“Traditionally conservative when spending its advertising dollars, Creative technology bucked its own trend and splashed out on ads for its [Creative Zen Touch] recently. The move came as a surprise, but shows that Creative is dead serious about the digital music business. More importantly, it is a sign, to me, that they are trying to catch up and match up with Apple’s iPod,’ writes a nameless author for The Electric New Paper.
I’m not an Apple fan, but I respect the company and I admire Steve Jobs, CEO and co-founder of Apple Computer. Even though its products are often more expensive than its rivals, they sell. Apple fans always claim that their products are superior and, therefore, deserves the premium in price. But I beg to differ. Despite what many fans believe, Apple’s products are not perfect. It’s not that Apple’s products are bad, they are good, but they are not necessarily better than the rest. Apple is often credited with developing great products but, to me, its biggest strength is in marketing.
Quite frankly, I don’t think the Zen is inferior to the iPod. In fact, the Zens may well be better value for money. But many consumers don’t really bother with specifications. They just buy something that they want… And that is the lesson that Creative needs to learn from Apple – buying is less about logic and more about feelings and appeal.
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Okay, it’s Apple ads that are making people buy over 2,000,000 iPods every 90 days, not the facts that:
1. iPod works seamlessly with the number one legal download service, Apple’s iTunes Music Store.
2. The scroll wheel is unmatched for ease-of-use.
3. Has better software inside the player and on your computer with iTunes.
4. Isn’t trying to copy anything, unlike all of the rest of the also-rans that are trying to copy Apple.
5. Add your reasons (pro or con) below…
iPod does not contribute to Microsoft’s monoploy moves with WMA
i like apple
Are we talking about the same Apple here? The one that can’t market its way out of a paper bag?
The iPod has been successful because Apple was there the firstest with the mostest and created a player that people instantly recognize.
Just as with applications written for the Macintosh and conforming to the Human Interface Guidelines, the key to the iPod/iTunes story is the cohesive user experience.
You can’t say that Apple are responsible for the positive media coverage of the iPod: it’s simply become an iconic product that has ‘tipped’ over from being a ‘geek’ product to being a ‘consumer’ must-have.
The vast majority of iPods I see in use now – tipped off by white earphones – are owned by females aged between 18-25. That doesn’t happen for Creative or anyone else, because they have their marketing to focussed on ‘geek-porn’ magazines like Stuff, T3 or their equivalents.
From the article:
“When it was over, I remember asking myself why I was jumping off my seat like a monkey and cheering for Apple’s CEO?”
I wonder if the author realizes whose behavior he is emulating.
“many consumers don’t really bother with specifications.”
This guy probably drives a Kia.
My friend bought a Creative Zen Touch and I bought an iPod. True Story. We both used our device for a few months and then tried an experiment – we traded. I used the Zen Touch for a month and he used my iPod for a month. The result?
He sold his Zen Touch on eBay and bought an iPod. I was so happy to have my iPod back that I bought him an nice case for his new iPod.
The iPod is leagues better than these other crappy players that all just want to be iPods – kind of like how Windows wants to be the Mac, but never comes remotely close to the experience.
I can not live without my iPod. Why. Music. It takes all my music and puts it in one place. I can hook the iPod up to my car stereo, I can go running with it. No matter what, its always with me.
Somebody else could of come out with a great player, like the iPod, it could of been Sony or even Microsoft. If it worked, I would of wanted one!
I don�t think we can all look at Apple like they are geniuses. Remember, sometimes it is the right place at the right time. Apple is known for that.
Think about this. If file swapping didn�t become popular, if the old napster didn�t take off. Where would the iPod be? Who knows really. I would guess, it would be a mac thing, and most people would say its to expensive and they will buy a cheaper alternative player. But, those things did happen, and Apple saw the future of music. Made a demand for it and now its all the rave.
Lets give Mr. Jobs and Co. credit for seeing what we thought we needed. Now go out and get an iPod, you will not regret paying the price. Driven a cadillac is sure nicer than driven a used ford.
So Apple users listen to Steve Jobs and just mindlessly buy his products? That’s what the last few paragraphs in the full article seem to imply. Personally, while I do believe Apple makes excellent products and OX X is to die for, I’m not so sold on Apple that I wouldn’t consider a better product. If one comes out, I’ll buy one. I also have some quibbles with some of the hardware issues, but it does not stop me from buying Apple products. I buy despite some of the cons (the few I can come up with) because in my humble opinion, they are nothing compared with some of the cons of using XP. I’m soon getting a 15″ PowerBook on a student loan. It’s more expensive than a PC, and I could probably buy an iBook and a PC for the same amount of money, but carrying two laptops (I’ll be getting VPC for the few programs that won’t run on Linux for PPC or OS X) and the fact I’d be dealing with viruses and the stupidity of some of the users on campus justify the added price. It’s the best choice in my opinion. Besides, games don’t really matter to me. I can get pretty much all the games I want to play on Mac plus I own other means of entertaining myself (think Nintendo). If I want games, consoles are the answer. While Steve Jobs is a motivating speaker, I like to think I still make the choice to buy Apple products. Now I think I’ll make the choice to drink some of that Kool-Aid. Bring it on.
How many of us have bought one of those other digital jukeboxes then couldn’t wait until the damned thing finally broke? When you go shopping and you hold one of those other devices in your hand and then an iPod you know which one you really want. Price and specifications aren’t everything.
iPod advertising is different to Mac advertising, many comparisons between the two are not relevant. iPod is a simple primarily single function device, very much easier to describe the benefits of than a computer. The iPod is an easy to advertise product and Apple has so done.
