iPhone - Great New Product with the Poor Brand Name

January 31st, 2007

I just can't resist to comment Apple's new Internet phone: this is just another example of fantastic marketing job by Apple. Great and exciting new product with great potential... No doubt people will LOVE iPhone. To me Apple and Mr. Jobs are probably the world champions of marketing today (although it is tied race with say Japanese Toyota).

However, one piece of marketing puzzle is not done well! It's the name : iPhone.

I understand Apple's intention to own the "i". Yes, they probably were among the first ones to use "i" : iMac, iTunes, iPod... Yet, "i" has become too generic. It stands for the Internet and it never belonged to any particular company and it never will.

In addition, the word "Phone" is too generic, too ordinary. It's not exciting and it is not new. Apple's product is way beyond an ordinary phone, and this message had to be communicated more clearly. Remember, Apple's mp3 player was not called iPlayer, but iPod. New name and new category will always create more buzz. Apple has just wasted an excellent opportunity.

Let alone Apple's legal battle for the rights to use the name... It seems as if this time Apple's executives were too focused on negotiation and on legal issues (how to get the name), rather than on creative ideas.

Hmm... Maybe it is not too late to change their mind. This name change (before the launch) would still be way less expensive than wasting huge marketing budget to convince people that this is more than just an "ordinary" phone with the Internet access. This name change could actually be an additional opportunity to create buzz! And of course this would resolve their legal battles...