The 21st century, among other changes, has seen a significant uptick in the amount of advertising we are exposed to. As multimedia multiplies, it runs up bills that can be most easily paid by advertising. The latest behemoth, Google, got famous because of a search algorithm but got rich because of those tiny text ads that always seem to know what you’re talking about (or at least fail hilariously). My point is, the average tech-friendly consumer is bored by advertising. Getting attention used to be the end-all measurement of successful advertising, but in this age it is more important to get real interest. If a potential customer is intrigued or engaged it is now easier than ever for them to explore your content further or share it with their friends through social networks. The internet has really changed how companies and individuals must approach consumers and sell products.
In class, we discussed Apple CEO Steve Jobs’s presentation of the Macbook Air. Jobs has a strong understanding of how the web has changed the game; he knew that blogs and journalists had endlessly speculated about the product he would reveal and Apple built up the anticipation even further with banners hinting at “something in the air”. Tech blogs created tags for the Air and anticipation continued to ratchet up – modern consumers were rabid for news about a product they actually had to wait for. Jobs’s keynote at Macworld was masterful. Using his informal style (he knew he was also speaking to nerds in their boxer shorts across the world) and a simple presentation that emphasized the visual wow factor of the Air’s design (what tech bloggers and their readers were most likely to drool over), Jobs nailed the big reveal. Having the Air be the last product in the last speech mirrored the secretive feel of the product and lathered up tech writers even more. Apple wanted people to know about their product – but by making it seem like they were trying to keep it secret they made it more enticing. This meant that Apple could afford to let its consumers look up the applicable tech specs and focus on selling the product on its strongest points (i.e., hardware design). Jobs was effective giving the keynote not just because of his presentation skills, but also due to the Apple P.R. department’s unified strategy. The Air really did not live up to its hype, but its hype was groundbreaking in its magnitude. Google trends shows the Macbook Air never again came remotely close to the level of interest they manufactured around that keynote address.
The lesson to take away from this post is that while giving good business presentations is a valuable skill, the little things that you add to your presentation are the ones that make it a big deal. We are bombarded with people selling us products and ideas; to stand out, you need not just a good speech and powerpoint, but a campaign that catches the blogosphere’s imagination. If you can capture real interest in your audience and get them involved, they will do your job for you (and better than you ever could).
So how about it? Were you interested in the Macbook Air despite yourself (I know I was)? Can you think of another product that so successfully used the blog community to sell itself?
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I couldn’t agree more — being interesting sells! Hmmm, what does that say about we humans, given the propensity to make carefully coiffed and clothed models are part of how we distribute sugar water (aka soda)? And yes, I was interested in Macbook Air; however, as a not-so-techie type of person, my interest was grounded in a perception that Apple as a company cares about what works best for customers — whereas, Apple’s competitor cares more about market share.