The Essential Message Blog

“Taking it to the Mattresses:” Making your Company a Household Name

For my partner and I, bed time hasn’t always been a walk in the park. In fact, ‘lights out’ meant a time of invasion, battle, and conquest over prime mattress space, rather than peace, tranquility, and good z’s. However, after many uncomfortable nights taking turns as couch refugees, we decided to resort to more diplomatic measures. Our "treaty of Chanel,” (based on the Coco Chanel’s popular logo of inverted C’s) has put an end to our territorial wars. A little difficult to explain, we now sleep on our sides, back-to-back in the position of Chanel’s inverted C’s – sparing each other our morning breathe, and our imperialistic cruelty. While this may appear as simply one couple’s idiosyncratic behavior, it has much broader implications on the role branding plays in our everyday lives.

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Last week, Apple Computer announced an update to its Mac computer line, a $350 (U.S.) boom box accessory for its iPod, and a simple leather case which costs an unbelievable $99 (U.S.). Pundits and customers who had been eagerly anticipating a lot more were let down momentarily. Then they began speculating what might really be released come Apple's 30-year anniversary on April 1^st.

This week, Microsoft is announcing its lightweight tablets as part of the Origami Project initiative. Intel has shown a few prototypes, which look clunky and have short battery life. Customers (and Mac fans) are howling with outrage.

What's the difference?