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Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Cult of Mac, Odds and ends, Apple

Apple as "the world's most feminine brand"?

Fortune's Bridget Brennan has a bold statement: "Why doesn't Apple make remote controls? You ask: Why Apple? Because if any company could improve one of the world's most user-unfriendly electronic devices, it would be Apple. And then there's this: Apple just may be the world's most discreetly feminine brand." Oh man. We were with her right up until that last statement: remote controls are fairly user-unfriendly, and an Apple remote (other than, you know, the one already out there) would be a thing of beauty. But "the world's most discreetly feminine brand"? That opens up a whole can of nuts we probably don't want to open.

But what the heck, snakes be damned, let's open it up. Brennan says that women drive the economy, by influencing 80% of all purchases, and 61% of all consumer electronics products. And she says Apple is doing great, because in a market that's "dude-driven" (her words, obviously), they've brought elegance and style to their products. She says that Apple products don't need manuals, and that Apple's face-to-face customer service is excellent.

Which we mostly agree with (while even Apple fans have their issues with customer service, they do a relatively good job). But "feminine"? Do guys not like elegance and style in their products? Do they enjoy reading manuals, or using electronics that aren't user friendly? Apple is successful for these reasons, sure, but we don't quite see how that makes them "feminine." Brennan concludes by suggesting that "Apple's success [shows] when you make women happy, you make everybody happy." But we're pretty sure that, in Apple's case, it's actually the other way around.

Filed under: Apple

Apple among Gen Y most trusted brands

Ok, Generation Y, which brands do you trust the most (for the record, "Generation Y" is comprised of people between the ages of 21-27)? Outlaw Consulting asked that question to a group they referred to as their "...most forward trendsetter* panelists" across several US cities, and Apple topped the list.

According to Outlaw, brands that the subjects viewed as "straightforward" were viewed favorably. Also, plain packaging that seemed to "...avoid excess" scored well. That seems to be consistent with Apple's famed "out-of-box experience," wouldn't you say? Other brands in the top 15 include:
As a representative of Generation X myself, let me say, "Vitamin Water?!? It's just water. I'll never understand kids these days."

*Read: The crazy ones.

[Via Macsimum News]

Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple

Apple Top Brand in the US, Second in the World

Brandchannel.com's annual popularity poll has Apple at number one for most popular brand in the US and Canada but dropping one place to second this year in the world to Google. Last year Apple was at the top for both US/Canada and World polls.

Brandchannel which uh, brands itself, as a "brand consultancy" company surveyed over 2500 people for the poll. They note:

Year after year brandchannel voters identify brands that the mainstream world eventually catches up with; impact is felt first by these early adopters.

Somehow I'm not totally convinced Apple is the top brand for Joe Smith from North America or even Joe Smith from Anywhere in the World. We are a bit biased at TUAW, but what do you think? How would you have ranked the top five from the US/Canada list: Apple, Google, Starbucks, Target, and, um, Lance Armstrong? What about the top five world rankers: Google, Apple, Skype, Starbucks, and Ikea? Brandchannel reminds you that you should:

Vote for the brands that had the most impact on you that year. Impact can be defined as good or bad.

So duke it out. Inquiring minds want to know.

[via Macworld]

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