Question

Do the following for Apple (Brand) in (100 words)

• Evaluate Alternatives - Conviction
• Make Purchase - Action

Answer 1

The Apple brand :

Every part of the Apple brand works seamlessly together - their products, packaging, and even their retail stores. There is a sense of simplicity and luxury that comes across whether you’re lifting the lid of a Macbook, opening a new iPhone package, or stepping in to buy a charger in one of the Apple stores.#

1984 really wasn’t like '1984'

• It all began in 1984 when Apple released this advert during the Superbowl, turning it into a piece of history. Despite critics' predictions that it would flop, this is actually where Apple’s branding success began.
• The advert takes place in a futuristic setting, with a group of expressionless bald men marching along a dreary corridor and into a large hall. The colour pallette is dull with mostly greys and blues and there is a Big-Brother-like voice addressing the group. Suddenly a blonde-haired, brightly dressed athlete runs into the room chased by guards. She swings a sledgehammer at the screen where the Big-Brother figure is addressing the room and it explodes leaving the group of zombie-like men with mouths open in shock. The message on the screen then reads:
• "On January 24th, Apple Computer will introduce Macintosh. And you’ll see why 1984 won’t be like '1984'."

No tech talk :

• This hugely plays on people’s need to feel they are part of something; it hints at the benefits of separating from the dull robot-like monotonous life and being part of something colourful and new. And Apple have carried this message throughout every advert since.
• Take their original iPod campaign (2004) for example, with the iconic dancing silhouettes - the advert doesn’t show how to use the product or what features it has, but rather focuses on the fun attitude and demeanour of the person using it. What unites all of the anonymous silhouettes are the white headphones. Being seen with them meant people around you knew you had an iPod - inadvertently making you young, fun and vibrant.

Carefully chosen language :

• Apple’s branding strategies however, stretch far beyond just advertising. The way the company introduces their products with carefully chosen words such as 'the thinnest ever', or 'the most advanced yet' makes users feel like they have the best product in the world, regardless of whether this is actually true. And with no tech talk in any advert, how could anybody know? In fact, Apple introduce features that most users have had for a long time but successfully make it seem as though they have just invented the wheel.

An ecosystem :

• Even without ever mentioning product features, it takes users a matter of minutes to discover how to connect and sync Apple devices. In fact, the more Apple products you own, the more benefits there appear to be; apps, music and videos are all in one place and are accessible on every device. Users can access their media from their car (on their iPhone), at work (on their iMac) or even in transit (on their iPad).

Apple’s iPhone sales have droppedin recent quarters, particularly in China, where cheaper rivals Huawei Technologies and Xiaomi have gained traction. Smartphone revenue fell 17% for the latest three months to $31 billion, but the stock jumped 5% on the results. One big reason: record-high services revenue.

• The company’s services division includes its App Store, Apple Pay, iTunes, cloud services and more. It is now the second biggest segment for Apple after the iPhone, with revenue of $37 billion in 2018, and Morgan Stanley expects it to top $100 billion in 2023. The projected growth speaks to the power of the Apple brand.
• Apple tops Forbes’ annual look at the world’s most valuable brandsfor the ninth straight time. The brand of the tech giant is worth $205.5 billion, up 12% over last year. It is the first time a brand crossed the $200 billion threshold.
• Apple has made an art form of moving its customer base from one product category to another. Mac users adopted the iPod, followed by the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Customers trust the brand will work seamlessly across all categories in the Apple ecosystem, which has helped make the Cupertino, California-based company the most valuable in the world. Services is the next frontier for the company and brand.
• While Apple maintains its spot at the top, Google is closing fast with a value of $167.7 billion, up 23%. The Apple brand was worth more than twice as much as the ubiquitous search brand just four years ago.

Apple’s “Think Different” television commercial from the late nineties featured images of Einstein, John Lennon, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King. Referring to these icons as “the crazy ones,” the ad’s narrator talks of “pushing the human race forward,” and says that “the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.”

The ad is an example of Apple attempting to connect emotionally with viewers, creating a brand that denotes progress, innovation and creativity. Who doesn’t want to be associated with those traits?

Creating connections like these are no doubt part of the reason Apple was recently named the world’s most intimate brand.

Fortune reports that consumers who took part in the survey to nominate Apple said the company manufactures items “they can’t live without.”

Looking Ahead :

• It’s seems unclear when the iPhone 8 will be released, but the anticipation of new features such as wireless charging have potential buyers excited. Of course, there’s no telling how sales will do – Apple’s success doesn’t make it impervious to release flops.