iPod’s lesson in multi-layered experience

“Great brands cut through.They understand that connection is everything.”

iPod changed my life.

Here’s my first iPod - 3rd Gen, 20GB model, a gift from my friend and colleague, Oren Ziv, in 2004.

iPod 3rd Gen, 20GB, circa 2004

I was living in Paris, working in Apple’s EMEA marketing. Black Eyed Peas on repeat. Bold silhouettes on billboards across town.

iPod changed everything because it marked a shift in how we experienced the world. Walking the streets, my private sound bubble melded my inner and outer worlds. The testbed for what would later become iPhone.

With iPod, products became more than tech capabilities. iPod was emotional. It represented identity, freedom and creation.

For me, it shaped what came next. I started to think about designing multi-layered experiences - not just products, but meaningful connections.

Designing multi-layered brand experiences

iPod is a masterclass in how enduring brands create meaning. Three lessons stand out:

1. CONNECT TO VALUES
   iPod ads never focused on features. They tapped into emotions and values. '1,000 songs in your pocket'. Cool, liberating, personal.
   Consider: How does your brand feel to your audience?

2. PROVIDE UNIQUE INTERACTIONS
   The scroll wheel wasn’t just functional, it was joyful. An intuitive interface that became a signature brand experience.
   Consider: Are your touchpoints complicated or delightful?

3. SPOT SHIFTING DESIRES
   Apple responded to a deeper, emergent human desire: Carrying our lives with us. iPod paved the way for everything from iPhone to streaming culture.
   Consider: How are your customers thinking about the world? What can your business contribute?

Brilliant products connect meaningfully

Finding my iPod reminded me of the power of brilliant design: Joy. Connection. Simplicity.

The world is changing rapidly, with infinite possibilities and unfathomable complexity.

Yet great brands cut through.

They understand that connection is everything.

What's the one product that has inspired joy, connection, simplicity for you?

iPod 3rd Gen, chrome reverse