The document discusses how the iPod became an iconic product of the 21st century. It explores Apple's design and marketing that made the iPod instantly recognizable and culturally significant. The iPod launched in 2001 and sold over 300 million units, becoming a symbol of the personal music market. Its minimalist design and ease of use made it extremely popular. Through iconic advertising and widespread adoption, the iPod became engrained in popular culture in a way similar to previous iconic music players like the Sony Walkman.
3. iPod a 21st Century Icon
Apple launched the first iPod in 2001 (iPod history, 2011,online) since
then it has become an instantly recognisable product selling over 304
million January 2011. (Costello, 2011, online). The iPod is a brilliant
example of how a global brand can create a product that goes on to
represent a whole market. (The personal music market). It is through
Apple’s ability to create desire and fuel consumption that the iPod has
become such an influential product.
For something to be considered iconic it must be instantly recognisable
and with cultural significance to particular a group of people. Apple’s
iPod has become an iconic product representing music and the personal
music market. Few other brands can boast that their product defines a
market whilst being accessible to all.
The iPod is one of the most recognisable products of our time. They are
easily accessible but still maintain the feeling of exclusivity and luxury
due to the minimalistic and clean design.
I will be exploring how, through both the design and marketing of the
iPod, Apple has created one of the most iconic products of the 21st
century that has gone on to have a huge effect on society and our
culture.
4. Design
“The iPod branded by Apple is the first cultural consumer icon
of the 21st century; it represents a perfect marriage between
aesthetics and functionality, of sound and touch – the auditory
world in the palm of the hand.” (Bull, 2006.online)
Figure 1: Steve Jobs introducing the iPod
Nano, 2005
5. Figure 2: Holding the iPod Nano, 2005
Design
“The design is just flawless. It feels good, to hold it in your hand,
to rub your thumb over the navigation wheel and to touch the
smooth white surface. It looks nice, I’m proud of owning such a
device. I have never cherished anything I bought as much as this
little device.” (Bull, 2006.online)
6. Figure 3: Limited edition iPod men inspired by Lego and iPod created by Artist Tomi, 2005
Earphones
“ And then there’s the lucky accident with the earphones.
On the street, the distinctive ear buds serve to advertise
the player hidden in the wearer’s pocket. It is immediately
obvious that it is not a Sony or any other pedestrian brand”
(Kahney, 2006. pg 241)
7. Figure 4: One of the first iconic iPod adverts, 2003
ADs
The iPod advertising campaign used a distinct visual style that
became instantly recognisable; television commercials, print
advertisements and posters featured dark silhouetted figures against
bright, colourful backgrounds. The silhouettes are listening to their
iPods and usually dancing. Since then, the Apple iPod advertising
campaign has been referenced across all areas of popular culture
from cartoons and movies to talk shows and magazines.
(Ad Madness,2010.online)
8. Figure 5 : Spoof AD depicting the iPod as a perfume, 2004
Spoofs
The widespread parodies and homages to Apple’s various ad campaigns
are a testament to their iconic and recognizable nature. Imitations of
the ads have shown up everywhere from YouTube to Saturday Night Live,
sometimes with surprising results. (Moren, 2007. online)
9. Figure 6: A Spoof Ad
featuring Darth Vader
based on the iconic iPod
adverts, 2004
10. Figure 7: The cover of the Newsweek magazine declaring America an iPod nation, 2004
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11. Everyone has one
“Ive got an iPod. My neighbour’s got an iPod. Most of the
people work with have iPods. We’re fast becoming an iPod
nation. Heck its fast becoming an iPod world. Even the
president of the United States has an iPod, as do the Queen of
England and Channel designer Karl Lagerfield who has at least
70” (Kahney, 2006. pg 235)
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12. Sound track of lives
“ Rarely does an electronic gadget become so
ubiquitous that it defines an entire market category
…Our iPods could always be playing--on the bus, on the
street, when working out, or while drifting to sleep--
focusing our lives through a new musical lens. With the
iPod guiding us through life experiences good and bad,
each one of us becomes a star in our own private
movie.” (Walster, 2011. online)
Figure 8: Communters both
listening to iPods, typical of
modern day rush hour, 2011
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14. Figure 9: iPod plan to create
your own 3D paper model,
2002
14
15. Paper models
“ Many Mac modelers want to remember machines they
loved. “ These paper models serve as tangible reminders
of cherished devices” ( Kahney, 2006. Pg 186)
15
16. Figure 10: Michael Kors iPod case / purse for Apple, 2012
Figure 11: Chanel perspex briefcas with a Chanel iPod, 2009
16
17. Fashion Designers
“Ever since the invention of Apple’s advanced tech
gadgets, such as the Macbook laptop, iPod, iPhone and
iPad, there have been designers right behind them
creating chic carrying cases for them all.”
