In 2005, the external hard-drive market was competing on price and technical specifications. Western Digital wanted to distinguish its product offering and move out of third place. Using the nonobject design philosophy, the relationship between the user and the object was explored.
Historically people carried their personal memories in book form, such as a photo album, a family bible, or a scrapbook. The hard-drive has taken the book’s place, and the emotion with the object has been lost, but the information is still significant. The book shape is familiar and evokes memories of past albums, while being warm and approachable. These associations form the foundation of a meaningful relationship between the user and the product. A simple thought that changed the game: The hard drive as a book. Finally, the relevance of a hard-drive reflected the importance of the personal history stored inside. This strong solution inspired a cohesive portfolio of products and unique branding.
MyBook differentiated itself as a product and brand experience, and within 6 months of launch Western Digital was the market leader in the Americas’ external hard-drive market, rising from 3rd to 1st place, with a market share increase from 21% to 45 % . MyBook gained distribution in major retailers including Apple, Target and Walmart. In addition, its simple design used less material and was cheaper to manufacture than previous products.
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