It had to happen at some point. On April 1st, that young, brash revolutionary we once knew is going to turn 50. Well … I’m sure a few of us can relate.
Aging aside, Apple’s had one hell of a ride making history across so many product categories. And as we approach this milestone birthday, the company is getting some well-deserved attention. Two celebrations in particular stand out.
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You can fault Tim Cook for a number of things. Number one on the list, of course, is that he is not Steve Jobs. The nerve of that man!
What made Steve an effective and visionary leader was that his values were so crystal clear. He inspired Apple’s troops to excel in innovation, design and simplicity.
But he was also passionate about something that seems almost “old school”—the customer experience. Creating the best experience would lure new customers and build brand loyalty.
This is how Steve laid out his plan to us at the ad agency when he returned to a nearly bankrupt Apple in the late 1990s. The customer experience was all-important.
From that point on, Steve would go on to spend lavishly on things that improved the experience, and he would reject—often brutally—any idea that diluted or harmed the experience.
That was Steve’s red line. Cross it if you dare.
And what is the status of that distinct red line today? Sadly, it’s getting a bit blurry.
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The relentless march of time has claimed another of humankind’s truly good people. Rest in peace, Jane Goodall.
To the benefit of all, Jane devoted her life to “inspiring a more harmonious, sustainable relationship between people, animals and the natural world.” (—Jane Goodall Institute)
She also did something far, far less significant, and for that Steve Jobs was thankful. She agreed to be part of our Think different campaign for Apple in 1998. Not for money, mind you—but she got something nice out of the deal. (Read on.)
For those whose memory of Think different might be a bit hazy, here’s a brief refresher.
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It wasn’t one of Steve Jobs’ longer emails. Just six brutal words, rattled off as easily as he might say, “Have a good day.”
The lucky recipient? A former colleague from my time working on the NeXT business long ago. After the success of iMac, he had sent Steve a presentation with a “big idea” for Apple and eagerly awaited the reply.
Safe to say, this wasn’t the reply he was hoping for.
Having seen his less-than-stellar enclosure beforehand, I can’t say I was surprised. What he received was a classic Steve-mail, concise and blisteringly honest. Such communiqués were kind of entertaining—as long as they weren’t directed at you.
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Honestly, I never thought I’d hear today’s version of Apple say such a thing: “We missed the mark with this video and we’re sorry.”
Then again, the natives don’t usually show up at Apple’s door, pitchforks in hand. However forced the apology might have been, kudos to Apple for respecting customers enough to admit its error.
That said, given that Apple “missed the mark” by a few light years, it’s fair to ask: How the hell could this even happen in the first place?
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Blue robotic eye, vertical, isolated