Comments on: Author: Apple (and its branding) like a religion

Martin Lindstrom, who wrote the new book Buyology, weighs in on the power of Apple, its products, and its community of users.

[fshepinc]

Can this "religion" survive the death of it's founder? Clearly, it can. Steve Jobs wandered through the desert for years when he was exiled from Apple, and the "cult" continued. That he returned on the back of an ass, to the waving of palms was a vindication of the faith, not the start of it.

[paulej]

Apple has for years worked to create a sense of pride and attracted those who are more passionate, especially many people with artistic skills. I still fondly remember the Apple stickers I used to have with the cute Apple logo from the early 1980s.

Microsoft has never tried to make people feel warm and fuzzy about their PC. Rather, a PC is viewed as nothing but a stone-cold work tool. It is viewed as nothing more than an expensive stapler or filing cabinet.

How many times have you heard "the computer" and "my Mac"? See what I mean?

It has been this way for 20 years. I do not expect that to change. "Windows 7" will absolutely do nothing but maintain the status quo. Unless Microsoft does something to make people feel like they have made an investment in their products, a PC will remain just a "computer". The question is, does Microsoft have any desire to make people feel warm and fuzzy about their computer purchase? Or, do they want to keep focus on business users? Microsoft is torn on this issue and I think they are not doing a good job trying to serve both home users and business users. Frankly, I'm surprised more home users have not moved to Apple, but I think the vast amount of PC software and low-cost machines is the only thing holding them back. (Yeah, forget the fact one can run XP on a Mac. The average user does not care to even attempt that.)

[groink_hi]

I totally agree with you.

But I must make one point on the account of the majority of techies who read C-Net. And that is they do not see loving something like an appliance as being logical. I can see Mr. Spock right now blogging about people having emotional feelings for a bunch of metal. There was once an episode where his mother asked why he doesn't have the feelings of a human being (he's of course half-human,) and he responds, "I'm a Vulcan!!!!"

The point here is that many of the people who read C-Net are Type-A personalities, and cannot comprehend something like this. I wrote a paper about this a number of years ago and said that virtually all of the members of my Apple users' group are Type-B. The Type-A would say, "A computer is a tool that helps me add 1 and 1, and spits out a 2." While the Type-B would respond, "My Mac is a part of my life."

Remember folks, we've had Apple vs. IBM and Microsoft for well over 25 years. And until the Internet became mainstream, the two sides did not collide that often. But ever since Apple started making products that cater to Windows, it started drawing these Type-A individuals to merchandise such as the iPod, iPhone, and installing Windows on an Intel-based Mac. It is these people who are starting to become much more vocal on both C-Net as well as the blogging world. They're the ones who are being much more demanding. Their comments almost make Steve Jobs out to be someone who made advances on his wife and kicked the family dog. Steve is basically someone who has spent well over 30 years trying to make technology and regular life seamless. All Microsoft ever does is make technology more complex every day. Complexity works for the Type-A folks, as it makes them feel more secure knowing that people need them - very Dilbert-like IMHO.

[LazCarr1342]

Apple consumer since 1984, am part of no community of Apple user groups or any such organization. I simply appreciate a company that does good work, by products and service. While you try to figure it out, i'll continue to buy Apple products, you can continue your resoluteness to SUB-standard equipment, and products. Oh, and by the way new iMac for me on the horizon, economy, SCHONMY! It's time for a new one, and NOTHING, NO THING comes NEAR to a Mac. Why are you so threatened? (by the way, not a religion, but a very conscious INTELLIGENT decision to buy a MAC. Has Bill called you lately? You all sound like high school girls who didn't make it to the prom.

[hardmanb]

I don't own an iPhone and I'm never a first-adopter of new software or hardware, but I do buy and am loyal to Apple products.

Why? It's not a religion. It's my philosophy of pursuit of excellence in every area of life. I've always been willing to pay a little more for the "best" tools, because their maintenance is lower, I can do a better job and it both saves and makes me more money. My Apple computers just keep working, especially in an crisis...while my co-workers PCs are slowed, crashed, down for maintenance or in the shop. I am also willing to patronize those with better customer service, single-source accountability and I do appreciate superior design. If there was a better long-term choice of computer than Apple...I would buy it. There are various reasons for the much higher figures for Apple's consumer satisfaction, year after year.

[jpcurley]

Sport - now that's a religion. My arse. Overpaid, Over-played and over here.