tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288950850564395895.post6494176026672732969..comments2021-08-06T17:36:53.143-05:00Comments on Ad Majorem: It doesn't matter whether the iPad succeedsSteve Schildwachterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05267248485736601931noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288950850564395895.post-38738981551698533082010-01-31T20:09:20.282-06:002010-01-31T20:09:20.282-06:00Everyone is talking about it.. the iPad launch. T...Everyone is talking about it.. the iPad launch. That in itself is a success. I have yet to hear anyone really savage Apple for this launch, very early days and the proof will be in the take-up.<br /><br />As you Steve, one thing Apple does really well is learn, which means that they listen to what people have to say - two fantastic traits for a successful company. <br /><br />I guess when is a failure actually a failure. If iPad is a springboard to new and more convergent horizons that add value to our collective lives - bringing us closer together with faster and more mobile connections then this has got to be a good thing right.<br /><br />Generating content/messages to fit the 'environment' is not a new challenge, it's been with us since the beginning of 'advertising'. However, the speed and magnitude of both getting something absolutely right or horrible wrong can mean rapid uptake or massive rubbishing on global scales within seconds.<br /><br />Maybe it's finally time for agencies to listen to consumers, what they'll accept and how they'll use so that we can build to suite.<br /><br />Whatever, technology advances and improvements continue to challenge the way we think, act and connect. This is a good thing, it keeps things interesting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288950850564395895.post-71171987967926173402010-01-29T10:17:10.403-06:002010-01-29T10:17:10.403-06:00What a great piece of history, Doug -- thanks for ...What a great piece of history, Doug -- thanks for sharing it with us.<br /><br />Is this the product you worked on? If so, is the Wikipedia entry accurate as far as you know?<br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-OpenerSteve Schildwachterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05267248485736601931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7288950850564395895.post-89734492705664365872010-01-29T09:37:25.779-06:002010-01-29T09:37:25.779-06:00Couldn't agree more. And, assuming it succeeds...Couldn't agree more. And, assuming it succeeds, I'm confident there will be ways to engage consumers who consume media using it.<br /><br />Wouldn't you think that this is the key issue: The way to the consumer will continue to be through the media they consume? Some opportunity with apps exists. But I can't imagine those resulting in mass value.<br /><br />So that leads back to "will the iPad succeed"? I expect so. I was uniquely involved in the late 1990's with Netpliance and their iOpener. (My company created a half hour infomercial for it.)<br /><br />There were some great people at Netpliance. And, the product was good, but not quite good enough. It was about 90% of the way to what it needed to be.<br /><br />The problems came from two sources. The executive team was lacking the focus on "human" sophistication to make the product as productive as, say, an iPhone is. (Apple is the best company in technology for the human.)<br /><br />Also, it appeared at Nepliance board level that the investment strategy was really all about succeeding with an IPO as a Dotcom and if there was a useful product invented along the way, that would be nice, too. (Breakthrough's don't happen that way very often.)<br /><br />But out of all that work, I learned was that there was a great human value for an iOpener like product. Our half hour showed that value and, despite miniscule spending on 1/2 hour media time, was a massive part of the sales they'd driven - despite national distribution in Circuit City.<br /><br />The iPad is far beyond the iOpener. And the human need is there. I think it will succeed.Doug Garnetthttp://www.atomicdirect.comnoreply@blogger.com