If you haven’t been following Apple very closely over the past few years, then you
might’ve missed just how much their retail stores have changed. You see, in 2014 Tim
Cook hired Angela Ahrendts as the company’s new Senior Vice President of Retail and Online
Stores. And she began implementing ideas to not only make it easier to buy products, but
also make it easier to learn about products. And that’s where the concept for ‘Today
At Apple’ came from. But what exactly is ‘Today At Apple’? And why is it such a
big deal? Well, that’s exactly what we’re going to find out. This is Greg with Apple
Explained, and I want to thank Skillshare for sponsoring this video. If you want to
help decide which topics I cover, make sure you’re subscribed and voting polls like
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So if you’ve recently been to any of Apple’s retail stores, you’ve probably seen a huge
screen at the back with a bunch of wooden cubes to sit on. That’s actually a relatively
new area that Apple added when Angela Ahrendts was in charge of the stores. And it was designed
to be the perfect area to hold workshops, which Apple has been giving at their retail
stores for quite some time. I actually remember my dad and I attending a workshop for using
Mac OS X Snow Leopard, and that was back in 2009. So while workshops at Apple stores aren’t
a new concept, Apple has definitely taken a new approach to them. And that’s exactly
what Today At Apple represents. It’s basically just putting a name to all the events your
local Apple Store hosts each and every day. But Today At Apple isn’t just a title, it
also represents how seriously Apple is taking the program, and how important they feel it
is to their retail experience. Because although there’ve been workshops in Apple Stores
before, they were typically just a handful of people huddled around a small table, watching
an employee give a presentation on a computer monitor. It wasn’t exactly a magical experience,
and it wasn’t very appealing to casual visitors in the store.
But when Apple rolled out Today At Apple, they made it clear how seriously they were
taking the initiative. Because no longer would workshop attendees be subjected to makeshift
presentations. Instead, Apple would dedicate an area of their stores strictly for workshops.
And that was a complete game changer. It created a welcoming environment for people who may
not even know what the presentation is about. Someone may’ve stopped by to check out the
latest iPhone, but then sat down and stuck around to learn about making music with the
iPad. So Apple completely changed the experience of workshopping in their stores with the introduction
of Today At Apple.
And now, you’re probably wondering, why? Why would Apple allocate so much of their
expensive retail square footage exclusively to giving presentations to people who may
not even know what’s going on? And there are a few answers to that question. The first
of which has everything to do with the atmosphere of Apple Stores. Because ever since 2001,
when the first retail Apple store was opened, they’d only ever had one worldwide remodel
of every location, which happened in 2007. During this renovation, Apple made several
changes. They got rid of cash registers, instead opting for handheld point of sale scanners
that could be carried around by associates to ring up customers anywhere in the store.
They also added a concierge service to welcome visitors to the store and help quickly direct
them wherever they needed to go. The Genius Bar was extended from 11 feet to about 35
feet, and the software shelving was removed from the center of the stores.
This remodel allowed Apple to free up space in their stores to display more products,
which was necessary since they’d be introducing many new devices including the iPhone and
iPad. But it’s important to understand the type of atmosphere Apple was trying to achieve
with this remodel. They wanted to make the retail experience more seamless, convenient,
and quick. You walk into the store, and a concierge directs you to your Genius Bar appointment
right away. Or they might direct you to a product you’re interested in, you could
try out that product, talk to an associate to learn more, and then make the purchase
directly from them, without ever waiting in a line or checkout with a cashier. It allowed
customers to get in and out of the store quicker than ever. And it didn’t take long for other
companies to copy that exact same technique.
Just two years later, Microsoft started building their own stores, and the setup looked eerily
similar to Apple’s. And when another company copies something, Apple always responds by
making their version even better. So it isn’t a surprise that they quickly went to work
on a new and improved version of the Apple Store. One that offers more value to customers
than simply a quick and easy shopping experience. That’s where Today At Apple came in, which
would offer inspiring classes for creative and curious people.
