Abstract: In Summer 2009, an employee of one of Apple’s manufacturer committed suicide after loosing a prototype of a next generation iPhone, There are rumours that he was maltreated and his house was searched illegally.

Apple, commonly seen as one of the most innovative brands, treats its upcoming products like a state secret. Apple thereby contributes to the hype created by its uncountable communities of followers, e.g. websites, which offer live-tickers during Apple Keynotes (conferences where Apple launches new products) have to shut down their normal sites and use all available server-power to withstand the run of followers.

Driver 

Social

An increasing number of people partly define their identity by joining product/brand communities. Post Modern Lifestyle.

Economic / Industrial

More and more companies use storytelling as an ongoing tool to create sustainable hype and curiosity around their brands.

Design / Art

More and more companies understand, that design and/or the association with the arts load up a brand with a desirable flair, which fosters a brand-hype.  Design Innovation gains acceptance.

Indication

Change in current innovation patterns

Apple’s success could be a weak signal for a new emergence of not only closed but top-secret innovation strategies. Using the hype around a brand, companies are creating consumer-religions. The suicide is an extreme example of how very serious this can become. This weak signal could indicate an increasing avoidance of open or user-integrated innovation in the consumer good industries and instead a concentration on creating myths.

Potential “innovation wild card”

Mafia-like or sect-like cults around innovation secrets establish themselves?

Uncertain

With the app store apple also follows an open innovation strategy. They combine both ways.

Sector specifics / cultural specifics

Only useful in the B2C business.

Source

Internet

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8162325.stm

www.macnotes.de/2009/01/05/mwsf-alles-infos-zum-keynote-ticker-zur-macworld-2009/