Learn from Apple

There is no denying that the way Apple markets its products is amazing. Apple understands they are talking to educated customers with discretionary income. Apple knows this demographic like you know your best friend. You need to know your customers and know your brand. Don't give customers what they want. When the iPad came out last year it was missing many features, most notably a camera. People couldn't understand how the iPad team could have missed this crucial element in such a YouTube, video world. But was this an accident or a planned strategy? Apple and their ad agency have created some of the most iconic ads in the history of the medium. And their success comes from a simple formula: never tell customers about a product when you can show them the product in action. Instead of talking about gigabytes and memory and processor speeds, the ads simply showed the device working. Whenever possible show your product at work, don't talk about it. Marketing should be an amplifier of your brand, not a distortion of it. Do not over-promise and under-deliver. This is a recipe for failure. Instead, make excellence the standard, not the goal.

Apple's iPad 2

Apple's iPad 2 is thinner, lighter, faster and more full-featured, and incorporates enough changes and updates to maintain Apple's strong sales in the tablet market. The iPad 2 looks a lot like its predecessor, with a few important tweaks, like front- and rear-facing cameras. The new model weighs in at just over 1.3 lbs. That's about 3 oz. lighter than last year's version, and while a few ounces may not sound like much, every bit of weight that can be shaved off a tablet matters. The iPad 2 also features a 33% thinner aluminum shell with a flat back and beveled corners wrapping around the 9.7-in. screen. Despite early speculation that the new iPad would have a higher-resolution screen, the display specs haven't changed; the resolution remains 1024 by 768 pixels, with 132 pixels per inch. This is a device that has redefined how people use computers, and its reach is not limited to just consumers. Companies are rolling out iPads instead of more expensive laptops; healthcare facilities are using them. So are law offices and financial firms. In less than a year, it has found a home in the workplace.