Apple hosted its big WWDC developer conference this week. Although the audience for the developer conference is nerdier than the audience at mobile launches, it's fair to say that creativity is escaping from the once so hyped Apple launch events. Here are five things Apple shoud change when launching the next iPhone.
1. Think of how they want the audience to feel after the event
Should I film, blog or tweet about this? Should I write about this? Should I buy this? Shoud I buy this for my customers? What do others think about this? How does this make me look?
The Apple launch events gather media, bloggers, corporate partners, customers, haters and fans alike. After the event, they need to make a decision. Is the new iPhone a hit or a miss? Our decision-making is strongly triggered by feelings so, that's why event planning always starts by thinking of how we want people to feel when the event is finished.
Does Apple want the audience to feel inspired, puzzled, impressed, fascinated, bored, overloaded with information or touched? That's the only true take-away from the event.
2. Decide what they want people to remember of the event
It's not easy for us to admit but, we don't remember much from past events. We love simple things. What is the one and only thing they want guests to remember a year from the launch or five years from the launch?
Usually the more personal the experience, the better people will remember it. However, on this kind of mass event set-up where there will be thousands of people onsite and millions of people online, Apple needs to build a climactic moment for the event. It's tempting to think that we can have many key moments during the launch but that's not true - they will only lead to generating a blur of which no one will remember anything. There can be only one climactic moment and everything needs to be built around it.
A launch event is like a story, and a story without an arch of drama is not interesting. People will remember the climax of the event.
3. Give people like Bozoma Saint John a bigger role
Apple Keynote is a great tool for making average speakers look a bit better but, it's only a tool. Nothing can replace the power of a charismatic speaker. The Apple launches used to run by the charisma of Steve Jobs. Those days are gone.
One of the most charismatic speakers of WWDC developer conference was Bozoma Saint John. Apple should give people like Bozoma Saint John a bigger role at its launches, and not over script the presentations.
Why?
Because of three obvious reasons:
There's not a superstar/tyrant speaker at Apple anymore.
Apple hopefully is an equal, international & multi-racial company and should openly and confidently introduce people behind the products.
Looks like other players in the industry still follow Apple. Samsung seems to be indecisive about the role of YH Lee, its executive vice president of global marketing for IT and Mobile Division. Let's see who will lead the way...
4. Think different
Apple created this tech industry event format that is actually erasing all of the creativity from the tech industry events: a large screen behind the speaker, nice animations and pretty pictures. Works well but, it's been done too many times. Even innovative companies such as Tesla want to follow this format, unfortunately.
It's time for Apple to think differently. This should be one the most creative companies of this time and age but, Apple leaves its audience to operate on autopilot. Everything goes pretty much as we would expect.
To quote Walt Disney:
Please Apple, surprise us.
5. Create something bigger than just a launch event
I believe a succesful product consists of three D's. Design, durability and details, 3D.
1. Think of how they want the audience to feel after the event
Should I film, blog or tweet about this? Should I write about this? Should I buy this? Shoud I buy this for my customers? What do others think about this? How does this make me look?
The Apple launch events gather media, bloggers, corporate partners, customers, haters and fans alike. After the event, they need to make a decision. Is the new iPhone a hit or a miss? Our decision-making is strongly triggered by feelings so, that's why event planning always starts by thinking of how we want people to feel when the event is finished.
Does Apple want the audience to feel inspired, puzzled, impressed, fascinated, bored, overloaded with information or touched? That's the only true take-away from the event.
2. Decide what they want people to remember of the event
It's not easy for us to admit but, we don't remember much from past events. We love simple things. What is the one and only thing they want guests to remember a year from the launch or five years from the launch?
Usually the more personal the experience, the better people will remember it. However, on this kind of mass event set-up where there will be thousands of people onsite and millions of people online, Apple needs to build a climactic moment for the event. It's tempting to think that we can have many key moments during the launch but that's not true - they will only lead to generating a blur of which no one will remember anything. There can be only one climactic moment and everything needs to be built around it.
A launch event is like a story, and a story without an arch of drama is not interesting. People will remember the climax of the event.
3. Give people like Bozoma Saint John a bigger role
Apple Keynote is a great tool for making average speakers look a bit better but, it's only a tool. Nothing can replace the power of a charismatic speaker. The Apple launches used to run by the charisma of Steve Jobs. Those days are gone.
One of the most charismatic speakers of WWDC developer conference was Bozoma Saint John. Apple should give people like Bozoma Saint John a bigger role at its launches, and not over script the presentations.
Why?
Because of three obvious reasons:
There's not a superstar/tyrant speaker at Apple anymore.
Apple hopefully is an equal, international & multi-racial company and should openly and confidently introduce people behind the products.
Looks like other players in the industry still follow Apple. Samsung seems to be indecisive about the role of YH Lee, its executive vice president of global marketing for IT and Mobile Division. Let's see who will lead the way...
I stood alone but there was a virtual army in the wings who have WORQUED. Here's to the baddest in the biz! #WWDCpic.twitter.com/9iIENpIHBX
— Bozoma Saint John (@SaintBoz) June 14, 2016
4. Think different
Apple created this tech industry event format that is actually erasing all of the creativity from the tech industry events: a large screen behind the speaker, nice animations and pretty pictures. Works well but, it's been done too many times. Even innovative companies such as Tesla want to follow this format, unfortunately.
It's time for Apple to think differently. This should be one the most creative companies of this time and age but, Apple leaves its audience to operate on autopilot. Everything goes pretty much as we would expect.
To quote Walt Disney:
"Give them more than they can see, and they will keep coming back again and again."
Please Apple, surprise us.
5. Create something bigger than just a launch event
I believe a succesful product consists of three D's. Design, durability and details, 3D.