Apple's Car: A Better Ford or A Category Breaker?

Reports are surfacing that Apple is working on an automotive project. What might that mean for the car of the future?

Much has to do with which Apple shows up on this project. Will it be the Apple of late? The one that tweaks what already is to make it better? Or is this an opportunity for Apple to bring its traditional magic to a category sorely in need of innovative thinking?

Tweaking what already exists will no doubt bring some cool technologies, features and connectivity to cars. Of course, it would include Apple CarPlay, and synch with your other Apple devices via iCloud. Yes, software upgrades would replace some routine maintenance. Surely your iPhone or Apple Watch would render smart keys redundant. Of course, you would be able to monitor and control your car's functions remotely. Wouldn't it be great to wake up to a snowstorm and pre warm your car as you sip your coffee in front of your fireplace? And why not integrate Apple Pay, so that all your tolls, gas and drive through payments are handled by your car?

All of this would be very easy for Apple to do, and they would do it better than anyone else has yet to do. They'd be building a much better Ford or Toyota.

But what if Apple really behaved like Apple in making a car? What might they do differently to change the automotive rules? Some might argue that Elon Musk is already doing this; or that Google has a head start and Apple is too late. 

Certainly, Tesla has brought huge innovation to automotive power trains and retailing. Google's driverless car shows promise.

But the thing that Apple does better than anyone else is total disruption of form and function: integrating hardware and software to create beautifully functional designs that offer seamless ease of use.

So if Apple draws upon its heritage to make a car, what could it look like? What might happen by really 'thinking different'? By completely disruption form and function?

Let's go back to the birth of the automobile. It was called a 'horseless carriage' for very good reason. Automotive pioneers took the basic design and configuration of the carriage...four wheels,  forward facing seats, a driver's station, and 2 headlamps and replaced the horse in the front with an engine in the front. 

Today, almost all cars, trucks, and SUV's , even Tesla still use that same basic design and configuration. And, as revolutionary as the technology in Google's driverless car might be, it's really just developing new guts for the same animal. That is why they are able to test their technology using a Prius body.

Some manufacturers, like Nissan have explored alternative design, most notably with its Bladeglider concept. But as unconventional as this concept is, the cockpit layout harkens back to more traditional driver interface.

But, as Steve Jobs once said, 'Design is not just what it looks like, design is how it works.' And Apple as category breaker ignores all preconceived notions to deliver new forms that are designed with the sole purpose of enhancing functionality and user experience. 
From the first iMac to the iPhone and iPad, Apple has pioneered new, more user friendly forms. The iMac was not just cool and colorful, but simple to set up and use. Its shape was as functional as it was interesting, as it enhanced usability. The first iPhone's design was as functional as it was sleek...transforming the complicated, clunky smartphone into an indispensable object of desire.

Similarly, the first thing category breaker Apple would be likely to do is to rethink the car experience from the inside out, and then build the right design to enable that experience. And, in doing so, would interrogate every aspect of the automotive experience:

• What's missing from the current experience? What's unnecessary?
• What is the most intuitive and simple way to control a vehicle? Does it really need a steering wheel and pedals, or can all this be accomplished through gestures or verbal commands, like an iPhone or iPad?
• What is the role of infotainment? Should each occupant be able to choose their own content? Can iTunes be evolved to enable this?
• Do we need a 'driver's seat', or can the car be controlled from any position within the car? Can this control be seamlessly handed off between occupants without getting out of the car, just like Handoff works across devices?
• Must the layout be fixed, or should it be customizable depending on your personal needs like your iPhone screen?  Could you reconfigure the interior from another device during the synching process?

This list would likely go on and on, leaving no detail of the experience unturned. And of course, the answer to every question would inform the overall design and shape. And in the end, we might actually see the first true re-invention of the automobile in over 100 years.

Let's hope that's the Apple that decides to shows up.

Superbowl ads with purpose: Genius or Disingenuous?

Well, it seems the sophomore, or at least sophomoric curse of  Superbowl ads is finally over. After several years of silly gags in search of ideas, this year, much of the humor was intelligent and quite a few brands chose to connect emotionally via social purpose. So now the question is, how well did the social purpose connect to the advertised brands? Were these genuine efforts, or simply brands in search of social purpose?

Well, in this writer's opinion, some brands tried to stretch beyond their rightful boundaries, while others had a seamless connection between their message, their brand and their business. Interestingly, there were several common themes across brands that allow for some head to head comparisons:

Theme 1: Triumph over adversity

Microsoft and Toyota chose to tell stories of physically disabled people who didn't let their disabilities stop them. 

