Marketing the Apple iPod Nano

Whenever something new, exciting and revolutionary is introduced to the general public, it's nearly a given that other corporations, companies and interests want to hitch their branding wagon to that train. The Apple iPod Nano is no exception. The power of the iPod Nano is so great that it changed how the world thinks and listens to music. The iPod was such a popular item, that it reached and is used by every possible segment of the population. So, it didn't take a marketing genius to figure out that all those iPod listeners represent a huge target audience. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your point of view, a marketing genius did realize that.

Soon after its release, many businesses who wouldn't normally be seen with the iPod, were suddenly hand in hand with the world's most popular digital music player. It didn't take long for charities to realize the power and potential that the Apple iPod Nano represented. It was a great way for a charity to appear current by working together with the Apple iPod Nano line as well as reaching a younger, more technologically savvy demographic that it otherwise would not have reached.

Although charities used the Apple iPod Nano effectively for themselves, it was the music industry that really took advantage of the iPod Nano. Now, the music industry generally frowns upon downloading music from a computer onto an iPod without paying for it. However, some people in the music universe soon deduced that there were many people who only used the iPod for their music, and nothing else. The danger was that to go against the iPod Nano was to go against your fanbase.

One of the biggest and most popular bands of all time, U2, decided to work with the iPod Nano, rather than against it. A special U2 version of the iPod was released, and selected songs from an upcoming album were only available to be heard via the iPod. Of course, innovative, expensive and exceptionally cool marketing and advertising campaigns were released. Two very important goals were reached because of this. One, of course, was to work together with the Apple iPod Nano to get the music and songs released and introduced to the public. The second goal was that U2 did not appear to be anti-download and embraced the iPod and everything it can do.

Back in the day, there were many bands who did not embrace the idea of downloading musc for free. This had a negative backlash against the image of the band. But, with the advent of the Apple iPod Nano, it is now imperative that if the whole world is going to be listening to this little device, then they might as well be listening to you.

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- Kelvyn Drewstford