Unless you spent the day enjoying complete sensory deprivation you’ll be aware that Steve Jobs announced the new iPhone 4 today at Apple’s WWDC. As someone who’s spent the past 6 months using an iPhone 3GS that I managed to drop in the toilet barely 2 hours after it was first switched on, I’ll likely be first in line on June 24th for an upgrade.
This post isn’t about the new iPhone. Instead it’s about the video announcing the new iPhone on the Apple homepage.
What’s so great about it? Well for one it’s beautifully shot in a very ‘Apple’ kind of way. Blacks on white. Clean. Great music.
Second it’s narrated by real Apple people. Who (mostly) happen to be photogenic, extremely passionate and very eloquent about the wonder that is the new iPhone4. We don’t just get to see the product, we get to slobber over every facet of it – brand new features! revolutionary components! sleeker design! better resolution! Plenty of people have lots of negative things to say about Apple and the new iPhone. But if you take time to watch this video you’ll come away convinced of at least one key thing – that these very smart people consider it a labor of love and the greatest product they’ve created.
Third – this little video is symbolic of the way in which Apple gets its marketing just right
- The right information at the right time (not too hot, not too cold)
- A series of powerful reasons to believe in the product (in case you were thinking about being silly and buying that Android thing)
- The authenticity and passion of the designers and developers (these people are smart and they care – I trust them)
- A consistent, coherent sense of Apple’s mission and vision (yet another product that completely redefines what’s possible and looks amazing)
The fourth reason is key for me. Apple doesn’t just understand digital technology, it understands the digital medium – and I’m not talking iTunes. Over and over Apple has demonstrated its mastery of using long-form content to tell stories both at events and online. Stories that allow it to wow and engage its customers with real intimacy. However many pundits knock the iPhone, or continue to criticize iPad, Apple ensures that its own voice is powerfully represented in the online debate.
Content (marketing) is still a relatively new kid on the block, but in an age of customer power it’s absolutely key and Apple has demonstrated its mastery.
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