you are what you launch: how software became a lifestyle brand

Software started out being specific — designed just for one person even — then expanded to a broader audience by trying to appeal to everyone and losing its identity in the process. In the wake of the uniform brand identity crisis in the tech industry, I believe we need to return to specificity in order to appeal to users more broadly.

Great software products aren’t simply a collection of buttons, icons, and menus. They shape how we think and who we aspire to be.

To me, brands are like software. A brand is made up of a finite number of input variables (product form factor, color schemes, tone, personality, aspirations, price, ingredients/inputs) that are its source code. These values and aesthetics are programmed, but unlike software they are not deterministic. Each consumer transacts with a brand based on ... See more

Modern software’s humdrum lack of identity has resulted in users craving more interesting, opinionated tools, tools that feel like us — or a better, more interesting, wackier version of us.

As technology advances, software will increasingly be chosen not just for how well it addresses its use case, but how it conveys its personality, similar to how ... See more