observatory

advertising / android / apple / creative / observatory / strategy — 7 Comments
29
Nov 11

Ads: Apple’s unchallenged monopoly

Many observers credit Apple’s marketing for its astronomical success.

Few, however, credit Apple’s competitors for lending a hand.

It’s because the Android-makers keep churning out technology-centric ads that Apple continues to hold a monopoly on human-centric ads — which are often the most powerful of all.

The above commercial for the Samsung Galaxy IIS phone is just the latest example. It gets points for creativity. It’s fun to poke fun at Apple. But once the fun is over, its message is 100% technology — bigger screen, 4G speed — and 0% human benefit.

If Apple were to to adopt its competitors’ colder approach, a typical iPhone 4S ad would simply say “Now with triple-lens 8-megapixel camera and intelligent assistant.”

It’s not hard to understand how this advertising imbalance took shape — or why it will likely continue.

To do battle with iPhone, the Android-makers have to offer something better. So they engineer phones with measurable advantages — better cameras, bigger screens, faster processors, etc. But those advantages aren’t advantages unless they get advertised.

That’s why we often see futuristic ads with robots, lasers and lists of features, but little or no emotional context for those features.

Of course, there’s no reason why the Android-makers couldn’t create ads that show the human side of their technology advantages. They just don’t. Most likely because those who make the decisions (or the ads) are determined to do something different than Apple at all costs.

Even if that cost is giving Apple the gift of a monopoly.

advertising / apple / creative / iMac / observatory / steve jobs — 8 Comments
22
Nov 11

Steve Jobs talks PC vs. TV

Fortune blogger Philip Elmer-DeWitt uncovered this gem recently — a segment of Steve Jobs’ appearance at the CAUSE 1998 Conference in Seattle.

The video quality is terrible, and the black turtleneck plays second fiddle to a shirt. But the clip is interesting on a few levels.

First, Steve gives one of his more animated performances. At certain points, it’s almost as if he’s trying out a comedy act — and the audience does its part, sounding much like a laugh track. The speech does have substance though. In it, Steve puts television in its place. “TV turns your brain off, PCs turn your brain on,” he says.

Few people would know this, but Steve didn’t exactly pull that thought out of mid-air. He was actually re-purposing the script from an iMac campaign that never saw the light of day.

Right after we signed Jeff Goldblum, we shot a number of iMac commercials in which Jeff repeatedly drove home the point that iMac was for turning your brain on, while TV was for turning your brain off. In one spot, Jeff walked a path littered with old TVs as he spoke. In another, he sat with a bunch of children on the floor, all gathered around an iMac. The theme of the campaign was “iMac. It’s not TV.”

Why did the ads never run? In the end, they just weren’t good enough. Fortunately, on our last shooting day, when we were beginning to feel like we might need a Plan B, we wrote a quick script and shot a test spot featuring Jeff speaking directly to the camera. It worked great. With Steve’s enthusiastic approval, we grabbed a new director and shot the Jeff Goldblum spots that ultimately did run.

I was unaware that Steve had ever used the “brain on, brain off” argument publicly until I saw this video. I’m glad he was able to find a good use for it — especially since it cost him a pretty good chunk of cash.

 

android / apple / observatory / technology — 7 Comments
18
Nov 11

The official home of malware

Critics eager to find Apple’s fatal flaw have long pointed to their closed way of thinking.

By being stubborn and insisting on controlling both  hardware and software, Apple is dooming itself in mobile devices to the same second-class status it had in PCs. Or so the story goes.

In truth, history really is repeating — but this time it’s being far kinder to Apple.

Just as Macintosh was dwarfed in market share by a mass-market legion of PCs, iPhone was surpassed in market share by a mass-market legion of Android phones.

But just as the warm, inviting openness of PCs turned Windows into a breeding ground for malware, the “freedom” and “openness” of Android has already done the same.

According to the annual Malicious Mobile Threats Report from Juniper Networks, malware in the Android world rose an amazing 472% this year over last.

Juniper points out that the inherent security of either platform isn’t the issue. It’s the fact that no app enters Apple’s App Store without first being reviewed. The only thing that stands between a developer (or evildoer) posting an app in the Android Marketplace is a $25 fee.

