Everyone knows at least a little something about Apple. Even if you don’t own an iPod or PowerBook laptop, you’ve probably seen a store, or a television ad, or someone with an iPod. It’s hard not to have had contact with the company in some way. They have an enigmatic leader that’s hard to ignore. Company stock prices rise and fall depending on rumors of his health. The company has a rich history. They are literally the two guys working out of their garage who struck it rich. The two founders, the two Steve’s, were the first to bring a mass produced and cleverly designed personal computer to market. By the time they were 21 both were multi-millionaires with one of the original tech IPO bonanzas.

But more importantly, few other companies have understood the value of crafting a singular vision for their company and militantly protecting it. What Apple may comprehend better than any other is how their brand touches consumers, and how to nurture that relationship by controlling the 6 P’s – perception, promotion, people, place, product, and packaging. With every one of these touch points, Apple strengthens and reinforces all the others.

Last week I was in Dallas attending and presenting at the International Retail Design Conference. My presentation focused on five of the six P’s mentioned above, how they can be used to engage customers through storytelling, and how sustainable design will benefit most from their utilization. Here’s a rundown of what I covered in my talk:

Perception
Most of what consumers are told about sustainability is confusing, and companies are not trusted sources for that knowledge. Friends of mine at the NY marketing firm BBMG recently issued a comprehensive report called Conscious Consumer: Redefining Value In a New Economy. In their research they found that consumer interest in sustainability is up, but trust in companies is down. Twenty-five percent of respondents indicated they have no way of knowing if a company’s claims are valid. Five percent rely on the company’s advertising as a credible source of information, and less than four percent look to the company’s CSR report. In other words, what a company is saying about their sustainability initiatives isn’t trusted by consumers. That creates a considerable gap between perception and communication. Unfortunately, consumers are falling through that gap. Sustainable values must be communicated in a far more trustworthy manner.

Read more international retail design conference