“Here’s To The Crazy Ones” – A Marketers Tribute to Steve Jobs

Last week, one of our generation’s greatest innovators, marketers and designers passed away. I was lucky enough to work for Apple for a few years and I thought I would share just a few things that I’ve learned from him and my past experiences.

Marketing, Marketing, Marketing

When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in the late 90’s, Apple was on the brink of closure. Few people even knew of Apple, unless you had $6,000 to spend on a computer. And there certainly wasn’t an iPhone. There wasn’t even an iPod. Or iTunes. Jobs very quickly recognized this and completely changed how Apple did marketing. One of the most brilliant marketing campaigns came from his return to Apple: “Think Different.” A simple phrase that quickly shaped Apple’s future for the next 20 years.

Jobs recognized that there was a need to change the way they marketed their products to consumers. And sure, there were other things that needed to change but one thing that Apple was brilliantly able to do is market a product that everyone wanted, no matter what it was. And change like that combined with forward-thinking like that, turned Apple from an almost-bankrupt business to a business that is now competing to be the most profitable in the US.

Change Your Experience, Change Your Life

Steve Jobs knew that not everyone would need or want an Apple Computer. What he did know was that for those people that would use an Apple, their lives would be able to change in a great way. Some of the greatest experiences that I see when people use technology is when they can see how it would benefit them.

That same energy is applied here at Synapse. We show you something that you may not even realize you need, however once you see it and we point out the benefits; it’s like a light bulb going off. It’s one of the most rewarding things. You just see someone’s eyes light up, their brain starts to turn and you are off to the races.

Whether most people know it or not, Steve Jobs is one person that shaped so many aspects of our lives. And it’s not just because I’m typing this on an Apple computer. It’s because I am in this industry because I discovered Apple computers when I was ten years old. It’s because the foundations that Steve Jobs applied to his business are extremely similar to the foundations at Synapse. And if nothing else, it’s because he taught me to “Think Different.”