Macworld:
When it kicks off January 26, 2012, the long-running Mac conference and exposition will do so under a new name: Macworld|iWorld. The name change reflects the event’s focus expanding beyond the Mac to include iOS devices and software. Registration for the three-day event began on Tuesday.
“The brand is evolving from Macworld [Expo] to Macworld|iWorld to illustrate that the show is about the whole ecosystem of Apple products,” said Paul Kent, the event’s vice president and general manager.
Exciting news for the long-running event – they want to transform Macworld Expo into a “dynamic culture experience” featuring more live music, film and other changes.
Some predicted the show’s demise after Apple pulled up stakes in 2009, but it’s clear that IDG World Expo, the company that manages the show, still believe strongly in an event where Apple fans convene annually to learn and have a good time together.
🙁 Headline font makes that read as macworldly world. I know it’s Macworld/iWorld with a | instead of the /.
Mac & iWorld expo seems better, but it’s their show. 🙂
I agree, grammatically and presentation-ally it feels right to call it “Mac & iWorld Expo”. As in an example like “This styling should apply to both right- and left-justified text.”
Use of the pipe in the name aside, lkalliance’s complaint about grammar doesn’t make any sense from a branding perspective. The event has a 27 year history of being called “Macworld” (Expo, Conference & Expo, etc., at various points). “Mac & iWorld Expo” would put an end to that. And imply that it’s about Macs and iWorlds, whatever those are.
That’s a good point, and that’s why you’re the editor and I’m just a schmo commenting on an internet forum under a pseudonym.
But branding aside, I know what I respond to, personally: brevity, rolling-off-the-tonguedness (copyright 2011 lkalliance) and grammatic correctness. They balance each other, in my mind: the title, say, “iMac” is brief, rolls off the tongue, but I would guess is grammatically incorrect due to the camel case (at least, it *feels* grammatically incorrect to me). The first two strengths more than compensate for the deficit in the third bit. I guess I should throw in brand consistency, too: it’s been “iMac” now for, what, 13 years, so it’s accepted.
For me the new title fails that personal test. It looks and feels unwieldy to me, and dilutes the Macworld brand name, which has been a part of my life for longer than “iMac” has (I used to be a MacUser subscriber, before it was purchased by Macworld. I remember reading articles on Copland and Rhapsody! They were doomed, I tells ya, doomed!)
I think adding “iWorld” is adding complexity for no good reason. Worse, it sounds like a me-too move. But to me, “Macworld” as a brand long ago ceased to be about “Mac” anyway: it was about “Apple” and always was as far as I was concerned. It never seemed odd or discomfiting at all as more and more content went to iPod coverage (though, to judge from reader letters of the day, it ticked off a few people). Of course you guys covered iPod: it was an important Apple product. Ditto iPhone, iPad and anything else. So extending the name, diluting the brand: long story short (though too late for that by now) I’m disappointed at the name change.
And that’s how, er, lkalliance “K’s” it.
*holds up hand in shape of K, spraining two fingers in the process*
Playing devil’s advocate for a moment, if the goal here is to evolve the show, as Paul Kent says, then iWorld makes sense – because while it dilutes the brand (a move we both acknowledge by introducing “iWorld”) it also expands the show beyond its traditional focus.
Anyway, without bloviating, this could be a good thing, if the management can make the event interesting enough to attract a wide swath of people that might have previously ignored just a “Macworld” show.
I’m happy or them and I like that they continue to evolve the show, but I think the name is stupid.