Steve Jobs holding a small staff meeting in Sept 23, 1997

这是一份苹果公司高管演讲的摘要，重点在于推动公司扭转局面的关键举措和愿景。 演讲者首先肯定了开发新广告活动所付出的巨大努力，这标志着苹果公司重新致力于振兴其品牌。 他强调回归“基本功”——伟大的产品、市场营销和渠道分销——此前，尽管苹果拥有内在的潜力，但似乎迷失了方向。 扭转局面的第一步是对产品线进行彻底改革。 这位高管透露，计划中的产品路线图中，有惊人的70%被取消了。 这个决定源于一个认识：产品线变得过于复杂，缺乏明确的方向，让内部团队和客户都感到困惑。 目标是简化产品供应，专注于少量代表苹果核心价值的“瑰宝”，同时也将新的创新注入到有前景的领域。 产品线的精简赢得了工程团队的热情，他们现在对公司的战略方向有了更清晰的认识。 分销是下一个需要改进的领域。 演讲者指出现有系统的低效率，由于库存周期过长，需要提前五到六个月预测客户需求。 意识到如此长时间的预测市场趋势是不可能的，苹果公司计划简化其分销流程，以更好地响应实时客户偏好。 计划包括清除制造供应商和分销渠道中的过剩库存，使公司能够迅速响应客户需求。 这将涉及分销创新，以赶上最成功的公司的最佳实践。 然而，扭转战略的核心在于通过新的营销方法来重振苹果品牌。 演讲者强调，在当今嘈杂的世界中，传达清晰而引人注目的价值观至关重要。 虽然承认苹果与耐克、迪士尼和可口可乐等品牌一样，都是领先的全球品牌，但他认为该品牌受到忽视，需要重新投资以保持其相关性。 新的营销策略将不再强调技术规格（速度、参数、MIPS、兆赫兹），而是专注于苹果真正代表的意义。 通过类比耐克成功的营销，耐克将重点放在庆祝运动员和运动上，而不是产品功能，这位高管强调了在情感层面上与消费者建立联系的重要性。 他解释说，苹果的核心价值是坚信充满热情的人们可以改变世界。 新的广告活动，题为“Think Different”（非同凡想），体现了这一核心价值，它向那些挑战现状并对世界产生积极影响的个人致敬。 它以标志性人物为特色，包括在世的和已故的，他们都以其创新和非常规的思维方式而闻名。 演讲者强调，这项活动不仅仅是销售产品，而是要定义苹果是谁，以及它为什么对世界很重要。 该活动将在“迪士尼奇妙世界”节目中首次亮相，在“玩具总动员”的网络首播期间播放两则60秒的广告。 首次播出后，将在报纸上刊登广告，重申该活动的宣言，以及在主要城市刊登平面广告、广告牌和墙体彩绘。 这位高管强调了获得许可使用这些有影响力人物的形象的重要性，突显了这些人物或其遗产与苹果公司之间的深切尊重和联系。 他认为，没有其他公司能够获得这样的认可，这证明了苹果品牌持久的力量和影响力。 总之，演讲者表达了他坚信苹果正在走上重大扭转的道路，并强调目标不仅仅是生存，而是重返辉煌。 他赞扬了团队的奉献精神，并强调了即将发布的激动人心的产品公告和发展，并将新的广告活动定位为此次复兴的基石。

This is a summary of the Apple executive's speech, focusing on the key initiatives and vision for the company's turnaround. The speaker begins by acknowledging the intense effort involved in developing the new advertising campaign, signaling a renewed commitment to revitalizing the Apple brand. He emphasizes a return to the "basics" - great products, marketing, and distribution - after a period where Apple, despite its inherent potential, had seemingly lost its focus. The initial step in the turnaround involved a radical overhaul of the product line. The executive reveals that a staggering 70% of the planned product roadmap was eliminated. This decision stemmed from the realization that the product line had become overly complex and lacked clear direction, confusing both internal teams and customers. The aim is to simplify the product offerings, concentrating on a smaller selection of "gems" representing the core Apple values while also injecting new innovation into promising areas. This product streamlining has been met with enthusiasm within the engineering teams, who now have a clearer understanding of the company's strategic direction. Distribution is the next area targeted for improvement. The speaker points out the inefficiency of the existing system, which involves forecasting customer demand five to six months in advance due to the extended inventory pipelines. Recognizing the impossibility of accurately predicting market trends that far ahead, Apple intends to streamline its distribution processes to become more responsive to real-time customer preferences. The plan involves removing excess inventory from both the manufacturing supplier and distribution channels, allowing the company to react swiftly to customer demand. This will involve innovating distribution to catch up to the best practices of the most successful companies. However, the core of the turnaround strategy lies in reinvigorating the Apple brand through a new marketing approach. The speaker emphasizes that in today's noisy world, it's crucial to communicate clear and compelling values. While acknowledging Apple's position as a leading global brand alongside names like Nike, Disney, and Coke, he argues that the brand has suffered from neglect and needs reinvestment to maintain its relevance. The new marketing strategy will move away from technical specifications (speeds, feeds, MIPS, megahertz) and focus on what Apple truly stands for. Drawing parallels to Nike's successful marketing, which centers on celebrating athletes and athletics rather than product features, the executive highlights the importance of connecting with consumers on an emotional level. Apple's core value, he explains, is the belief that passionate individuals can change the world for the better. The new advertising campaign, titled "Think Different," embodies this core value by honoring individuals who have challenged the status quo and made a positive impact on the world. It features iconic figures, some living and some deceased, who are known for their innovative and unconventional thinking. The speaker stresses that this campaign is about more than selling products; it's about defining who Apple is and why it matters in the world. The campaign will launch on "The Wonderful World of Disney" with two 60-second commercials during the network premiere of "Toy Story". This initial broadcast will be followed by newspaper ads reiterating the campaign's manifesto, as well as print ads, billboards, and wall paintings in major cities. The executive emphasizes the significance of obtaining permission to use the images of these influential individuals, highlighting the deep respect and connection that these figures, or their estates, have with Apple. He believes that no other company could have secured such endorsements, demonstrating the enduring power and influence of the Apple brand. In conclusion, the speaker expresses his conviction that Apple is on the path to a significant turnaround, emphasizing that the goal is not merely survival but a return to greatness. He acknowledges the dedication of the team and highlights the exciting product announcements and developments to come, positioning the new advertising campaign as the cornerstone of this revival.