I would be remiss if I didn’t participate in the conversation surrounding Steve Jobs’ highly publicized passing earlier this week.

An American icon, Jobs is being called today’s Thomas Edison.  His remarkable role as Apple’s leader makes him synonymous with the brand.  Jobs, a pioneer in both marketing and technology, single-handedly changed these industries forever.

Although he was extremely private, he was infamous for his attention to detail and perfectionism.  His Stanford commencement address encapsulates his extraordinary life.  Our world is a better place because of him.  RIP.

The age old question… MAC or PC?!?!  Well, don’t look at me – I’m a PC girl in a MAC world but what I will give Apple is an A for advertising.   I  just found this hilarious commercial on Places to Yoga‘s blog.  I couldn’t get over how funny this was (probably more so since I do yoga myself;-) but either way I think it’s worth sharing!

Another feather for Apple’s cap – no wonder everyone wants to be just like them;-)

Are you a MAC or PC?

I know, you’ve heard it before… But it’s official; Verizon announced yesterday the arrival of the iPhone 4 to their 3G Network (that’s right, the biggest disappointment was that the 3G, rather than the new 4G LTE, network would host the iPhone.) Still, after an exclusive 4-year contract with AT&T, Verizon will be the first carrier to offer the phone (I even got an exclusive invitation to pre-order before the February 10th release date, as an existing Verizon customer;-) So what does this mean from a marketing standpoint? Here are my assertions:

1. Competition – as ‘the world’s most reliable network’ Verizon already owns the lion’s share of the mobile market, now frustrated AT&T users will have the opportunity to switch carriers.

2. Marketplace – the new tag line “iPhone 4. Verizon. It begins.” and exclusive invitation to pre-order are more opportunities to advertise and perhaps, just the beginning.

3. Future – loyal Verizon patrons will likely extend contracts and new customers stand to be gained with the acquisition of the iPhone.

Overall, I think the addition (as well as anticipation) of the iPhone is a smart move by Verizon. Unfortunately, they turned the iPhone down initially, probably losing out on a monopoly. However, with Droid rivaling the iPhone and already on the Verizon network, maybe a monopoly is still to come…

What do you think of the Verizon iPhone announcement?

When I say Starbucks, you say_______. If you answered “sea nymph” that’s just what the company was hoping you’d say… I, on the other hand, would’ve said coffee.

I wouldn’t be in this business if I didn’t deem the new Starbucks logo blog-worthy, especially since it’s been covered by every media outlet imaginable. We were intrigued when Starbucks announced the addition of alcoholic beverages to its menu (Drink For Thought) and now, to commemorate their 40-year anniversary, they’ve introduced a new logo. The brand specialist behind the decision is Adam Hanft, who regarded the siren logo iconic enough to stand-alone… I couldn’t disagree more.

However, I do understand the company’s direction and certainly appreciate the less is more theory but I’m failing to see the benefit in this re-brand. Can removing the company name from your logo actually be good for business? It worked for Mac, Nike and McDonald’s; the apple, swoosh, even the golden arches are as synonymous with their brand as the name itself but I’m not sure the sea nymph makes this same statement. Is this another Gap Mishap or is it true that there’s no such thing as bad publicity?!

What do you think about the new Starbucks logo?

We all know about the iPad – the poorly named tablet from Apple that is basically a large iPod touch with a bit of Mac power added in. But, just today, Samsung unveiled their new tablet – the Galaxy – which they are hoping will not only be a strong competitor, but the iPad Killer.

Haven’t heard about the new Galaxy? Check out the launch video:

I think if everything they promise actually works, and you can get it with Verizon service, there is a very good chance that the nickname “iPad killer” will be true!

So what do you think? Is the iPad untouchable or will the Samsung Galaxy have a chance of taking over some of the market share? Which would you prefer

Dear Apple,

Interesting new product – listening to the keynote was fun, and I am looking forward to the reviews of the new product. But next time you decide to name your product after a female napkin…you may want to reconsider. The last thing I wanted to think about when turning on my iPad is that time of month.What about the iTab? Or the iFlat? Either would be better than something that makes me think of cramps and irritation.

Oh and on a side note, don’t you think the new product, the one you just launched, should be on the front page?? Or at least in the searches??

Thanks!