“Think Different.”

“Just Do It.”

“I Want My MTV!”

All are iconic phrases that have found there way into our pop-culture psyche. In some cases, we don’t even know how they got there, where they originated, or the intent of their original meanings.

In a word, this is powerful stuff. And it’s everywhere:

• The average city dweller receives 51,000 ad messages per day.
• The average cost for a 30-second spot in the Super Bowl will be 3 million dollars.
• Young people, on average, view more than 40,000 ads a day on television alone.

The fantastic documentary Art & Copy explores the world of advertising and the genesis of some of the greatest ad campaigns of our time.

It’s a facinating film and it got me thinking:

“How does advertising affect usability? Is perception greater than reality?”

“To me, great advertising can make food taste better,
can make your car run smoother.
It can change your perception of something.” — George Lois

I’ve seen this time and again. Especially in the tech industry. There are great products, that have been well researched, carefully crafted, and still flop under the weight of user perception.
A couple of products immediately come to mind.

I co-host a weekly developer podcast about all things Windows Phone. I think the product is fantastic. I think it’s a great example of taking a product and putting usability first. The software has won awards for its design and, for the most part, has been critically acclaimed. But Windows Phone is not flying off the shelves. People aren’t waiting in long lines or getting into fist fights over the last box in stores. Why is that?

I think, in large part, it’s because Apple has done an amazing job of convincing people that Microsoft products are “uncool” or “dated”.

The “Mac vs. PC”, “Think Different”, and various iPhone/iPad ads have found there way into our pop culture. They’ve, somehow, convinced us that “certain people” use these products.

If you’re an artist, if you’re creative, if you’re original and unique, you use Apple products. If you’re a stodgy old business man who gets high on spreadsheets, you use that other company’s products. You tell me what version sounds most appealing, when you consider how you want others to perceive you?

These campaigns made the choice an either/or instead of, the more realistic, both/and. They force us to decide what kind of person we are instead of conceding that both company’s products are great for a variety of different scenarios. The online commentsphere is bombarded with people rehashing this argument ad nauseam.

Palm’s WebOS is another example. A thoughtful, well designed, product fails in the wake of user perception. Palm wasn’t able to shed the perception that they were only capable of those dated stylus-oriented devices. They couldn’t convince the masses that they had produced something truly unique and useful.

Now, I know. Many would argue that these platforms have/had other problems as well. And I would agree. However, it can’t be denied that user perception is critical in getting to the next step of user adoption.

How can you convince a user to try your product if they are already convinced it’s not for them?

I would encourage you to watch Art & Copy. It’s a powerful reminder that great usability is just one of the main facets of a successful product.