(Gahagan, 2011. online)
17
18. Figure 12: Sony Walkman
a once groundbraking
product, 1979
Figure 13: The now iconic
iPod, the representation of
personal music players, 2009
Define music era
“The iPod is a genuine cultural phenomenon…It is fast
becoming the signature music technology of its era like
the jukebox in the 50’s and the walkman in the 80’s.
The word ‘iPod’ is already a brand eponym, it has come
to signify all MP3 players.” (Kahney, 2006, pg 241)
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19. Conclusion
“The iPod is the first cultural icon of the twenty first
century. There is nothing else like it in terms of the mix of
style, functionality and consumer desire. The technology is
appealing because it can be programmed very quickly and
easily. This is a market leader and, like the Walkman before,
it will change the way people manage their experience of
music in urban space. It allows users to listen to whatever
they want non-stop, providing a soundtrack to their world.”
(Bull, 2006. online)
Figure 14: The current iPod Touch, a perfect example
of ‘the desirable’ product, 2012
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21. Bibliography
Books
•Bull, Michael (2006). The Apple iPod in the sense and society (Vol1 , March
2006) p 105 – 108
•Kahney,Leander (2004). The Cult Of Mac. San Francisco : William Pollock. 235-
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•Kahney,Leander (2005). The Cult of iPod. San Francisco : William Pollock. 7 -61
Websites
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22. •Hondrogiannis, Steven. (2011). iPod Classic: Thanks for the memories?. Avail-
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design?. Available: http://productdesignhub.com/2011/11/has-marketing-and-
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marketing-department/. Last accessed 23/01/2012.
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23. Images
•Figure 1: Steve Jobs introducing the iPod Nano, 2005, Last
viewed 25/01/2012 http://img.ibtimes.com/www/data/images/
full/2011/10/05/169475-file-photo-of-apple-ceo-steve-jobs-introducing-
new-ipod-nanos-in-san-f.jpg
•Figure 2: Holding the iPod Nano, 2005, Last viewed 25/01/2012, http://
farm1.staticflickr.com/108/299761666_45f2419804_z.jpg
•Figure 3: Limited edition iPod men by artist Tomi, 2005, Last viewed
25/01/2012, Kahney, Leander (2004). The Cult of Mac. San Francisco:
William Pollock, pg 239
•Figure 4:One of the most iconic iPod Adverts, 2003, Last viewed
25/01/2012, http://0.static.wix.com/media/b701241f3c5256146fb1c128b
fa17226.wix_mp
•Figure 5: Spoof Ad depicting the iPod as a perfume, 2004, Last viewed
25/01/2012 http://www.adrants.com/images/ismell.jpg
•Figure 6: A spoof Ad featuring Darth Vader based on iconic iPod
ads, 2004, Last viewed 25/01/2012, http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs7/
i/2006/002/4/8/Darth_Vader_iPod_ad_by_hitokirivader.jpg
•Figure 7: The cover of Newsweek magazine declaring America an iPod
nation, 2004, Last viewed 25/01/2012 http://27.media.tumblr.com/tum-
blr_lsmhwgWg7I1qidkdso1_500.jpg
•Figure 8: Commuters listening to iPods, 2012, Last viewed 25/01/2012
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JHxpNOCq3x4/TqqG0ivC7HI/AAAAAAAADSg/7_
xk4KMrdqI/s1600/ispace.jpg
•Figure 9: iPod plan to create your own 3D model, 2002, Last viewed
25/01/2012 http://www.theapplecollection.com/Collection/PaperMac/im-
ages/upload_75678.jpg
23
24. •Figure 10: Michael Kors iPod case/ purse, 2012, Last viewed
25/01/2012 http://store.apple.com/uk/product/H2875ZM/A/Mi-
chael_Kors_Wallet_Clutch_for_iPhone_4
•Figure 11: Chanel Perspex briefcase, 2009, Last viewed
25/01/2012 http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/139/
493b25bcdbd55c92chanelr.jpg/
•Figure 12: Sony Walkman, 1979, Last viewed 25/01/2012 http://
www.ghacks.net/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/sony-walkman.jpg
•Figure 13: The now iconic iPod, 2009, Last viewed 25/01/2012
http://aeviapress.org/ocart/image/cache/data/ipod_classic_1-
500x500.jpg
•Figure 14: The current iPod Touch, 2012, last viewed 25/01/2012
http://bindapple.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/ipod_touch1.
jpg
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