Dave Kellogg just published Branded Features: Resist the Temptation, a Kellblog post all product marketers should read.
“Software startups seem drawn by sirens to brand their features. Hey, Apple does it. Think: Siri, Facetime. Microsoft tries it: Cortana. Starbucks even brands a cup size: Venti. So if they can do it, we should too, right? Wrong.”
Dave advises product marketers not to brand their features. Apple can get away with marketing tricks that startups can’t, but has Apple gone too far?
I think so.
“While you certainly can brand features, the primary purpose is to name and differentiate your company’s offering from the other ones.”
Dave Kellog, Kellblog.com
Apple has gone to far on branded features
Take wrangling your Mac desktop. Can’t remember how to get windows where you want them? Should you search for mission control, launchpad, or spaces?
If you are confused, you could reach for another branded feature, and ask Siri.
Strangely, Siri will tell you to look at Apple.com, hoping that humans are better at searching websites than a multi-instance artificial intelligence that can presumably do millions of things at the same time. Siri, you overestimate us.
Perhaps when your own branded features can’t remember what your branded features do, it is time to try plain English.
“While you certainly can brand features, the primary purpose is to name and differentiate your company’s offering from the other ones”, as Dave says.
Perhaps there is hope, though, for Apple. “split view” is called split view and not “docking procedure” or “co-pilot.”
That’s something. Controlling your desktop shouldn’t be rocket science.
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1 comment
Another brand which masters the branding of features is Rolex: Oyster case, Triple lock crown system, Jubilee armband, Cyclops lens, etc
Moreover, almost every single model Rolex has produced has the recognitiion power, personality and entity of a brand itself: Submariner, Daytona, GMT, Date Just, Yatchmaster, Explorer, …
More impressive even is that collectors, aficionados and brand lovers have contributed to this “religion” with own terminology for models, materials, features and nuances found in different generations of the same model. It is quite usual to find in forums watches and features being identified by terms such as Bart Simpson, James Bond, Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, Panda, Everose, Nipple Dial, Fat Four, Pepsi, Coke, Batman, Hulk, Red Letter, Bicchierini, Maxidial, Rail Dial, Meteorite Dial, Meter First, Feet First, etc
And these are only a fraction of a brand jergon. I think it does not get more successful than this.