It’s important to bear in mind is the cost of producing iPod adverts, it wouldn’t surprise me if new iPod adverts cost less than $100 to make. Film dancers, run through FCP to convert to silhouette (scripted?), edit and add music. Compare with the G5 explosion TV advert. The iPod silhouette transfers to posters very well too.
Even so iPod TV advertising has contained little information, no demonstration of the wheel, no software demo. Little more than it’s a music player that holds thousands of song and works with your computer. The adverts are an invitation to discover more, it is in the discovery phase that people find out they want one.
What is new is that Apple now has resellers who know how to sell the product and who have working product to demonstrate and for sale, many of the resellers are Apple themselves (Apple sold 52% of it’s own goods direct to customers last quarter).
iPod advertising is great, Apple has done it great especially considering they have zero experience in selling mass market consumer products. But the advertising is only a small part of the reason for iPod’s success. The great design, integration with iTunes, great press all came before iPod advertising really got going.
BTW see the opening credits for the movie ‘Three to Tango’, looks like a major source for the iPod adverts, silhouetted dancers on plain backgrounds, even some colours are similar.
Well spotted Gandalf. I wonder if the adverting team’s original concept was ‘it takes three to tango – you, your iPod and your music’.
“In fact, if Mr Jobs had asked me to part with a few thousand dollars for the Titanium PowerBook which was launched that day, I think I would have actually bought it.”
Had he bought one he might have gotten it. But, instead he CLAIMS my friend bought this or that from Apple and it broke… I once had this HUGE fish on my line and it broke….LOL
the advertising for the ipod has been phenominal. Most people around where i live just call MP3 players ipods now.
I’m pretty sure my thoughts are off your current discussions, but here they are anyway.
Mr.Jobs i know you post at this site, and probably read it hourly for feedback from your mac citizens (which i am as well, i love mac and am newly turned). But i have a small dilema.. i LOVE to game on my computers, and while mac has many fun games, and also the new 64-bit computing coming around.. where will that leave people like me? I Have to have two computers in my house, a mac and a PC at all times, just because there are many games i cannot play on my mac. I’ve heard rumor that apple has hired/aquired new developers for games, but i still have to wonder.. when will be able to dump that large paper-weight that MS calls a computer and be able to do EVERYTHING i like to do on my mac?
In a sense the author is write, good marketing is driven by the product. A good product, well designed and well conceived will sell. Very good marketing Apple.
Hey PC Gamer: take it up with the games companies. Why do they take ages to release for the Mac? Its not Apple’s fault.
Here’s why iPods are really useful…they are ** consistently simple **. Everything is unified and easy.
1. iPod:
– the scrollwheel is the most efficient input device for scrolling through long lists
– autosync – no wasting time managing which files are on it
– nothing extraneous, a simple, clean interface
– compact and stylish
2. iTunes jukebox:
– seemless integration with iPod
– easy to organize large collections of songs
– dynamic playlists
– album art + rip & burn CDs
3. iTunes music store
– largest library of music
– widest availability around the world
– consistent, cost-effective pricing
– free songs every week
– integrated with iTunes jukebox, so it’s much simpler and more efficient to add music to your library than the web-site based stores
4. Airport Express
– integrated with iTunes to play music wirelessly to any speakers
– also acts as a wireless hub
– also supports hooking up a printer wirelessly
– easy set-up
– trivial to use: plug it in and select the speaker in iTunes, and you’re going
5. iPod peripherals
– the largest (by far) selection of peripherals for a music player
– speakers, voice recorders, radios, rechargers
– hook up to your car
– will later integrate with Motorola phones
This 5-part integrated solution is amazing. Each piece is best-in-class. I’m looking forward to other pieces as they develop them.
“But many consumers don’t really bother with specifications.”
This is one of the fundamental problems with PC “fans.” Lots of companies can cram specifications into a piece of junk. This is like buying a car based only on the rated horsepower, or a guitar only on wood selection without actually playing it.
I should have added, ALL of these above pieces are compatible with BOTH PC & Mac. Talk about PlaysForSure.
– iPod
– iTunes jukebox
– iTunes music store
– Airport Express
Few of the competitors have ANYTHING that works on the Mac platform, so compatibility isn’t too important to them.
My Buddy was trying to help a friend use the new Sony HD whatever…. They spent hours trying to get the thing running. He bought it for the long battery life but the sound is HORRIBLE. The next day they had to go throught the whole process again. He showed his buddy the ipod and wham. Check ebay you may see his Sony.
PC Gamer…
you may be correct in thinking about the disparity of games between the two platforms…
However, its interesting to note that games such as the new Doom 3 are coming to the Mac.. but from what I hear, youre gonna need some real horsepower for that one…
If thats not your favorite genre… there are other titles on the way to the Mac platform… check the Mac Gaming sites for updates…
Otherwise…. you could think about selling those WinDoze paperweights for a nice …shiny new PlayStation or GameCube or something..
Perception is everything
Everything is perception
Your point #1 is not valid in this context. This article is from a Singapore newspaper. iTMS is not available in Singapore, and probably never will.
The number one reason that my wife and I each have an iPod is that they don’t piss me off. Why?
Interface: The interface is dead simple to navigate and most people I have shown it to have picked up how to use it right away. The same cannot be said when those people were given a Dell.
iTunes: iTunes has been relatively painless to deal with.
ITMS doesn’t matter to me, but Airport Express might.
While we could have purchased any of the players, the iPod even with some of its flaws, has given us the most easy-to-use experience of the currently available players.
I want technology to work for me, not the other way around.