Apple. The name of one of the arguably better fruits that nature has to offer, but we are here to talk about a brand that stands atop a peak in its industry. Let's break up the entire marketing strategy of Apple into three subcategories. These will help us understand how Apple created a brand that is recognized and sought by customers globally.
1. Product 2. Design 3. Message Apple and Products: When was the last time you saw an Ad by Apple that focussed on features? Android phones have a knack for dropping a list of their highlights but have you ever seen an Apple Ad talk about their product for more than a few seconds? No? Well, there's a good reason for that. Apple doesn't sell products. In the words of Steve Jobs himself, Apple sells you values. Apple's marketing strategy is not to give the customer a product they need but rather a product they would want. Apple constantly pushes the genre in tech innovation, not to make products elusive but to set industry standards and satisfy their customers. Their innovation focuses more on making the customer feel better rather than competing with the industry for creating their definition of a better product. Let's talk about the perfect example of this exact strategy. When the iPod was released, there were already MP3 players in the market doing pretty well. Most MP3 players had more storage space than the iPod, but why did the iPod sell? Simple, it looked and felt better. A sleek design paired with shiny royal colours and the touchpad that allowed you to shuffle through 1000 songs in your pocket is what made the iPod a successful product. Apple's projected its products not as an accessory but as a statement. A statement that the owner of the product was a class apart because of their product. A sentiment that still stands the test of time. Apple and Designs: The focus here is both on the product design and the designing that goes into their marketing. Apple has a wide array of products. Tablets, Phones, Music players, computers, laptops, watches, earphones and even their chargers. Although these products vary drastically from each other, they are similar in their look and feel. Their advertisements communicate via simple white text flashing on a black background and cutaways to their product designs. The core of their design and marketing revolves around one simple idea. Minimalism. Apple does not complicate. They hold attention by cherrypicking their content and providing it to you in a simple format in both their ads and their products. Everything that comes out of Apple for public consumption will be standardized, minimalistic and elegant as the brand itself. The message: What is the core message of Apple as a brand? "To me, marketing is about values. This is a very complicated world; it's a very noisy world. And we're not going to get a chance to get people to remember much about us. No company is. And so we have to be really clear on what we want them to know about us." - Steve Jobs. Steve Jobs set the tone for Apple with the "Think Different" campaign. He vehemently believed that any good brand would never talk about its products in its marketing or communication. He wanted the users to feel special when using Apple. That led to the creation of one of the best ads that any brand has ever released.
The Ad does not mention any products or any pitch anywhere. A simple advertisement that talks about people who drive change. People who have left their mark on history and people who were crazy enough to dream bigger are the focus. By associating the brand with something or someone larger than life, Apple positions itself not as a brand that creates electronic devices or as a tech company. Apple positions itself as an innovator and a pioneer of change. It caters to a core value of humankind that is universal, which is striving to be better. An Apple product is simply a manifestation of th
ese values. Every owner of an Apple product feels better about themselves because of these values than the product. That is why Apple has cemented itself as one of the greatest brands to have existed. Looking for an Agency that can think outside the box and deliver the perfect marketing solutions required for your brand? Look no further. Contact us at The Pixelate.
Comments