Today is a day for salesmanship of Big Things — the president’s commitment to his governing agenda in the State of the Union and the introduction of the highly anticipated — and anti-anticipated — Apple tablet device, named, surely to please Trekkers, the iPad. Now, the iPad is going to sell. Customers would snap it up even if they didn’t know what it did, because of Apple’s brand strength.
Republicans and Democrats…let’s just say that their storehouses are full of excess inventory. (Democrats have a bigger store, and are losing more customers at the moment.) Perhaps the parties can borrow some lessons from the iPad marketing. Indeed, let’s extend the analogy: which party best represents the iPad? Which party can best adapt the Apple philosophy to their brands?
Republicans, suggests Mr. Lee, might even use the iPad directly to introduce an iContract with America. In 1994, the GOP had a plan, on paper; in 2010, if their leadership gets their act together, they can reimagine the entire concept of a political platform.
platform that allows the user — or people — experience a rich
connection with civil society. Apple products in general have proven to
be fertile soil for entrepreneurs — the creators of apps, in this
vision, but there is a set of rules in place. And while Google’s app
platform is more open, by setting standards, Apple ensures that each
app won’t mess up its programming. Apps represent variety; the series
of Apple products points to a vision of a mildly technocratic society
where everyone can use the same toolset to pursue their own ends. But
everyone starts from an equal position and possesses the resources —
the social technology — to live a productive life. Also, the iPad’s
real play is not for media but for education; an iPad in every
classroom (or an equivalent device) could be a standard line on the
stump. Global connectivity, high standards, green energy — less book
production! — these are the buzz words.
Republican vision is a bit different. Think of an iPhone app as
would-be entrepreneur who opens a corner shop and relies on his or her
own devices — and the power of the market — to earn a profit and
grow. As @thetonylee puts
it, Republicans could use the iPad or the iPhone as a symbol for a new
Republican governing philosophy based on flexibility, portability
(think of health savings accounts and insurance portability) and
customizability. Or, Republicans could demagogue: with liberals raising
taxes, innovations like the i{Pad would never make it to market. And
the liberal approach: it’s like stale old IBM. (Liberals might retort
that IBM has retooled itself and now sells solutions, rather than
products.)
Republicans, suggests Mr. Lee, might even use the
iPad directly to introduce an iContract with America. In 1994, the GOP
had a plan, on paper; in 2010, if their leadership gets their act
together, they can reimagine the entire concept of a political platform.
prosaically, since the Supreme Court opened the floodgates for even
more political ads in 2010 and 2012, perhaps the iPad will be our only
respite from the onslaught.
