When it was announced that Apple had purchased BEATS for 3.2 billion dollars, it was a profound moment for Hip Hop and Dr. Dre. It was an ode to the streets and young people from urban America saying there is value in who we are and what we produce. Dr. Dre exemplified the spirit of street life in the 1990's. Fancy old school Chevrolets equipped with boomin' bass, candy paint, and switches to operate hydraulics systems were the rave that cemented and solidified Hip Hop as cool American culture. At the same time computer culture was expanding into more consumer homes and Steve Jobs at Apple had begun redefining computer geekism as something "cool"as well. The rise of Apple with the advent of the Macintosh personal computer placed them in a |
| Jobs and a Mac |
pivotal position to become a leader in developing cool gadgets that consumers were willing to pay a premium price for. The Macintosh was a smaller and more user friendly than PC's. No longer were computers something for university professors and garage scientists. Computers were becoming an everyday household item and Steve Jobs was a major instigator in the cultural shift that redefined who computer geeks were. He reflected a youthful suburban image of jeans, turtlenecks, and sneakers...geek chic. He was relatable, the technology was reliable, and more and more consumers wanted his product. As Apple continued to grow, corporate politics ensued, and Steve Jobs was ultimately removed as it's president and before long, the company begin to experience a decline in it's product offerings and sales. Eventually, Apple brought Steve back to renew their sense of direction, market share, and profits. Not one to leave them hanging Steve got to work providing the vision for new technology that impacted various industries such as entertainment, business, education, and labor.
Jobs became the "go to guy" for cool gadgets a second time in his career with the development of the IPOD. The IPOD set the tone for engaging youth through cool technology that played downloadable music files, but for also establishing a new method for buying and selling music on-line with iTunes. Jobs was the man, and it seemed each season he would hold a press conference announcing to the world the next big thing in computer technology. He was the face of cool technology and consumers were hooked. Hooked to the point where consumers were willing to pay a premium price each year to reestablish their "cool factor."
When Steve Jobs passed away, Apple had to rethink it's model because it's primary asset was no longer on the planet, and the tech and business communities were questioning if Apple was going to be able to survive and thrive. The Daily Dot's report on why Apple needed BEATS indicated that Jimmy Iovine, cultural influence, and BEATS Music streaming service were the three main factors that would help Apple survive and thrive. Do you agree or disagree? Provide your argument.
You Should Know
- Visionary leadership is key in developing and marketing new technology.
- Understanding culture and it's role in marketing is key.
- New relevance or "tech edge" may exist in an acquisition or merger.
