Yes you’re definitely right about traditionally anti-social user experiences are quickly being changed to socially driven experiences. And like you’ve said, it’s technology and new innovative mediums (such as a social network) that allows for this.

I have a very strong faith in product development and execution. Creating a good product is the best marketing you can do. Especially in this day and age, you really don’t need to spend a dime in marketing if you’ve created a good product.

Where I do disagree with you is in equating good products to brand loyalty. Or rather in equating a successful product to brand loyalty. I think brand loyalty is almost by definition “loyal to the ‘brand’”, irrespective of product quality. The reason I bring this up is because you brought up Apple. Now, I actually don’t know why Microsoft has 90% of the market, because personally I find Apple to be much more user friendly. But the fact remains that they do. And arguably, Apple has the greatest brand loyalty of any technology company, Google possibly being a close second. So do you see the inconsistency? Also, if you have any insight onto why you think Microsoft owns the market with a poor product, I’d like to hear it.

I think that the result is that people are being forced to become more creative and inventive in both industries. Technology is more accessible — so getting music, movies, books, etc. is a matter of an instant transaction now. This is truly the era of marketing more than ever. This flood of social networks and web 2.0 interactivity is forcing people to do two things: 1) find whats good and 2) find what their friends are into. Ultimately, what becomes popular is the stuff that markets itself with good design, usability, feature base and resource richness — or what everyone else gets to first.

I think with music, the approach is similar. People buy what they hear on the radio, what their friends listen to, what plays on MTV, etc. However, people also invest in the bands that they can respect and the musicians that come out with quality.

Ultimately, in establishing a brand, you want to establish quality and respect and it will market itself. That’s what I feel Steve Jobs has done with Apple. There is a reason why they invest so much into design, usability and service. Brand loyalty with Apple is incredible. Brand loyalty with Google is great because of the same. I don’t care how much money you get from venture capital: loyalty comes with building the best new thing out there, making it look the best and making sure it works the best and will continue to work the best.