So, what happened with the Zune?
Brand didn't work, simple as that. First, Microsoft isn't a "cool" company (Creamer & Cuneo, 2008). Apple simply is. There are innumerable articles written every year about the cool-factor that Apple enjoys - it's the creative, exciting, bad-boy on the block that everyone wants to date or be like. Microsoft is the dysfunctional, but extremely massive, family down the street who intimidates people on the block into using their products rather than enticing them - and brutality often wins over quality to the detriment of everyone (Barron, 2003). The Zune, then, entered the market with a big singular handicap - the Microsoft brand itself. Then, it has a name that simply means nothing - it's a brand that makes no sense. "iPod" we get. "Zune" we don't - what is it? Branding 101 - make sure your audience knows what they're supposed to lust after.
Microsoft Windows (in all current variants) has a 92% share of the computers in use, world-wide, where the Macintosh has only 6% (Longo, 2008). The Zune? 10.2% (RoughlyDrafted.com, 2007). One would think that with all the power of Microsoft, that they would be able to simply walk in and take over any market they like. What happened? What makes Apple and the iPod such a successful brand and Microsoft and the Zune such a failed one? The answer can, in part, be found within the leadership of the company. Despite coy protestations from Apple that "it's all about the product, not the person," the man and the company have become synonymous (Moren, 2008).
Well, neither Apple or Microsoft were the first to the marketplace. but, what Apple did achieve first was widespread acceptance of the MP3 player as the successor to the Walkman and portable CD players - something that no other MP3 player had been able to do. Microsoft is simply late to the party with the Zune.
The Law of the Category. Apple created the iPod as an easy to use, fully integrated music player that ended up being a category into itself. The Zune is essentially an iPod with a few different bells and whistles.
The Law of the Mind. The iPod is the de-facto standard against which all other MP3 and digital music players are compared to. The Zune is an interloper, a Johnny-come-lately in the minds of the consumers that failed to offer enough differences to really challenge the dominance of the iPod.
The Law of Perception. Where the products do the same thing with the same files and same computers, the iPod is perceived to be the better product. To combat this, Microsoft has tried multiple agencies and campaign strategies but they have not been successful (Cuneo, 2007).
The Law of Focus. When you think of computer-based music, when you think about putting music on a device and plugging in headphones, you think iPod and all other products in the category are compared directly to and with the iPod. In this, the Zune is no different than any other non-iPod player.
The Law of Exclusivity. "iPod" is a perfect word. It encapsulates the experience