And if that’s something that appeals to you, like it does to me, I highly recommend
joining Skillshare. It’s an online community with thousands of classes to explore new skills
or deepen your existing passions like illustration, design, photography, video creation, freelancing,
and more. Whether you’re a beginner, pro, or just starting out with something like YouTube,
Skillshare has classes that fit your skill level and your schedule. Not to mention taking
different workshops help break up the routine of spending all day indoors. Skillshare classes
like Storytelling Through Film, Color Grading For Filmmaking, and YouTube Success, are essential
if you’re trying to build a YouTube channel, since they teach you how to create high quality
videos that’re worth watching. I actually used this lesson called Logotype Masterclass
with Jessica Hische to help create my Apple Explained logo, especially when getting the
proportions just right. And since I could receive feedback from millions of members
in Skillshare’s community, I always had a fresh pair of eyes to look over my work.
So I highly recommend you want to take advantage of these classes. The first 1000 of my subscribers
to click the link in the description will get a 2 month free trial of Premium Membership
so you can explore your creativity.
Now when Apple decided they were going to renovate their stores for the second time,
it was important that it be done for all the right reasons. And that’s exactly why we
saw Tim Cook trying to pursue then-Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts for the senior Vice President
of retail role at Apple. He recognized that she’d completely transformed the retail
experience at Burberry, and managed to offer customers the type of value that Cook wanted
for Apple stores. After years of persistence from Cook, Ahrendts finally relented and agreed
to join Apple in 2014.
That’s when plans for the company’s new retail stores were set into motion. But what
specific qualities were driving the design and layout of these new stores? Well, it had
everything to do with creating an environment where visitors could not only buy products,
but also stick around and hang out. Ahrendts actually used Starbucks as an example. Saying,
“Starbucks figured it out, you know? Being a gathering place... ‘Meet me at Starbucks.
And you know, I’ve told the teams, ‘I’ll know we’ve done a really, really great job
if the next generation, if Gen Z says, “Meet me at Apple. Did you see what’s going on
at Apple today?”
And I think that’s the most clear piece of evidence proving why Today At Apple was
created. It not only changed the atmosphere of their stores from a fast paced retail experience
to a more relaxed hangout spot, but it also offered customers more value for their money.
Because not only are they getting a great experience buying an Apple product, they’re
also getting free training along with their purchase. Which isn’t available at many
other tech retailers. But it also works the other way around. Let’s say someone’s
just visiting an Apple Store to checkout the new renovations with no intention on making
a purchase. If they see a demonstration of drawing on an iPad using the Apple Pencil,
and they happen to love illustration, they’ll immediately recognize the benefits of those
products and be more likely to buy them in the future.
But Today At Apple it isn’t only about product demos, they also feature performances and
interesting presentations about the local community. I actually experienced this myself
visiting the Michigan Avenue store in Chicago. I was just stopping by to see the new store’s
beautiful architecture, when I noticed someone giving a presentation about Chicago’s history
and how the city developed over time. It was actually fascinating and I ended up staying
for about fourth five minutes, which was much longer than I’d expected. I guess you could
say I got sucked in, which is how Apple’s ecosystem as a whole is designed to operate.
You buy an iPhone, and it’s software features suck you into buying an iPad. And those devices
sync seamlessly with a Mac, which makes you more likely to buy one as your next computer.
Now, Apple appears to be taking that same approach with their stores.
You’re drawn in by the fantastic architecture or to try out the newest iPhone, and you become
interested in the musician who’s performing at the back of the store. Or maybe you notice
someone sharing tips on how to take better photos with the iPhone, and you stick around
to see more. Or perhaps your phone is low on battery and you notice the new seating
area with a beautiful wall garden complete with wired and wireless chargers. The new
Apple Store experience is built entirely around attracting visitors, offering value, convincing
them to stay, and giving them a reason to come back. With their Today At Apple sessions
being a vital part of that strategy.
But perhaps one of the biggest benefits of this approach is how difficult it is to copy.
Apple products deliver unique experiences through software and hardware that competitors
have a hard time recreating. And since Apple is simply showcasing those unique experiences
with Today At Apple sessions, the competition will have trouble imitating the strategy even
if they tried.
But I should mention that this isn’t really a new idea for Apple. They’ve always had
elements of this strategy in their retail stores ever since the very first location
in 2001. The best example being the Genius Bar. A free tech support resource that not
only made customers feel more confident in their purchase, but also gave users a reason
to visit the store outside of simply making a purchase. It was so successful that not
only is the Genius Bar still around today, but it’s been expanded to take up even more
space and help even more people.
And I think Today At Apple will have a similar future by attracting even more visitors, allowing
Apple to retain more customers, and perhaps being expanded even further.
Alright guys thanks for watching and I’ll see you next time.