Two weeks ago, I wrote about why Apple was doomed. That entry generated a lot of …er… feedback. The feedback was emotional [and misguided], to say the least.

I also received a lot of verbal feedback about the entry – from people that, brace yourselves fruit-lovers, agreed with my point of view – although the cowards wouldn’t dare publicly associate themselves and their feelings with me in this futile war. So even people that don’t see Apple’s future as bright as some of the drones who wrote back, they still admire and respect the Apple brand enough to know to keep quiet and watch from the sidelines.

So what’s going on with the Apple brand that, no matter what, is revered by both friend and foe? What’s their secret? What’s the deal?

Before I start going down this path, I want to be clear about one thing: I am no Microsoft fan. I am a fan of choice. I like not having to buy a laptop from Dell if I don’t want to, I like to be able to choose what type of software I want on my computer and from what vendor. I like my options to vary in depth, scope and cost. My last article had nothing to do with Microsoft being better than Apple – it had to do with five key facts I noticed that were not stacking up well for Apple.

This piece is about what Apple is doing well from a branding perspective.

1. Form
Everything Apple does is beautiful. Everything! People gravitate to the high simplicity, tight typography, low texture, high white space, and strong contrast style they have developed. Doing that well is one thing, but doing that well across everything they do is simply amazing. When you see something Apple, even if you can’t tell it’s Apple at first, you know it’s Apple. Apple has conditioned the masses to recognize its products by their form, punch, freshness, and consistency.

2. Function
The book The Design of Everyday Things says that simple things don’t need instructions. When simple things need instructions, then the design has failed. Apple makes simple things very easy to use. I have seen many people use several out-of-the-box tools with innate ease. There are many software makers out there that go completely out of their way to make easy stuff hard to use. Apple is not a member of that club. Apple’s software is great for beginner users such as very young and very old people. Everyone in the middle also benefits from their software design considerations, but the groups of people that benefit most are the ones that don’t have a lot of user experience.

3. Emotion
This factor is the most puzzling and the hardest to explain. I have talked to several designers, creative directors and general users - they have all said something along the same line: “it feels right.” “It is a part of me.” “It is part of my identity.” This emotional connection is hard to explain and replicate, but if we can find a way to express and then learn from this, then we might be able to create products and brands that can enjoy similar levels of loyalty. Perhaps this point explains why people were so upset about my last post. In a way, people took what I was saying about Apple personally – as if I was attacking them and their sacrament, not the computer maker.

So, my first pass at this Apple mystery is not terribly revealing or earth shattering. Now, my ears perk up every time the issue comes up. I will continue to post on this as I learn more.