Brand Love Hate

iPhone Paid Placement on ESPN?

I understand that the Apple iPhone buzz is huge, but when Peter Gammons - one of my heroes - is talking and writing about it, something seems wrong. While every news outlet has been reporting on the iPhone launch, ESPN seems to be taking it over the top. Last night while watching Sunday Night Baseball (Twins vs. Tigers), the great Jon Miller and Joe Morgan began talking about the iPhone, then went to Gammons, who "reported" how Detroit pitcher Justin Verlander had scored two iPhones - one for himself and one for Twins first baseman Justin Morneau. As Gammons spoke, ESPN ran B-roll of himself and Verlander checking out his new iPhone. Now, I don't recall them chatting up the Nintendo Wii and cutting to Gammons playing home run derby with Ken Griffey Jr., or watching ESPY highlights streaming from an Apple TV with David Ortiz.

But the coverage of a device that has absolutely nothing to do with sports didn't end there. This morning on ESPN Radio, Mike & Mike made co-host Mike Golic's purchase of four iPhones for his family part of their main stories, meaning they "reset" with it each hour. I guess NBA Draft and trade news has gone cold?

Both Apple and ESPN are fave brands of mine and I'm sure this type of paid placement works, but it felt really out of place, even forced in some cases. I wonder how sports journalists feel about "covering" an ad? Or was the reporting legit?

Apple Computer No More

As Apple fans ravenously anticipated what ended up being a very long iPhone announcement at the MacWorld Expo, Apple CEO Steve Jobs mentioned something pretty darn important - Apple Computer, Inc. is now Apple, Inc. A brand that represents innovation, Apple can list the desktop computer, graphical operating system and mouse in its history as a computer hardware and software manufacturer. But it now must move beyond computers to continue that innovation.

Although the name change is news, the transition is not. The iPod is more than five years old, and it was the catalyst for this shift. Everything Apple is doing now is because of and based on the iPod and its success. It's the number one MP3 player and the accompanying iTunes Store is the number one download service. The iPhone and Apple TV are further extensions of that product line, and really good ones, providing new ways to store, share and stream one's digital media.

So Apple now is a manufacturer of digital media solutions - MP3 players, wireless routers, media storage and streaming devices, touchscreen mobile phones, an online store and download service, then software and computers. If some MacWorld readers are miffed now that the magazine isn't talking about Macs enough, it's only going to get more rigorous. Any publication covering the Apple brand is going to be writing less and less about computers moving forward.

Apple Named Marketer of the Year

This week, MediaPost named Apple Computer marketer of the year. With Intel-based Macs, the subsequent release of the MacBook laptop line and Mac Pro model, the continued success of the iPod, a new iPod Shuffle, still-packed Apple Stores and the new "I'm a Mac" advertising campaign, it's hard to deny that it was a great year for Apple. The MacWorld Expo next week will quickly tell us what to expect from Apple in 2007 - news that will likely keep the momentum going. Apple currently is the number-four computer maker behind HP, Dell and (just behind) Gateway.

Apple Store Fifth Avenue Facility Brand

BusinessWeek and the Architectural Record included Apple's Fifth Avenue, New York City store in their combined 2006 Architecture Awards. The simple, elegant design of Apple's outdoor cube and 24/7 open hours make the store a great representation of the Apple brand. In New York City, both the Fifth Avenue and Soho Apple retail locations are as much tourist attractions as computer stores - a great way to introduce potential switchers and sliders to Apple products.

From a jury member quoted in the article about the Fifth Avenue store:

A "preeminent example of the power of architecture on business, and how the public understands and experiences a brand."

I was impressed that the Apple store was the one consumer-facing location to receive the award - the others were company headquarters, where the "users" are employees. While facility branding is important with both customers and employees, it's great that Apple can deliver a mix of elegance and functionality that works for such busy retail outlets.

Google and Apple Chosen as Top Global Brands

A survey by brandchannel.com resulted in Google and Apple being named the top two global brands of 2005, with Skype, Starbucks and Ikea rounding out the top five. The two companies switched spots from 2004 when Apple was number one. Also interesting is that Lance Armstrong made the North American top five - talk about a personal brand.

Knowing When to Buy Apple Products

I have been an Apple computer user as long as I have used computers.  I am an Apple brand evangelist and regularly cite Apple as one of our great lifestyle brands.  But one issue has bothered me ever since I began buying my own Apple computers - the company's secrecy.  While Steve Jobs' keynote presentations are amazing and have me frantically refreshing the Apple home page to see what the latest, greatest Apple product will be, it also has regularly prevented me from buying Apple products, or at least delaying those purchases.  When I was in the market for my PowerBook G4, I constantly read the Apple rumor sites to see if a new model was coming out that would make my new computer out of date in a matter of days.  The same thing goes for the iPod - I love my third-generation, 10 GB iPod and have been interested in moving up to a newer, color-screen model.  But with so many revisions to the iPod line, including capacity increases, new models like the Nano and video rumors (now true), I wait instead of buying.  And now, the proximity of the iPod Nano release to the new iPod Video models has some consumers fuming.  I understand - it's part of being an Apple fan.