Where Modern Marketing Fails

 I remember being a little kid who loved technology. Jailbreaking iPhones, flashing custom Android roms, iOS updates, new products seemingly bringing the future to us instantly all felt awesome for a 12 year old kid. I even tried programming a little bit (C++), but that went nowhere and I settled for the jailbreaking using others' exploits instead.

One important detail here is the timeline: jailbreaking wasn't a thing until iPhone, modern Android design didn't exist until iPhones did (that is a controversial comment...), and the cell phone market was settling for Razr phones and keyboards to text. But what seemed like overnight, everyone had a smartphone and it was either "iPhone or Android." What was so funny about this language was that Apple had one model phone while Android was the software operating on countless phones from Samsung to LG to Google's very own phone. The war had started, but Apple was creating something big. The former company that was failing in the 1990's seemingly now had a solid grasp of computers, music players, software (think iOS and iTunes) while now becoming the biggest cell phone company in the United States with its sights on the entire planet. 

But where does marketing fit in you may ask? The above story is only possible due to one man: Steve Jobs. To say he is an idol is an understatement. I loved watching his original iPhone presentation and have read his autobiography a couple times. I understood his shortfalls, but the common theme about his character was simple to understand for a kid like me: work hard, treat others right, make sure the standard is kept. To say he did this was an understatement, even during his ultimate battle with cancer.

The key here what Steve did during that iPhone presentation that changed the way I looked at the world. He made a product that people didn't know they wanted, then made them crave it (the article below from 9to5 Mac summarizes his legacy on this quote and its impact on Apple's success, I recommend giving a quick look after this post). He didn't just create demand, he created dependency. He created a sense of need rather than want.

This is where I believe modern advertising is failing. Every commercial now is quite simple: make it boring and simple (think car commercials) or so ridiculous that you wonder what their marketing team was thinking by funding that disaster. It's all about standing out, but that misses the key concept that Apple has perfected: dependency. The commercials on TV, the billboards, the bus stop ads, etc. all want exposure but none of them create dependency. I am sure everyone knows GEICO commercials as they are catchy and creative and memorable. But is there really a bunch of people who immediately want insurance after seeing the commercial? I doubt it. I do remember as a kid seeing the original iPhone commercials that highlighted a then new feature called "apps." The one specifically about the guy drinking what looked like milk from his phone after clicking on a little square on his screen made me go "wow, this is so cool. I need to get this." This was the difference for me and the time that phrase from Steve started to make sense. Apple got me hooked in an ecosystem no one else could, and probably never will again.

What is even more incredible is that Apple has been able to sell what is a premium phone to everyone. What started as the premium business phone has shifted into being the phone your 10-year old has, yet iPhones are top of the line products. They reach everyone from CEO's to senior citizens and the quality has never wavered. They are permanently in-style, something very few companies can say they achieved. And it all started as a company stressing need rather than want. Modern advertising should follow suit. Maybe we wouldn't click "skip" as much on every ad we see.

Link:

1. 9to5 Mac on Steve Jobs Legacy: https://9to5mac.com/2021/09/22/steve-jobs-legacy-iphone-13/#disqus_thread