"We're here to put a dent in the universe," Apple's (AAPL +0.11%) iconic founder, Steve Jobs, once said. And he delivered. But since his passing in October 2011, many investors have doubted the company's ability to innovate without his leadership. Yet new marketing from the Cupertino-based tech giant suggests that the company's standards are as high as ever.
A new tone
Apple kicked off yesterday's WWDC keynote with a minimalistic video comprised of nothing but black and white letters, lines, and dots. In Apple's trademark sleek, modern simplicity, the video outlined a 10,000-foot view of the company's design process:
designing something requires focus
the first thing we ask is
what do we want people to feel? ...
we simplify
we perfect
we start over
until every thing we touch enhances each life it touches.
The video appears to be an extension of this year's marketing push, with a new focus that skillfully navigates the emotional connection between people, Apple products, and experience -- a dramatic and needed change from the product-based marketing the company relied on leading up to 2013.
Most important, though, the video highlights what has made Apple so successful in the first place: A persistent focus on creating the world's best products.
The Apple test
The company's new TV ad similarly alludes to this confidence in its unrelenting standards for the best customer experience. The narration in the ad highlights Apple's commitment to pushing the boundaries of excellence:
This is it. This is what matters. The experience of a product. How will it make someone feel? Will it make life better? Does it deserve to exist? We spend a lot of time on a few great things. Until every idea we touch enhances each life it touches. You may rarely look at it, but you'll always feel it. This is our signature. And it means everything.
Apple CEO Tim Cook made it a point to end WWDC with his personal stamp of approval for both the video at the beginning of the keynote and the new TV ad. He emphasized that the videos' content reflects the continuation of Apple's innovation and its focus on the customer experience:
I'd like to close this morning with a reminder that our goal at Apple is to make amazing products that our customers love. Really great products that enrich people's lives. The words you saw at the beginning of the show are more than just words to us. They're the values we live by. They drive us.
A smart direction
In the face of heated competition from companies like Samsung, investors should warmly welcome this new marketing approach. As Apple's advertising revamp unfolds, the company increasingly plays to its strengths. When it comes to satisfaction and usage, two measures that don't lie about customer experience, Apple continues to deliver.
