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The statement also gave more evidence of what an extraordinary man Steve Jobs is.
Many have written about Jobs departure might affect Apple’s future or have documented his history as an innovator. That’s not what I want to do here.

Bottom line, Jobs is simply a superb man and brand. The word genius has been thrown around a lot about him, but that word genius misses the point. Many people have genius, but few geniuses have the kind of flexibility, endurance and ability to admit wrong turns, face them and correct them. That trait that Jobs holds in spades translated directly to Apple’s success…the kind of success that required anticipating and then meeting consumers’ needs again and again. Jobs and Apple practice almost kind of symbiotic marketing –perceiving what consumers need almost before they know and then delivering and then refining according to their consumers experience input and experience.

Again, that approach is deeply part of Jobs himself. Almost nothing gives us more to learn from that the words that he delivered as part of his commencement address to Stanford’s graduating class in 2005.

Here’s the complete text.

But I’d like to provide you with two excerpts.
The first comes after he recounts that when he was fired from Apple at age 30 it was like being hit over the head with a brick. He went from being on top of the world to feeling like he was finished. But then he realized that he still loved doing what he did at Apple and needed to continue doing that. This realization led him to eventually found Pixar and then make that triumphant return to Apple itself.

Here’s what Jobs says:
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

The second excerpt is about using the fact of death as a positive to help you live the life you should be living. Here it is:

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

Thank you, Mr. Jobs. We wish you all the best.


LOSER:

Just a short one for our loser: the generic tablet.

Last week, I wrote about HP’s wise decision to get out of the tablet market.

Part of the reason for why this was that Apple, thanks to Mr. Jobs, dominates the tablet world so much that no other tablet manufacturer really has a brand.

And that’s the bottom line, everyone else, Samsung, Research In Motion, Toshiba, don’t really have brands at all –they have forgettable products that consumers don’t get attached to.

Apple’s share of the market is 61% and all the other brands have single digit shares of the rest.

For a great take on this, check out The Economist: http://www.economist.com/blogs/babbage/2011/08/tablet-computers

The point is this: Apple developed products that are distinctive brands that people love and that has made all the difference.
And, remember, it's always easier when you keep marketing and branding in mind.

TODAY’S TANTILLO TAKEAWAY –

To brand well you must always be responsive and willing to learn.

John Tantillo is a marketing and branding expert who has a doctorate in applied research psychology. He is president of the Branding and Marketing Group and markets his own services as "The Marketing Doctor." He is also the author of People Buy Brands, Not Companies, an AMA member, and the host of BrandTalk, Wednesdays from 3 to 4 p.m. ET on radio station WVOX 1460 AM, and streaming at www.brandtalkradio.com.

The opinions expressed in this post are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the American Marketing Association.