Why the Apple tablet won’t be named the iSlate or iTablet
by Steve on 01/26/10 at 8:42 pm
On the eve of the big announcement from Apple, Inc. one of the things that is being speculated most is – What will Apple call their new device? Some have suggested the iSlate. Others have predicted the iTablet. Still others have suggested iPad or iCanvas. While at this point my theories have no relevance, it is fun to join in and go on the record. So, here is my take.
The new Apple tablet will not be called iSlate or iTablet. In fact, it won’t be named anything that includes the words tablet, slate, or other general descriptive terms. The closes I see them coming to something descriptive is iPad or iCanvas, which both have their share of branding issues as well. Why not use iSlate or iTablet or even MacTablet? It is actually quite simple.With this new computer Apple is wanting to create a new category. A completely new device that does things in a way you have never seen before. This is a normal approach for the company from Cupertino.
When you create a new category, the golden rule of branding is that you do not name your product in a general way that is descriptive of the category itself. Rather, a company needs to use a completely unique name that becomes the brand of its product, and its product alone.
While many will say that you want your product to be thought of as the category. And this is true. We have all heard of Q-Tips. However, to achieve the ultimate in branding – when consumers see your product as the category itself – Sharpie, Q-tip, etc. – you need a unique name. Sharpie could not have accomplished what they have with the name – black permanent marker. That is the category, not the brand.
So, when naming a product, you do not use a general description of the product category as your name. Rather, you use a unique name. Let’s look at some examples from Apple itself. When reinventing the mobile music category, Apple chose iPod. This name is completely unique and has become the leading mobile music device in its category. Macintosh is another good example. It was completely unique in the computer world, and provided great branding potential from the start.
Now, before you email me and point out that the iPhone uses the general descriptive word – phone – its its name, let me address that. Apple was not inventing the category in that case. They were moving into an existing category, and using the name iPhone was worked fine for them. Magic Mouse is another example. Again, they were not creating the mouse, only adding a new product to this existing category. The same could be said for MacBook, and iBook.
With the tablet, however, I believe that Apple is seeking to create a completely new category. If this device is what everyone thinks (hopes) it is, it is a very important part of Steve Jobs’ legacy. We all know Steve is a smart, detail-oriented guy, both when it comes to branding, and his historical role in the computer world. He won’t name it anything that gets lost in the see of tablets or slates, or netbooks. Therefore, they will use a completely unique name.
