December 2009 Archives

Apple and Beautiful Packaging

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In the past I've most always favored function over form.   Perhaps it's the practical engineer within me.   Aesthetics?  An added bonus only if it is on top of superior performance.

But, I think Apple has gotten to me.  Make no doubt, I like Apple products, current backlash non-withstanding.  I'm no fan boi but there's something about Apple's design aesthetic.  Granted, the products are pretty good (but there have been bombs along the way too -- Mighty Mouse I, Time Capsule, Newton...) but I truly appreciate the aesthetic.  The products are beautiful.  However, beyond the products themselves, the packaging in its own right has an aesthetic and beauty that is unmatched.   It's a joy getting and opening a package from Apple.

This is the box my MacBook came in:

mac.jpg

It speaks to me and I can't wait to open it.  It screams Fun.  Sexy.  Cool.

Compare this to:

disk.jpg

From a utilitarian perspective, this is a great product.  A terabyte disk for less than $130!  (Moore's law and increasing disk densities -- that's a blog post for another day).  It clearly says (in a boring kind of way), "Here's that big disk that you wanted."  But it doesn't generate the excitement of the joy of opening that box of the MacBook.

And this:



roku.jpg

This is the Roku device that let's me play movies from Netflix on my TV from the Internet.  It's wireless (and wired) and makes on-demand movie viewing at home easy, fun, and awesome.  It's $100.  It's truly an amazing device! And, yet, when it showed up on my doorstep, I was nonplussed, disappointed and bored.  The aesthetic of the packaging (never mind any potential coolness is hidden behind the FedEx labeling) is a huge yawn.  For such a great device and awesome experience it will be, initial disappointment is not the first impression Roku should want to create.

The Apple experience is end-to-end.  From the announcement at MacWorld (potentially preceded by leaked rumors), the branding and advertising, the in-store experience, and the packaging,  a frenzy of excitement is created.  It's like Christmas morning as a  kid every time you get something new from Apple.  The packaging is a huge differentiator.

Never mind if the product is any good.

Footnotes:

This goes beyond product.  Check out how an Apple offer letter is packaged.  I hope the job is just as good.

And, here's how Microsoft might approach packaging:



Finally, I can't wait for the the Tablet, iState, or whatever is being rumored.