Advent Blog

What can fruit teach us about business? 

“Lieutenant Dan got me invested in some kind of fruit company. So then I got a call from him, saying we don’t have to worry about money no more. And I said, that’s good! One less thing.” ~ Forrest Gump (in reference to Apple Computer) 

Apple and business: these are two words you probably associate with success, design, innovation, and high tech wizardry that casts its spell over every ipod, iphone, imac, and ithing you can imagine.  Apple Computer has moved out of the world of brands.  It has moved into the realm of cultural icons.  Undoubtedly, we can learn a lot about marketing, brand, and image by studying Apple.  But perhaps we can learn just as much about marketing strategies by studying the fruit.  Sounds preposterous?  Maybe…   

Good marketing engages potential customers and lets them experience the authentic nature of a brand.  And a successful marketing campaign is essential to growing any business.  Anytime you invest in a marketing strategy, you would like to see a high return on investment (ROI).  So what is it about the nature of an apple that can teach us so much about marketing?  Please drum roll in your head.  Now read the following answer: “You can count the seeds in an apple, but you can’t count the apples in a seed.”    

The seeds in an apple are easily quantifiable.  That is very small picture.  But in business we must strive to be more right-brained, BIG PICTURE thinkers.  Investing money into a marketing strategy is like planting seeds.  When we invest, it is an easily quantifiable cost.  But here is the revelation: you cannot quantify the returns.  Good seeds bear good fruit.  What kind of seeds are you planting?

So, apple and business: I guess you could say they go together like… well, “peas and carrots.”