Post #2: Brands That Breathe

Apple- "Hi, I'm a Mac"

In 2007, Apple began airing a series of 30-second television ads that were perhaps its most underrated innovation. Several of these ads are featured above. The brief spots feature two actors who personify a Mac and a PC. The Mac character, played by Justin Long, has all the features that Apple wants its users to associate with its products: youthfulness, wit, and confidence. The PC character, played by John Hodgman, is boring, businesslike, and insecure.

This campaign was extremely effective in fostering an unrivaled degree of loyalty in Apple customers, and added tremendously to the brand's value as a whole.

It would be very difficult to argue that the Apple brand is not a Lovemark for consumers all over the world. Consumers connect with the brand on a deep emotional level, as evidenced by the fervor caused by each new product launch. Given its breathtaking lineup of innovative, high-quality products, it is no surprise that Apple is successful. The campaign featured above, however, has created the type of "loyalty beyond reason" which has allowed Apple to distance itself from competitors and become one of the most successful companies in human history.

By giving their products a face and personality, Apple has tapped into its consumers' desire for a company that they can see and hear and talk to. Instead of focusing on product attributes, this campaign urged users to fall in love with their computers.

While the "Hi, I'm a Mac" campaign was technically a marketing campaign for iMacs and MacBooks, the ads endeared millions of consumers to the entire brand. Soon after, Apple was able to use that brand equity as leverage in its wildly successful launch of the iPad 1. Droves of Apple fanatics, who were undeniably "loyal beyond reason", flocked to Apple stores around the world, clamoring for the product which many consider to be the crowning achievement of Steve Jobs' unbelievable career.

The impact of this campaign extended well beyond the walls of Apple's Cupertino, CA headquarters. Many companies operating in other "black box" industries, such as insurance and telecommunications, quickly launched their own ad campaigns aimed at creating emotional connections with consumers.

Of these companies, the most notable (and relevant to this discussion), was Microsoft. The first ad shown below is a part of the "I'm a PC" campaign, which was a direct response to Apple's "I'm a Mac" campaign. Although Microsoft's attempts to humanize its offering were encouraging, the company could not bring itself to completely abandon its roots. The "My Idea" campaign for Windows 7, which ran around the same time that the "I'm a PC" ads originally aired, were certainly friendlier that past Windows ads, but still focused on technical capabilities of the operating system.

Microsoft- "I'm a PC"

Microsoft (Windows 7)- "My Idea"

As I noted above, many other companies soon rolled out ads that personified their respective brands. A few examples include Verizon Wireless, Progressive, and AllState.

Overall, the move to this form of advertising suggests that firms have begun to accept the realities of the Attraction Economy, and are doing everything in their power to maintain a competitive advantage.