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Apple and the line-extension trap

The phrase “line extension trap” was coined many years ago by marketing gurus Al Ries and Jack Trout to describe the disaster that occurs when a company extends its brand into an unrelated field.

Apple-iMove-Concept-Car-By-Liviu-Tudoran-08And now, reportedly, Apple plans on doing just that, which is… a terrible idea.

When Steve Jobs returned to Apple in the 90s, he spent an enormous amount of time just focusing the company back on its core products. It was a company with so many models, no one could figure out what was wwhat.

And now… it’s exploding outward again. Unfortunately, without a strong central guiding personality, these things typically happen.

One thing I can assure you: If this is true and Apple launches a car, it’s time to sell your Apple stock. It will not go well.

(And in case you’re hopeful, the photo in this blog is actually just a concept by Liviu Tudoran.)

2 replies on “Apple and the line-extension trap”

I don’t agree 100% here. Apple can add a lot of value to the vehicle experience. Vehicle are only going to get more technologically advanced. At some point, they will be THE most advanced thing a consumer buys. Whether Apple chooses to partner or buy a vehicle MFG company, we’ll find out. To me, this is a bold play but seemingly natural extension of their pursuit of elegance and ease of use in a UX.

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