iPhone launch day is here and as usual, legions of diehard Apple fans are lining up get their hands on what they believe to be the finest product on the market. These fanboys have long been made fun of due to their cultish following. Now it seems that Tesla has amassed their own race of loyal consumers. Does Microsoft have the product to join in on the fun?
HISTORIC HYPE AWAITS LATEST TESLA RELEASE
On Thursday, Tesla Motos will be unveiling it’s highly anticipated, uniquely affordable Model 3. Coming in at $35,000, the vehicle is expected to have broad appeal unlike other electric cars on the market. What started out as a fad for the wealthy, is slowly becoming a ravenous sensation for the masses. Normally, one wouldn’t expect to see people lining up at a showroom in order to put down a deposit, but that’s exactly the kind of obsession we are seeing with Tesla. Buyers in Massachusetts, British Columbia, Germany, and Sweden have already been camping out for hours in order for their deposit. While many are baffled by the cult-like behavior of Tesla and Apple, some psychologists are hardly surprised
APPLE IS LIKE BURNING MAN
It’s not so much the technology that people are freaking out over. After all, the Model 3 is just a car, albeit an impressive one, but there are others like it that will never get the same amount of hype. The same can be said for Apple with their iPhone. Psychologists say we should look at it in an emotional way. There is a certain type of comradery that comes with camping out in line with thousands of like-minded individuals. Waiting in line at the Apple store is like going to Burning Man for technology. People are there to make human connections and share similar values. So why is an experience like this limited to these two companies but not someone like Microsoft or Nissan?
MICROSOFT NEEDS A NEW CULT LEADER
What Tesla and Apple both have going for them is a strong figurehead. Elon Musk and the now deceased Steve Jobs are notorious for being intelligent, confident and innovative. People like to get behind someone like this. They like to put a face to a product. Microsoft used to have Bill Gates but since falling behind in the standings, their importance in the global market hasn’t been as strong as the past. Microsoft will always have its own set of loyal followers, but without someone strong leading the way in the eyes of the public, It doesn’t look like people will be waiting in line to get their hands on the latest Microsoft Surface tablet.