Malware does ultimately get removed from the Marketplace, but only after it’s been reported — which can only happen after it’s been installed on potentially thousands of phones.

Apple has been attacked for being controlling on two different levels. One is that they won’t allow you to have your way with iOS to the point where you can monkey with the basic interface. Only a small part of the population cares much about this.

The other is that Apple is Big Brother-like when it comes to the App Store. They trample our liberties and shackle the developers. Personally, I find it difficult to care about this argument either. The suggestion that Apple somehow limits my choice when I’m browsing over 500,000 apps is pretty silly. I promise to begin caring when someone shows me an Android app that I wish I could have on my iPhone, but whose functionality Apple has banned.

The only limitation I’ve ever felt on an iPhone is my inability to have myself victimized by malware. Damn you, Apple.

creative / observatory / technology — 2 Comments
16
Nov 11

Annie Leibovitz likes iPhones

Brian Williams had legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz on his show the other day. He asked her, in effect, what camera she might suggest to the mere mortal who just wanted a good everyday device.

I can imagine a number of replies she might have given, so I was surprised at the one she gave. She started talking about iPhone. “That is the snapshot camera of today,” she said.

Judging by the fairly crappy photos she took of Brian while she spoke (spliced into the interview after the fact), I suspect she wasn’t even using an iPhone 4S with its improved optics.

But her point actually wasn’t about photo quality, it was more about something every photography enthusiast should take to heart. She talked about the importance of editing. Annie takes tons of photos when she does a job, and one of her talents is the ability to edit well. She painstakingly searches through her work to find those few gems that are technically correct and capture a great moment.

So, for everyday photos, Annie thinks quantity is a factor as well as quality. In other words, keep snapping. You’ll get a good one eventually.

I just found it interesting that Annie would specifically call out iPhone, considering her answer would have been applicable to any phone. (Obviously she’s part of the conspiracy.)

Fun as this endorsement may be, I won’t expect to see an Annie Leibovitz coffee table book of iPhone photography anytime soon. Clearly, the woman needs some practice with that iPhone shutter finger.

observatory / technology — 8 Comments
10
Nov 11

Adobe: woe of the freedom fighter

I was going to say, “Farewell Flash, we hardly knew ye.”

But, of course, we knew ye pretty well. That was the problem.

I won’t waste anyone’s time by dissecting Flash’s many failings. The bottom line was that without a role to play in iOS, Adobe was missing out on too much action. Despite their protests, they had to do what they had to do.

It’s the way they protested that got under my skin.

Back when Apple banned Flash from iOS, I took issue with Adobe over the “theme” they chose to rally the people to their side. For obvious reasons of self-preservation, they wrapped themselves in the flag of freedom. They tried to win support as the company who fights for the rights of developers. They were there to defend us all.

I’m sorry, but it just makes me ill when a company hijacks a basic human right to preserve their own cash cow.

As Adobe has now confirmed, this was a disposable use of a sacred concept. If you read their latest words, there is no lament that we will soon live in a totalitarian state controlled by the evil Apple. Adobe is no longer protecting our cherished values. Now it’s just about HTML5 being “the best solution for creating and deploying content in the browser across mobile platforms.”

I know Adobe would rather put their “freedom fighter” campaign in the past, but they don’t get off the hook that easy. That effort showed something about the character of the company—especially now that they’ve done a 180. Apparently, in Adobe’s world, the concept of freedom is merely a disposable tool of convenience.

We owe Steve Jobs a huge thank-you for Adobe’s decision to abandon ship on Mobile Flash. Steve was the only person on earth with the clout to force the issue. Now Adobe can join the industry in creating the tools for a standard that is truly open, and performs better across all devices.

One could speculate about the timing of Adobe’s announcement in relation to Steve’s death, but a move of this magnitude would have to have been in the works for quite some time. It’s possible that the announcement was scheduled for an earlier date, but was delayed so it wouldn’t come too soon after Steve’s passing.

Bottom line: all is well. The whole industry can now concentrate on perfecting a more stable, less power-hungry way of enabling creativity on the web, without depending on a single company to control our access to it.

Now that’s freedom.

advertising / creative / observatory — 4 Comments
8
Nov 11

Ad pollution and the fall of civilization

Well, maybe the situation isn’t quite that dire.

