Packaging v Product – Do you Get It Too? Live at the iPad2 launch…

Posted on March 25, 2011 by James

Today has seen the launch of Apple’s new iPad2, so I thought I’d go down the road to my local Apple store and find out what’s going on…

What I discovered, of course, was a lesson in marketing I didn’t expect, but that none of us should underestimate if we want to be effective marketers of any person, product or service.

Check out the video and leave me a comment to let me know if you ‘get it’ too…

YouTube Preview Image

 

This entry was posted in Marketing, Strategy and tagged , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Comments for James-Watson.com

  • http://GregAndFionaScott.com Fiona Scott

    Hey James – a powerful point that people want to buy where everyone else is buying from – good social proof. Thanks for spotting the vido opportunity to make the distinction.

  • Anonymous

    Hi Fiona

    Yes social proof is also an important element, you’re right… but I think that if the shopping ‘experience’ at PC World (…lol) was anywhere near that of Apples then many more people would buy there as well.

    James

  • http://my7dayincomeplans.com Julian Macintyre

    Hey James,
    It is no doubt that the IPAD 2 launch has been a major success and there are valuable lessons to be learnt. What is also evident is the need for marketers to ensure their content is compatible with these devices.The way people search the internet and digest content is changing, more and more are using mobile devices just look at the popularity of devices like the ipad/ipod and the various smartphones.Those marketers who don’t pay attention to this are missing out big time.

    Cheers
    Jules

  • http://www.chrisandsusanbeesley.com Chris & Susan Beesley

    What a great lesson James – power of great marketing, branding and social proof. Good video opportunity too!

  • Nick Edrupt

    I would love to know how Apple create a frenzy like this.( whatys your view James) Part of it must be their now proven reputation for great quality products which do what is said on the “tin”.
    Is there a percieved scarcity value to this as well.? Pc world and the other electrical goods sheds have historically been slow out of the blocks when it has comes to stocking apple products so im wondering whether most of those people queing have no idea they could easily buy the product elsewhere without the queues.I know i would as i really dislike queueing for anything. whatever the reason perhaps we should all try to be the “apple” in our field.

  • Anonymous

    I totally agree Chris and Susan… its also important of course to realize that we need to ‘package’ ourselves as much as any of our products…

  • Anonymous

    Very true Jules, that’s why I like to put all my videos on YouTube, even long ones, (Daniel and I are fortunate to have an account where we can publish unlimited length videos on YouTube) for that reason i.e. they’re easy to view on ipads and iphones…

  • Anonymous

    Nick,

    There’s no doubt that a lot of people who were queuing were unaware they could buy one in PC World. I regret now not doing an experiment by letting people in the queue know this and see how many STILL would prefer to ‘buy from Apple’ rather than go to a more downmarket shop like PC World.

    One BIG lesson is that HOW we buy is often more important that WHAT we buy. If you think about it, how many thinks have you been excited about buying – only to be disappointed with the results of ‘using it’?

    So, make the way people buy from you ‘exciting’ – without changing the product – and you’ll sell more. For example, webinars and live events make the buying process ‘exciting’, product launches too of course…

    So much to learn from Apple especially, even if you don’t like their products…

    James

  • http://twitter.com/Jane_Hendry Jane Hendry

    You may be drawing the wrong conclusion from this. As you said, in the past, newly released Apple products were only available via Apple stores. It could well be that (a) people have been trained like Pavlov’s dogs to head, in trance like state, to their nearest Apple store to get the new releases and (b) Currys/PC World weren’t making enough noise about the fact that they had them as well.

    I think you could only have really proved your point if you’d gone and asked a sufficient number of the crowd why they were waiting in the cold outside the Apple store when other retailers had the product. If a majority had then said “because I prefer to buy from the Apple store” then your point is valid. Otherwise, I would suggest that your conclusion is based on an assumption which you haven’t tested and which therefore may or may not be true.

    And THAT is a marketing lesson – test your assumptions ;-)

    The bigger lesson is that Apple have created such a level of desirability in their products that they continue to do well even in a recession.

  • Daniel

    Love it! This is a great lesson in marketing! Apple might be sold out and people will still not over to currys… lol

    Daniel

  • Anonymous

    Thought you’d appreciate this one… :)