the end of them.

Previously, brands have been an aspect of life. Something we interact with and use but most important, something we did not necessarily need for life. It seems that there is a shift occurring where brands are becoming a part of our life, representing a style of life. Some brands have all along had this aspect of “lifestyle brand” (for instance Virgin, as brought up by Carol). But there are some outlier brands that are taking this type of brand strategy serious.

Apple would definitely be the simplest and easiest one to dissect. And it’s a brand that is quite frankly apparent to everyone, regardless if they are an Apple product user or not. The fact of the matter is that Apple is simply not selling a product, it’s selling a lifestyle. A lifestyle that is being pushed by the Millennials. A lifestyle that is putting outlier brands into the mainstream.

Imagine for one second if you couldn’t use your iPhone, iPod, MacBook or iPad. The brand is not simply reflecting your lifestyle. It is becoming your style of life. We are making these products more necessary to life than they have previously been.

Though, Apple is simply a small piece in a pie that is getting larger. In a recent article, Chanel and BMW were considered top brands by Gen-Y amongst others. One thing all these brands have in common is that they are not selling you a smartphone or a purse or a car. Rather they are selling you an iPhone, a Chanel accessory and a BMW 6 Series. And it’s an aspect that dominates the Millennials way of thinking.

Rather than waiting to buy products that they can truly afford (and when I say truly I mean they are not simply working for the next thing they want to buy but actually have the capital to live that lifestyle), all Millennials want to live their dream lifestyle now. And it doesn’t really have to do with the products being luxurious. It has to do with the products being part of a dream lifestyle. It has to do with the product representing who you are and how you want to be perceived.

In the next five to ten years, we’ll all be witnesses to lifestyle branding. Some of these brands have always set themselves in that category. And there are plenty that are emerging. However don’t be surprised if you start to see less obvious brands take on this different role. After all, they are all trying to sell to you.