Why Dell is sucking wind
12/19/09 08:16 AM Filed in: Branding
For those of you who don't own a Mac, the brand experience starts with the packaging of the product which is simply elegant. Apple wants you to feel like you are getting a premium product and that brand experience has been integrated in the packaging. Dell on the other hand arrives in a cardboard box with a lot of wasted materials. An Apple PC feels solid from the keyboard to the mouse, the Dell on the other hand feels cheap and plastic. OK, so let's be honest here; with Dell you're buying a PC (commodity) with Apple you're buying a brand that is a premium brand and Apple wants you to know this because it means a loyal customer who will continue to purchase Apple products.
As a consultant on Internet marketing I need to become throughly familiar with all operating systems including Windows 7 which still takes a hell of a long time to boot up compared with OS X. Microsoft has done a good job with Win 7 but they still have a long way to go to get it where it can compete with OS X. It was interesting to note that even though Win 7 is relatively new there were over 40 updates that had to be installed to get it up to date.
I have to say that Dell PC is what it is which is a commodity made inexpensively for mass markets. I would never go back to purchasing a PC again I prefer to stay with Apple. I'll pay more because I know I am getting a quality product whereas from Dell I am getting just a PC. Mr Dell would be better served to become a Dell and Apple customer and order computers from both and compare the brand experience from first order to unpacking to see where Dell as dropped the ball.
Branding is every consumer touchpoint at every contact point from first inquiry to packaging and feel. Apple gets it, Dell does not.
