Always choose the good soap

I've been contemplating soap recently. In February, I wrote about an Apple-related insight I had while washing my hands on vacation: We stayed at a nice hotel instead of the cheaper VRBO condo rental we usually choose. Like Apple, the hotel's promise is to provide a pleasant experience. If the hotel neglected room cleanliness, soap quality, or pool maintenance, it would reduce its expenses and profit margins. However, over time, it would become a mediocre, overpriced hotel.

John Gruber recently suggested that Apple's incoming CEO, John Ternus, could reset Apple's advertising strategy. Apple has recently added ads to Apple Maps and allowed low-quality, scammy ads to appear in Apple News. These decisions suggest that the people in charge of communicating Apple's decisions may not be aligned with those making revenue-expanding choices.

Additionally, Apple expanded App Store ads, creating more clutter in search results, and included free productivity apps in the Creator Studio bundle, bombarding users with subscription promotions. These actions seem to prioritize revenue over user experience and brand integrity.

Apple's brand is its most valuable asset, representing higher quality products. Apple has never aimed to be the low-price leader, avoiding the marketing tactics of competitors. While these choices may reduce revenue, they reinforce the brand. However, Apple often crosses the line into annoying users with intrusive notifications and promotions.

This raises the question: have the decision-makers at Apple lost sight of the brand they are trying to protect? There are many examples of companies making the wrong decision, prioritizing short-term gains over long-term product quality. As Apple undergoes a leadership reset, it has an opportunity to reaffirm its brand values and focus on delivering a superior user experience, rather than compromising on quality for the sake of additional revenue.