Page 236 - The Apple Experience

Apple learned that when employees wore black T-shirts, they blended in
with their customers. Wearing too many colors resulted in confusion. Blue

shirts were just right. Apple makes sure everything is just right, from its

shirts to its stores and, of course, its products.

Early Apple investor Mike Markkula defined the principles that would

serve as the foundation of the brand. The one-page document, titled “The

Apple Marketing Philosophy,” stressed three points. First, Apple would
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have “empathy,” understanding the needs of and the feelings of its customers.
Second, Apple would focus, eliminating unimportant opportunities. Third,

and most important for this chapter, was a concept Markkula called

“impute,” which meant that people form an opinion about a company based

on the impression it creates. A company can have the best, highest quality

products, but if those products are presented poorly, it doesn’t matter.

Markkula was adamant that everything the customer saw—and things the

customer didn’t see—should create an impression about the brand. The
Apple experience begins from the first impression and lasts through every

impression moving forward. Apple has passion for the smallest detail. Every

design detail matters, and it matters a lot.

Museum of Modern Art Quality

Steve Jobs paid attention to the details, sometimes obsessively so. But nobody
would deny that his preciseness made every product better. Jobs paid

attention to the details that nobody else saw, and if they did notice, the

details would appear to be so inconsequential as to not make a difference. But

when those details came together, they did make a difference in the

experience customers would have with the brand.