The iPod, the iMac, the iTouch, the iPad… “i” has taken over hearts and minds across the world as Apple continues to innovate and expand.

The iPod, the iMac, the iTouch, the iPad, the iGrill? The iMed? Apple continues to expand and innovate, but there is a limit to the iBrand that Apple marketing executives must pay attention to in order to retain the currently strong iReputation. When most people are asked about what they associate the iBrand with, their answer is along the lines of “innovative portable technology for the “hip” iGeneration”. It is associated with fun and easy user interface. As much as Apple should harness the amazing power of the app store and the iBrand, it needs to be careful not to diversify the brand to a point where consumers are overwhelmed. In this case, introducing products such as the iGrill and the iMed to its iBrand actually has a negative impact. The iBrand does not inspire thoughts of medical technology or barbequing – it is already associated with the image of a young, hip 20 year old enjoying music, photos, and videos. This is Apple’s main market, and by introducing iBrand products that are focused on an older, middle-aged market, Apple is asking people to change their conceptions of the brand. Considering how strong the iBrand currently is, trying to change it will have more of a negative impact than a positive one – the “hip” will be removed from the brand image.

That is not to say that Apple should not continue to innovate and take advantage of its amazing app store power – just that the products aimed at a different market should be under a different brand that consumers can then associate with the app store itself. Leave iBrand for the young technology, not for it’s more middle-aged directed applications.