A Brand New Apple: Reflections on Apple’s New Look

Image is everything. And right now, no one looks sleeker than Apple. Talk about taking a look and running with it: Glowing white. Lacquer black. Polished chrome. Clean, straightforward and stylish. From the pocket-sized iPod shuffle to the frosted glass facade of the Apple stores. Like Anna Nicole Smith herself, Apple has successfully reinvented its image and it has never looked better.

The Look
Once upon a time, all you had to see was the trademark rainbow apple with the clever little bite taken out of it to recognize the Apple brand. Well, this rainbow child of the 80’s has grown up into a shadowy, sleek, Armani-suit-with-sneakers kind of entrepreneur that exudes youthfulness, innovation and is just downright cool. The look, most likely a spawn from the minimalist, stark-white design of the iPod, is now omnipresent in all things Apple: laptops, computers, monitors, mice, keyboards, the stores (both real and virtual), and even the accessories. The laptop bags for sale at Apple Stores are so cool looking, it’s hard not to buy a laptop to go with them!

The Feel 
Like a pair of custom-fit designer jeans, Apple is a chic look that also feels right on. To that point, an iPod is just as much a fashion statement as it is an mp3 player. At the same time, the Apple store, with its store-of-the-future, virtual-rendition, cyber feel exudes enough hip to make anyone part of the hip crowd just by entering its sanctuary. Place a velvet rope and a bouncer at the door, and folks might dress up and line up to get in, like wanna-be clubbers at the hottest nightclub. 

The Result
And yet, once inside the brand, browsing at a store, online or using an OS system, Apple is still the same as it ever was, but in a positive way. It is still the user-friendly, easy to navigate, bubbly, happy product that won’t snub you for your lack of knowledge. As always, it has that welcoming feel, despite the new-found glamour.
So, the look works. It is modern and desirable. It is recognizable and positive. It is simple and easy to execute. It is meant to draw you in. And, with a company behind it that offers quality products in innovative ways that work with and adapt to you, Apple will probably manage to hold onto a few more devotees in this round of the ever-present technology face-off.