Technique - Marketing for Technology Companies Dallas, Texas Technology Advertising and High-Tech Dallas public relations agency. HiTech PR and Dallas Public Relations with Internet Marketing and Advertising for technology companies located in Dallas Texas and outside of the Dallas, Texas Area. M/C/C - LIVING THE UNEXPECTED. Dallas, Texas Technology Advertising and High-Tech Dallas public relations agency. HiTech PR and Dallas Public Relations with Internet Marketing and Advertising for technology companies located in Dallas Texas and outside of the Dallas, Texas Area. M/C/C - LIVING THE UNEXPECTED. Dallas, Texas Technology Advertising and High-Tech Dallas public relations agency. HiTech PR and Dallas Public Relations with Internet Marketing and Advertising for technology companies located in Dallas Texas and outside of the Dallas, Texas Area. M/C/C

Being True To Your Brand
By Greg Hansen

As marketers we preach it all of the time. Be true to your brand. From your advertising to your public relations, from your website to your candy bowl, they must always reflect your brand.

Just recently we witnessed a perfect example of branding.

Apple introduced and launched the iPhone.

Whether you are a fan of Apple computers or not, you have to admit, the Apple brand is one of the strongest of all time. To boil it down as simply as possible, from the Macintosh of 1984 to the new OSX, the company is all about simplicity and innovation. Apple has always had easy-to-use products that were on the bleeding edge of technology and design. Although not the leader in sales, the company has always been the leader in the direction the computer industry goes. See OSX2… I mean Vista.

Apple has even taken this brand to other product categories. The iPod and iTunes have revolutionized the music industry. Although this industry was unfamiliar territory for Apple, the company applied its brand of simplicity and innovation and took the music market by storm.

Now we have the iPhone.

Once again Apple is taking simplicity and innovation and applying them to a different product category. Not only does this apply to the product itself, Apple's brand is evident in its marketing communications for the iPhone, as well.

All of the iPhone marketing has lived up to the brand. Simple and innovative. We see the product looks cool, and we get to see the basic applications, but we are not bombarded by complex detailed info. Even on the Apple website, things remained simple. There was little information on the site before the actual launch. Two weeks after the launch, if you have detailed questions about the iPhone, you have to turn to Apple's biggest marketing arm for the iPhone — bloggers, reviewers and media.

So will the Apple brand work its magic this time? Reports are that iPhone sales over the launch weekend were 500,000 to 750,000, doubling analysts' expectations. An AT&T spokesperson said the company sold more iPhones over the first weekend than any other launch over an entire month. Over the long term, only time will tell, but it appears the iPhone will be another success for Apple, and once again they will change an industry. So far they've done it all by staying true to their brand in all that they do. The iPhone and all of the information and marketing surrounding it remain simple, innovative and stylish. The widescreen looks great. "Flipping" is way cool. Email and visual voice mail rock.

How do I know? I bought an iPhone, and I love it. Although I am a technology geek and a gadget freak, I'm not usually an early adopter, especially a first-generation adopter. But this time was different, and I'm glad I did it. Apple got me interested with all of the hype, but the company got me to buy by staying true to the brand. Simple and innovative.

E-mail the author: Greg Hansen

Click here to e-mail this article to a friend.

Archived Articles