Question

What are the key takeaways from Steve Jobs' approach to product launches that are actionable for entrepreneurs or managers?

Steve Jobs' approach to product launches can be distilled into three key takeaways for entrepreneurs and managers. First, he understood the power of storytelling and used it to create a compelling narrative around his products. This was evident in the Macintosh launch where he portrayed IBM as the Big Brother and Macintosh as a symbol of personal freedom. Second, he knew how to generate media excitement and used it to gain favorable coverage. He leveraged the competitive instincts of journalists to create a media frenzy around his launches. Lastly, he presented his products as revolutionary, making their launch seem like a significant moment in history. These strategies can be adopted by entrepreneurs and managers to make their product launches more impactful.

This question was asked on:

Jobs excelled in product launches. For the Macintosh launch in 1984, he hired Ridley Scott to make an edgy commercial that portrayed IBM as the Big Brother from George Orwell's 1984 and Macintosh as a cool, rebellious woman who stood for personal freedom. The ad was a sensation and was selected by Advertising Age as the greatest commercial of all time. The second part of the playbook was igniting blasts of media coverage that would feed on itself like a chain reaction. Jobs knew how to stoke excitement and leverage the competitive instincts of journalists to gain favorable coverage. The third component was unveiling the product in a way that seems like an epochal moment in history. The Macintosh became the first computer to introduce itself.

View book summary Preview