One Size Doesn't Fit All: A Lesson From Crayons and iPad 2
When it comes to marketing, one size doesn't fit all. Two articles yesterday reminded me of this. Yesterday was the hyped up announcement of the iPad 2, featuring a surprise keynote by Steve Jobs going over the specs of Apple's latest generation tablet. The iPad has definitely set the standard in the tablet world and it's 2.0 version has raised the bar a little higher. What makes Uncle Steve's iPad so special in comparison with others? A quote from Jobs in a Business Insider article elaborates:
"Our competitors are looking at this like it's the next PC market. That is not the right approach to this. These are post-PC devices that need to be easier to use than a PC, more intuitive."
In a nutshell, Jobs is saying that the tablet experience shouldn't be the same PC and notebook experience on a different device. The user experience between devices should be different from each other, with those devices being designed around that notion. Product differentiation is what makes the iPad unique from a MacBook Pro or a normal iMac. The tablet should accomplish different purposes than its cousins. Apple never intended the iPad to replace a computer, only supplement other wants and needs.
That and they sell more units this way.
Moving on with my day, I ran across another article by Barry Kirk from Promo Magazine. In his column, he notes about how loyalty programs are being designed around an antiquated system. The "have points and get stuff" model doesn't really do much to separate the quality of loyalty programs between brands. He describes a need for those loyalty marketing programs to be more targeted and niched towards a certain consumers' needs. Kirk uses this line to really bring his point home:
"In a world where Crayola includes 19 different hues of blue, it’s time to recognize there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach for loyal relationships."
In our digital world, marketing specificity isn't something cool, it's a requirement. Facebook and Google ads are one way we are using traditional marketing in a niched way. There are several other types of marketing that aren't one-size-fits-all approaches. For example, the content you put on a brand's Facebook fan page shouldn't simply be a regurgitation of what you throw on Twitter. Both networks have separate sets of users with separate sets of needs. You have to figure out which marketing message engages that audience best.
Steve Jobs and Barry Kirk agree that one size doesn't fit all. I'm in that camp as well. What about you?
Related articles
- The iPad 2 Cover Is More Impressive Than The iPad 2 (AAPL) (businessinsider.com)
- 2011: Year of the iPad 2? (trustedreviews.com)
- CHART OF THE DAY: Here's How The Xoom Stacks Up To The iPad 2 (businessinsider.com)
