Content, Strategy, Marketing & Business | A consultant’s view » Christine Thompson
Yesterday Apple ignited a firestorm of debate on the subject of digital books, and the future of the publishing industry, book distribution, and likely consumer consumption patterns. They announced their goal of following through on Steve Jobs’ mandate to transform textbook publishing. I believe that what they’re doing is sparking the emergence of a whole new medium, one that takes aim at textbooks first. Here’s why…
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People buying holiday gifts from the Apple Store can be confident those gifts will reflect Steve Jobs’ unique approach. But what about next year? What impact will Steve’s legacy have on future products and services?
Revised on November 29, 2011
Preorders for Apple’s new iPhone 4S surpassed a million units in the first 24 hours, more than 40% higher than Apple’s previous single-day record. This early buying frenzy stands in stark contrast to analysts’ lukewarm response to the introduction of Apple’s latest iPhone model. Meanwhile online Apple fan clubs and LinkedIn networks of former Apple employees […]
Like most former Apple employees I’ve been mourning the passing of Steve Jobs, and reflecting on his lasting impact. The many and profound ways in which he shaped employees’ values, behaviors, critical thinking skills, and approach to innovation. His impact on the world, inspiring products and services that would be embraced (and widely imitated) for […]
Revised on October 7, 2011
Image via Wikipedia Apple is the master at crafting the buyer experience: whipping consumers into a frenzy of anticipation and then, delighting the new owner with all that happens starting with the out-of-box experience. The recent iPad 2 launch appears to be following the usual Apple playbook: months of product speculation in the techno-geek […]
I love brands that place an enduring value on customer delight, especially when they aim to do so across all touch points, and invest accordingly. The contrast between brands that aim for customer delight versus those that are, at best, transactional can be really stark. Two contrasting customer care experiences illustrate my point (B2C examples). Here’s how a business strategist assesses these differing approaches.
Revised on March 27, 2011
When you’re competing for attention, production quality matters; it can help your content stand out in an over-crowded media environment. Of course, you can’t forget the basics: your story must be interesting and well crafted; your message should have intrinsic appeal for its intended audience. Without that, why “put lipstick on a pig?” Although the notion […]
Like other Mac users eagerly awaiting 4G LTE service in the US, I was angry to learn that Verizon’s initial 4G modems will support Windows only. There’s no official word when the service will be extended to Mac and iPad users… Initial Reactions from a Long-time Mac User How could that be possible, I fumed: Mac and […]
Revised on January 13, 2011
As a girl, I shivered one night in the basement where our TV had been banished, and thrilled to the Beatles’ American debut. Not all my shivers were from the cold of that unheated room… I’d fallen in love. A landmark event in 20th century music, the 1964 Ed Sullivan Show ignited the outbreak of Beatlemania […]
Clients often ask me, as a former Apple employee, for insights into Apple’s amazing success. I’ve provided some answers in prior blog posts — but Apple’s strategies are hard to emulate, because the secret sauce is in the combination of ingredients. Having said that, there’s a lot businesses can learn from their approach. So here’s […]
