APPLE
FOR THE NEW STORE OPENING IN WASHINGTON D.C. APPLE WASN’T SIMPLY GOING TO CUT A RIBBON. THEY WANTED TO PUT ON A WHOLE FESTIVAL OF EVENTS AND TO DO SO THEY NEEDED ONE BIG LINE. NOT JUST A LINE TO STICK AT THE BOTTOM OF A PRINT AD, BUT A LINE THAT COULD CAPTURE THE UNIQUE SPIRIT OF THE STORE AND POSITION IT IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT. THE DIRECTIVE THAT WAS EMERGING FOR ALL APPLE STORES AT THAT TIME WAS TO TURN THEM INTO TOWN HALLS WHERE PEOPLE COULD GATHER AND CONNECT INSTEAD OF JUST HOPPING IN TO LOOK AT STUFF, BUY STUFF AND LEAVE. THIS IS WHY THEY BEGAN ADDING MORE PROGRAMMING AND IN-STORE EVENTS. SO, WITH THIS WORK WE NEEDED TO PROMOTE THAT AND GIVE THE STORE A FOUNDATION OF ENGAGEMENT THAT THE COMMUNITY COULD GRASP AND SEE THE VALUE OF RIGHT AWAY.
TO DO THIS, WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TALKING AND THINKING AND BITING OUR PENCILS AND PRESENTING LINES AND WRITING MORE LINES AND PRESENTING MORE LINES. ANYONE THAT HAS SEEN THE WORK OF APPLE KNOWS IT IS IMPECCABLE AND THAT IS NOT BECAUSE THEY JUST HAVE A BUNCH OF SUPERSTARS. THEY HAVE IMMENSELY TALENTED PEOPLE, BUT REALLY THEY JUST PUT SO MUCH WORK AND CARE INTO EVERY SINGLE THING. TO GO ON A SLIGHT DIGRESSION HERE… I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS WORKING ON INTERACTIVE AND WE WERE DOING A TINY LITTLE EMAIL, SOMETHING LIKE “SAVE 15% THIS MOTHER’S DAY”. SOMETHING THAT MOST COMPANIES WOULDN’T CARE AT ALL ABOUT BUT I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS SITTING IN A MEETING AND WE WERE GOING OVER THE LOOK OF IT THE DESIGNER STOPPED THE ENTIRE CONVERSATION AND SAID THERE WAS A DIFFERENCE IN THE TONES OF WHITE IN THE BACKGROUND. NO ONE ELSE NOTICED IT BUT SHE DID. ANYWAYS, ALL THIS TO SAY WRITING ONE LINE AT APPLE IS NEVER A SMALL THING. NOTHING IS A SMALL THING.
IN THE END, WE LANDED ON A LINE THAT REALLY CAPTURED THE DESIRED COMMUNITY SPIRIT AND INVITED PEOPLE TO NOT JUST SHOP AT THE STORE, BUT CREATE AT THE STORE. OH, AND BECAUSE THE STORE WAS IN THE PLACE OF THE OLD CARNEGIE LIBRARY WE HAD TO ADD A WINK TO THE LOCALS.
