Core77

When the words "multiple touch-points" are uttered, you may immediately picture an iPhone, however, we're not discussing multi-touch here, but we'll still be talking about Apple, unsurprisingly enough. Irene Pereyra discusses the danger of designing for a multi-faceted experience in "The Pitfalls of Multiple Touch-Points." In response to a piece by Adam Greenfield, she highlights the shortcomings of blind over-branding, where a great opportunity is missed to connect with the consumer. The prime example here is the nike+ collaboration between Nike and Apple, which offers up a Nike running shoe/iPod nano fitness package that lures the buyer in, then quickly traps them into a "brand monopoly" where customization is very limited and the progression of the experience becomes stunted by a severe lack of choices to be made. In situations like this, each point of a multiple touch-point experience must be designed as an optimal experience in and of itself as well as a harmonious junction in respect to every other point and the experience as a whole. When this kind of thorough approach is neglected, the experience suffers, and consequently, so does the brand.

thanks yael!