But I’m often reminded of my earlier days in advertising, when my mentors talked about our profession’s responsibility not to pollute the environment just to make our clients a few extra bucks.

There’s no question that you can put ads pretty much anywhere. The question is, should you.

My example of the day is the CNN home page. Above is what it looked like a week or so ago. (Click if you’d like to see it in all its glory.)

This is what’s known as “taking over a page.” Some consider it a fantastic way to get attention in this overcrowded world. Others consider it ad pollution.

In a case like this, Capital One pays CNN extra to achieve “maximum impact.” They get a banner under the masthead, a full column on the right and left side, a square space that’s equal to the headline images, and — for good measure — a tiny little ad on the bottom.

And, because we’re so thick, they take special care to blast the exact same message in four different places. It would be a shame if you missed it.

What CNN looks like on a good day

I actually don’t have anything against page takeovers. Some companies consider it a creative challenge, doing it with style and class. Apple broke new ground with Mac vs. PC ads that featured some creative interaction between different parts of the page.

Capital One has successfully polluted this page, but they couldn’t have committed their crime without an accomplice. CNN owns the real estate. They’re the ones who took the cash and looked the other way as their new tenant junked up the place. Not the most sterling example of brand stewardship.

So watch it, CNN. Whatever you make in additional revenue, you’re giving back in brand degradation.

And you, Capital One: Yikes, could you try something a little more creative next time? Entertaining always trumps annoying.

observatory — 4 Comments
4
Nov 11

5 reasons I hate “top reasons” articles

There is a plague amongst us. Fortunately, it seems to be limited to the world’s bloggers. The general population is not at risk.

One by one, writers are falling victim to the easy way out. They express their faith in the popular belief that if they start their headlines with the words “X Reasons…,” readers will flock to their sites.

Six Reasons Why Android Will Destroy iPad.
Ten Reasons Google Will Melt The Internet.
Four Reasons Steve Jobs Actually Liked Larry Ellison.
Etc.

See for yourself. Pick a number, put the word “reasons” after it and Google it. You will be astounded. “Five reasons” seems to be the most popular number, with over 19 million instances. “Ten reasons” must be harder to dig up, because there are only 16 million of them. Even many of the more respectable writers seem to have succumbed to the lure.

Since I’ve drawn you in with my catchy headline, I don’t want to disappoint. Here are my five reasons why the government should brutally enforce a moratorium on “top reasons” articles.

1. They’re unoriginal. Writing like this is a good way to become one of the millions instead of the few.

2. They’re lazy. Real writers ponder such things. The dictionary has some really interesting words in it, just waiting to be plucked.

3. They’re condescending. They cater to the tabloid reader in us, distilling complicated issues in such a way that even our pea brains can understand.

4. They’re greedy. These types of headlines are a serious indicator that you’re only in it for the clicks.

5. They’re a stretch. There are normally a few good reasons to support any claim, but to hit some magic number, writers often pad their article with dubious reasons. Like I just did.

Then again, when I check the stats on this article and find that my readership is up … I may have to reconsider.

 

advertising / apple / creative / iPhone / observatory / technology — 3 Comments
1
Nov 11

Invasion of the iPhone 4S ads

I love the smell of fresh ads in the morning.

Apple has now added not one, not two, but three new ads to the iPhone 4S campaign. For we who like our entertainment in 30-second spurts, this is good news indeed.

As we have come to expect, each of these new ads is a clear, straightforward demo. But that’s okay, because what’s being demoed is mostly eye-opening stuff. Here are all three new spots with a mini-review of each.

Snow Today:

Of the three, this is the one that’s most similar to the 4S ad that debuted last week, right down to a cute kid interacting with Siri. But the range of Siri’s abilities is so wide, we see a whole new batch of interesting uses. One big difference between this ad and the first is that we actually hear a lot from Siri. So much for my theory that they’re downplaying the robotic voice. But it’s interesting how the synthetic voicing of Siri becomes almost charming thanks to the human responses programmed into her.

iCloud:

With this ad, Apple makes a very sneaky (in a good way) move to simplify its story. Technically, iCloud isn’t an iPhone thing. It’s an everything thing. It’s equally cool on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Change or add something to any one of these devices or computers, and it shows up on the others. But to make it even easier to appreciate, everything we see here ties back to iPhone. It all adds up to “iCloud — on the most amazing iPhone yet.” (Never mind that you can enjoy all this iCloud goodness on your old iPhone 4 as well.)

