Tech Startups 3.0: New York Times: Inside Apple Stores, a Certain Aura Enchants the Faithful

"Apple now derives 20 percent of its revenue from its physical stores. And the number is growing. In the fourth quarter in 2007, which ended Sept. 30, Apple reported that the retail stores accounted for $1.25 billion of Apple’s $6.2 billion in revenues, a 42 percent increase over the fourth quarter in 2006.Apple stores generate sales at the rate of about $4,000 per square foot a year, according to a report last year by Sanford C. Bernstein analysts.As other electronics makers like Dell, Nokia and Sony still struggle to find the right retail formula, Apple seems to have perfected it."

Merry Xmas and Happy iPhone!

Analysis: The many faces of Apple advertising

"Among technology companies, Apple is often perceived to have something that the likes of rivals Dell, Microsoft, and Hewlett-Packard lack—that indefinable element of cool. Apple carefully cultivates a specific image for itself, and a cornerstone of those efforts is its advertising, especially the 30-second spots that air on television.
“Apple has long history of exceptional advertising, starting with 1984,” said Ross Rubin, director of analysis at NPD Group, referring to the iconic Super Bowl commercial that introduced the Macintosh to the world.
Hoag Levins, executive producer of AdAge.com, agrees, calling advertising a “core pillar” of Apple’s strategy: “It’s bringing in new people to Apple products.”
And these days, there are plenty of Apple products for that growing audience to consider. In the past year, Apple has added another major product line—the iPhone—to its existing Mac and iPod offerings. While all three of these product areas share common qualities—namely, style and ease of use—Apple and its advertising agency take very different approaches to get that message across.
Despite their differences, Apple ads have in common at least one major advantage over many competitors’ commercials: regardless of whether you love or hate the spots, you’ll likely remember them, and that’s the first step to building a successful image.
Hello, I’m a Mac
Apple’s current campaign for the Mac, “Get a Mac,” conveys just as simple and straightforward a message as the name would suggest. It’s a deliberate attempt to appeal to the vast majority of computer users who, as Apple sees it, are using a Windows machine either because they aren’t aware they have an alternative, or because they’re nursing some erroneous preconceptions about Macs."