Toyota's 'How Great I Am' spot, featuring Muhammad Ali's voiceover, and Paralympian Amy Purdy, was a beautiful spot. That is, until it cut to the end frame with an in your face picture of the 'Bold New Camry'. 

Microsoft's 'Braylon O'Neil' showcased how the magic of Microsoft technology has enabled a six year old boy born without a tibia or fibula to thrive. 

The verdict: Microsoft 1- Toyota 0. 
Toyota's ending was such a jarring disconnect. However bold the styling of the new Camry might be, it bears little comparison to the truly bold individuals featured in the ad. Microsoft, on the other hand was telling a story in which it was integrally involved, paying off the brand idea of 'Empowering Us All' much better than any Windows demonstration could have done. Microsoft's other ad, 'Estella's Brilliant Bus' also showcased the impact that Microsoft technology has on human empowerment.

Theme 2: Love and Happiness

Two iconic American brands, Coke and McDonald's have taken their brands into this highly emotional, and difficult to own territory. 

Coke's 'Make it Happy' chose to extend their long running 'Happiness' theme by literally leaking a bit of Coke happiness into the internet, thus transforming hate messages to happy messages.

McDonald's 'Pay with Lovin'' played off it's new brand emphasis on 'lovin'' by exchangin' money for love for some of its lucky customers.

The verdict: Coke 1 - McDonald's 0. 
Coke has long stood for happiness and optimism. While this year's spot was not as anthemic and straightforward as previous efforts like last year's 'America the Beautiful', it was certainly consistent with Coke's long running brand theme. It would be nice to see Coke somehow extend this idea from a 60 second ad to a real initiative. Per my last post, I'm just not feelin' that McDonalds has the right to own 'love', and a limited time offer (from now until Valentine's Day), does little to convince me otherwise. It felt more gimmicky than genuine.

Theme 3: Dads

For some reason dads were popular this year, so this was a crowded field, with Toyota, Dove, and Nissan all paying tribute to the influence that fathers have on their kids lives. 

Toyota's 'My Bold Dad' once again told a charming, although a bit hackneyed, story and once again slammed on the emotional brakes by trying to connect 'bold' fathers to the 'bold new Camry'. 

Nissan's 'With Dad' featured the personal and professional conflicts of a Nissan race car driver who spends too much time away from his family. Nissan products, from Nismo race cars to the soon to be introduced Maxima, were integral to the story. 

Dove's 'Real Strength' presented a series of vignettes illustrating a caring bond between Dads and kids, ending with the line that 'care makes you stronger'. 

The verdict: Nissan .5 - Dove .5 - Toyota 0
First, the simple difference between Nissan and Toyota was that Nissan featured a human story, in which their vehicles played a supporting role, while Toyota was borrowing emotional capital to sell you a Camry. This difference made Nissan's effort seem much more genuine than Toyota's. It is however, interesting to note that the Nissan ad did not end with the 'Innovation that Excites' tagline--perhaps because this ad may have been a little off brand?

Dove's male version of its 'Real Beauty' series, which has  been highly acclaimed for contributing to building women's self esteem from the inside out. While I'm not sure that 'Real Strength' is as directly tied to Dove's core competency, the 'Real Beauty' equity  gave Dove permission to create this men's initiative. That said, the Dove Men+Care products tacked onto the end seemed distracting and detracting.

Wild Card: The 'One Off's'
Dodge's 'Wisdom', Nationwide's 'Make Safe Happen',  Always' 'Like a Girl', and of course  NFL's 'No More' also brought social purpose to the Superbowl. 

The Verdict: 'Like A Girl' Wins
While they all managed to have relevance to their brands and businesses, Always won the show. Let's face it, Always' core business is not one that lends itself to the Superbowl, but, due to the nature of their business, Always comes into its core customer's lives at a time when their confidence is most vulnerable. And the execution, while perhaps a little heavy handed, certainly demonstrated how society has shaped women's self perceptions during this vulnerable time. Of course, in order for this not to be a 'one off', it would be nice to see Always extend this idea by taking real action to instill confidence in young women.

All in all, this year's Superbowl brought new and welcome brand sensibilities to the game. Given the ever more important role that corporate social responsibility plays in driving business for brands, it is likely that next year's Super Bowl will again feature some ads with social purpose. And while not all will be home runs, or shall I say touchdowns, the brands that chose to connect their messages to their core business and brands will be the ones most likely to create real brand value through their media investment.