Every major economy seems to have an iconic brand. A brand that evolved from humble roots, and over time became a market leader. In some instances, they became utopian symbols unto themselves. In the U.S., brands like IBM and GM come to mind. For Germany, Mercedes Benz, Volkswagon and BASF. And in Japan, it’s Toyota and Sony. However as we know, staying on top is a tall order for any company.
In recent months, I’ve been watching and thinking about Sony. Twenty years ago, they were a symbol of innovation that demanded premium pricing and received it. Their brand had value, and were rewarded for it. However in recent years, they’ve experienced many challenges in remaining a market and technology leader. Are they suffering from many of the ills that took GM under? Are they still considered an engine for innovation? For instance, Sony just released their netbook computer under their Vaio label. Here’s what Gadget Lab over at Wired had to say.
Sony doesn’t make netbooks. The Vaio P, for example is absolutely, positively not a netbook. In fact, in February Sony senior vice president Mike Abary called the whole netbook market “a race to the bottom.”
That’s right. Sony denied that it would make a netbook. So, as night follows day, we now have the Vaio W. A netbook. From Sony…
The Vaio W will cost $500 when it launches in the US in August, and for that you’ll get a plastic case in a choice of three colors (white, pink and, ahem, brown?). A case which looks like nothing more than an MSI Wind with a new logo slapped on. Could it be that Sony, in its hurry to win the race to the bottom, has forgotten that every other netbook maker is selling cheaper, sleeker machines already?
Yesterday, I viewed Sony as a brand name that was worth the price. Today, I wonder if Sony is wasting away in a place called Sonyville, a small imaginary island in the South Pacific. It’s a land filled of yesterday’s achievements and devoid of today’s reality. It’s a land with tall buildings, smart people and smart titles. It’s a land that took decades to build and just maybe, it’s a land with many similarities to GMville.
I’ve written about GM many times and it was and is a corporation filled with silent problems. Today, I’m inclined to believe that Sony could follow suit. In the past year, i found their customer service to be terrible. Their products are nothing special. And companies like Apple are gaining market share.
Could it be that Sony is wasting away in Sonyville, and silent problems are at the center of their universe?
