Guest blog by Joanie Abraham, Partner at Style Branding.
I was having trouble with my track pad on my MacBook and decided I’d rather break down and buy a mouse rather than part with my Mac for a week. They showed me a picture of the magic mouse online and as soon as I laid eyes on the new magic mouse there was no turning back. The design and function of this product so took over there was never any decision as to which one to buy; the more reasonably priced mouse or the magic mouse for another $20.
From the moment they grabbed the product from the shelf I was completely smitten with this mouse. I love looking at it, holding it, and even working with it. I can’t wait to pull it out at meetings. It completely intrigues me. All of a sudden it hit me that this is how people must feel about getting an iPhone. And it is surely how I feel about my MacBook
Everything Apple makes is just a little better looking and a little more expensive than it’s competitors and you can walk into any Apple store any time of day and you will see people from every walk of life and all different income levels. This demonstrates the power of style and design in action.
I covet my new mouse and it actually makes my hours at the computer much more appealing. It makes me feel good, and smart working with it. It glides around the desk following my instruction with such grace and precision. And everytime I glance at it I marvel at its incredible design.
I am grateful to Apple for imposing an awareness to style in our society. When you buy an Apple product, taking it out of the package is a thrill. To make people feel so good about a product, so devoted, so thrilled with every use, so empowered, is an objective every brand desires. That’s the power of style. Even Hewlett Packard realized you can charge more money and sell more product if you incorporate a sense of design and style.
Good design adds a layer of desire. You are proud to have the product serve as a reflection of who you are. You feel good around good design. Style makes us smile once we learn to see it. It’s what I call the SWOON factor. It speaks volumes so subtlety about what you stand for as a brand. In a virtual universe a sense of trust is a valuable asset. Style and design are universal with no language issues. It’s your unique sense of distinction worth it’s weight in gold in a world of abundance.
