Apple's brand power comes from consistently superior products and customer experience, not just a large following. A brand needs actual product delivery and fulfillment to have real strength. A following alone, without tangible products or services, cannot constitute a brand.
A brand can build a following, but a following can't build a brand. And the reason why I agree with that is, in my opinion, branding is the product delivery. Apple would be the worst brand on the planet if it didn't actually have the best products. What makes Apple so amazing as a brand? They've got the best fulfillment, the best deliverables. When you buy an Apple product, you know what it means, know what it represents. They put all their time and attention in the product. So I like that. A following can't build a brand because it's just a simple following, has nothing to offer in terms of product or services.