Camera:

This one strays a little from Apple’s standard, in that it actually starts by touting technical specs — “with 8 megapixels and advanced optics.” No doubt that’s because iPhone’s camera has been lagging behind its competitors. Since the camera is the least remarkable aspect of the 4S, a spot devoted to this feature can’t possibly be as compelling as a spot devoted to Siri. Still, people take tons of photos on their phones, and it needs to be part of the mix.

I’m sure that someone, somewhere, is still arguing that iPhone 4S offers only minor improvements over iPhone 4. Likewise, some analysts are no doubt sticking to their story that Apple’s most recent earnings report was a let-down. (Even though record sales of the 4S prove that many were simply waiting for the new model.)

These new spots should do a good job of erasing the doubts — while they stir up some good, old-fashioned iPhone lust.

observatory / steve jobs — 6 Comments
28
Oct 11

Isaacson: What made Steve Steve

Stop pressuring me. I’m reading as fast as I can.

I have to say, I’m thoroughly enjoying Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson. Even more impressive than the writing (which is great) is Isaacson’s ability to weave an incredible number of interviews into one coherent story.

I’m not nearly done yet. But what interested me so much in the first half of the book are the early behaviors/experiences that helped form the mature Steve.

Stop here if you don’t want to hear any spoilers.

1. Visiting a dairy farm in Wisconsin, Steve witnessed a newborn calf struggle to its feet. He thought it was remarkable that she was “hardwired” to accomplish this instinctively. Somehow the brain and body were engineered to work together from the start. Ordinarily, I’d say it’s a stretch to tie this to Apple’s hardware and software working together — except that this story comes directly from Steve. The fact that he remembered it so distinctly is interesting, to say the least.

2. Steve’s father taught him a lesson in craftsmanship when they built a fence together, paying attention even to the details that no one would ever see. Many years later, in creating the first Macintosh, Steve demanded that the internal circuit board be better looking, even though no user could ever see it.

3. Of his time in India, Steve observed that the locals used their intuition more than their intellect. Steve said, “Intuition is a very powerful thing, more powerful than any intellect, in my opinion. That’s had a big impact on my work.” I’ll say.

4. Steve was barefoot when he pitched the Apple II to Atari’s president, Joe Keenan. He put his feet up on the desk while they talked and Joe didn’t like it one bit. Some 20 years later, I had the pleasure of seeing the same routine at one of our agency meetings, right there in the Apple boardroom. We weren’t grossed out, but I can’t say I’ve ever seen the bottoms of any other CEO’s feet.

5. In 1981, Steve had a “father figure” in then-CEO of Apple Mike Markkula. Steve said Mike is the one who taught him all about marketing — which is a huge deal, since we all know how Steve’s marketing sense permeates everything Apple does. Mike crafted a one-page paper entitled “The Apple Marketing Philosophy.” Isaacson summarizes its three main points. Empathy: establishing an intimate relationship with the feelings of customers. Focus: eliminating unimportant opportunities so they could do a good job of the things they wanted to do. Impute: ensuring that products are presented in such a way that people perceive quality. The 1981 Apple sounds suspiciously like the 2011 Apple.

6. Steve signed up for a booth at the West Coast Computer Faire, where the Apple II would make its debut. He shocked Woz by paying $5,000 for the best location in the hall, next to the entrance. Woz: “Steve decided that this was our big launch. We would show the world we had a great machine and great company.” Of course, over the years Steve would make sure Apple had a commanding presence at every show — until the company was successful enough that it didn’t even have to show up.

7. Everyone knows about Steve being inspired about the graphical interface and mouse he saw at the Xerox PARC facility. The part I never heard before was that Xerox’s mouse had three buttons and cost $300. Steve went to a local design firm, demanding a single-button mouse that cost $15. Not surprisingly, he got it.

Not that I ever suspected that the modern Steve magically appeared from nowhere — but it’s interesting to see how many of his famous behaviors and beliefs were evident so many years ago.

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