Apple After Jobs: Will The Brand Be As Successful?

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

So began Steve Jobs’ resignation letter. It is a short, simple document that has made headlines around the world. Will Apple be as successful, countless pundits have wondered, without Jobs at the helm?

There’s precedent to consider, none of it good.  During the ’80s, a Jobs-less Apple floundered.  It was only after Jobs returned to the company that the iEmpire began to grow in earnest. Today, Apple is the most valuable brand in the world. Has the infrastructure been put in place to allow Apple to maintain market dominance without Jobs’ day to day involvement?

It’s a question that will take time to answer.  While Jobs is stepping down as CEO, he has hand picked his successor, Tim Cook. He will remain as Chairman of the Board. One gets the sense that while Jobs is going, he’s not going any further than he absolutely has to.

At the same time, there have already been Apple fans declaring that the brand has already suffered.

It just feels more empty now; a little bit colder, a little bit less awesome. One blog commenter said, while another is already mourning the loss of Jobs’ genius. I’m concerned that a great man may no longer be around. It’s like losing a Newton or an Edison.

Many people view Jobs as the heart of the brand. He is the personification of “cool” for some and it is precisely because Apple knows who finds Jobs cool, inspiring, and right up there with Newton and Edison that we think the Apple brand is well positioned to remain as profitable as ever.

Customers First: Know Your Customers To Build Your Brand

Apple has done an extraordinary—perhaps even the world’s best—job of understanding who their customers are. This understanding goes into the conscious and unconscious motivators that influence purchasing behavior.  Apple’s stock in trade may be computers and entertainment devices, but as we discuss here, what they’re really selling is empowerment and self-fulfillment.

The most important thing that Apple needs to do during this transition period is maintain their commitment and focus on high-level customer understanding.  Brand Modeling tells us that it is essential for a company to remain constantly in touch with and aware of their very best customers.  This connectivity will allow Apple to stay in the empowerment and self-fulfillment business—where they have no viable competition and amazing profitability.

Steve Jobs’ role has been to consistently bring Apple back to that core, central value. The company has shown a tendency to wander away from this mission over the years, but Apple also excels at learning from its mistakes.  They’ve found their way to the best spot in the market. If they can remain focused on serving their best customers better than anyone else in the market does, Apple will stay there. It’s as simple as that.

Related posts:

1. The Real Special K Challenge: Successful Brand Extensions
2. Apple’s Mistake: This Time, It’s Personal