Answer? When you’ve said enough.

I’ve always thought this video was pure genius – a perfect example of how differently these two companies think. One has an incredibly strong brand and trusts its customers. The other… well, just watch the video.

You might argue that the piece, while humorous, is unfair to Microsoft. Interestingly enough, they created the video! It’s now over six years old, and by my estimation, not much has changed. Microsoft continues to make profits and muddle along (R.I.P. Zune), while Apple holds news conferences to announce what they’re going to do with their $100 billion in cash.

I try to think more like Apple, not because I love Apple or think that Apple is always right, but because I believe in the way they communicate (not withstanding their absence on social media). You are buying something for yourself when you adhere to brevity: the attention spans of others. Say what needs to be said, and nothing more. Allow the customer to insert themselves into your brand’s story, and you give yourself the best chance of them inserting your brand into their lives. Let the human imagination take over. I am trying.