Buzz equals interest. How do you generate favorable buzz at launch? This post includes several observations on the buzz surrounding Apple's iPhone and a few extracts from a recent white paper.
Listen to "Product Launch Buzz: Zero to Contender" (3.6 Mbytes, 6 Minutes, QuickTime required)
Imagine a Product Manager asking about an upcoming launch.
The iPhone Buzz Begins
When the iPhone announcement was made at MacWorld on the 15th of January 2007, Steve Jobs said:
"Today, we're introducing THREE revolutionary new products. The first one is a wide screen iPod with touch controls. The second is a revolutionary new mobile phone. And the third is a breakthrough Internet communications device."
"An iPod, a phone, an Internet mobile communicator.... these are NOT three separate devices! And we are calling it iPhone!"
Jobs words have became the model for communication efforts for both paid advertising and consumer generated media. Jobs words have been accepted because Apple designed and introduced a compelling product.
The Buzz Builds
Apple's iPhone generated a lot of buzz in the months before it was available on the 29th of June 2007. Pre-launch buzz contributed to the excitement level. The effectiveness of the buzz was confirmed by the lines of eager buyers waiting for Apple and AT&T stores to re-open so that select individuals could be among the first to purchase the product. The obsession to have the new product received at lot of coverage in the news media and on the late night talk shows.
Since the 29th of June, there has been a large amount of consumer generated media (CGM) posted in blogs and sites such as YouTube. One of my favorite videos is a fan produced spin off of an official "Mac and PC" commercial that presents a visualization of an iPhone and a BlackBerry.
Six months have passed since the iPhone product announcement. Now, Apple's television commercials are emphasizing the same points that Jobs made in January. Occasionally, I find myself asking "The iPhone launch has been one of the most publicized product launches in history. With all of that attention, why did Apple purchase television advertising?"
Buzz Analysis
A June 2007 white paper titled "The Origin and Impact of CPG New Product Buzz: Emerging Trends and Implications" (registration required) provides insights for new product developers. Nielsen Buzzmetrics and BASES conducted the analysis.
The report includes entries for brand investment and uniqueness of solution. Three of the questions to assess buzz potential are:
- "Is this product bringing anything new to the table?
- Is the product interesting or exciting?
- Will passing product information along say anything about me?"
The iPhone gets a favorable rating for each of these questions. Apple's current advertisements clearly communicate the ownership messages of new, exciting, and desirable. These characteristics reflect the culture of Apple's product development organization.
I have observed that abundant, favorable buzz before a product launch improves the sales trajectory. The report agrees:
"Products that solve consumer problems in new and better ways have an advantage in the buzz-generation game."
"Buzz tends to occur very early in relation to a new product launch, with peaks in buzz that tend to precede peaks in sales."
So why is Apple running television advertisements for the iPhone?
The buzz generated from both traditional and consumer generated media is part of the strategy that is enabling Apple to go from zero percent market share in the phone sector to a contender. As long as there is no significant bad publicity, the improved sales trajectory removes opportunities from iPhone competitors. Note that this is unique variation of a first-mover advantage strategy.
So what is the oversimplified formula for new product developers?
- Design and introduce a compelling product
- Provide a clear model for crafting the message for the product launch buzz
- Promote even more buzz generation through proactive communication channels such as paid advertising
More buzz leads to more sales. For the iPhone, more sales have been producing more buzz.
