We’ve all seen the Mac v. PC commercials with their representation of Mac as a hip young man as opposed to the stodgy PC.  However, as this Business Week article points out, “Mac” may be abandoning its too hip for the corporate world stance and “joining the corporate rat race.“    The reason for this change is the fact that Apple has become so omnipresent with its IPod and IPhone franchises that it is natural that employees will now want to bring their Apple loyalty to the workplace. As the article puts it “people who may have started off with an iPod, then bought a Mac at home and no longer want a “Windows-by-day, Mac-by-night” existence.”

But is this something that Apple is really ready to handle?  This branding article isn’t sure.  Of course, they want to sell more units. But as the article notes:

“[C]orporate sales strategy would require both an expensive sales & support staff and a willingness to modify Mac product designs to suit the conflicting demands of corporate buyers [and] Apple is doing just fine without these hassles, making high margins catering to students and artists who will pay extra for the Apple cool.”

To fulfill the needs of corporate America, Apple would need to be willing to make changes to meet their needs.  Changing to fit what others need has never been a part of the philosophy of Steve Jobs (and by extension, Apple).   In fact, Jobs has resisted changing by keeping all of the aspects of Apple in house and under his control.  In the simplest of terms, is Apple willing to let go of its image of independence and cool to conform to the needs of Corporate  America.   Wouldn’t making changes to conform to corporate clients be a rejection of the Apple’s central brand?