When one thinks of the biggest corporations to ever exist, then the first name that comes to mind is Apple Computers. The same is true for smartphone companies, with the most recognizable brand being Apple’s iPhone. A look at consumer psychology gives us a brief insight into how Apple is so successful. Apart from creating top-of-the-line products, Apple has mastered the art of branding itself as something sacred. This is achieved by its longevity at the top of the world and the excitement surrounding its operations. Let’s learn about ‘Target Market Of Apple And Marketing Strategy’.
Target Market Of Apple And Marketing Strategy
The secret to success- Apple Inc
Established in 1980, Apple went from a small garage start-up to the most profitable company in the world. For a while, it was amongst the few companies that were producing quality personal computers in a time when computers were still considered to be scientific tools used in science-fiction movies. Apple has always been excruciatingly careful about its brand image. This might be traced back to the experiences of Steve Jobs, its founder. He was booted out of the company, which began to produce substandard products soon after. Since his return, Apple has returned to some of its founding principles of simplicity, creativity, and accessibility, which were also reflected in its marketing strategy and target market.
Apple- Marketing Strategy
Looking at Apple Computer’s marketing strategy could be an enlightening experience for any businessperson. Apple is the most profitable company in the world, with revenues in the range of hundreds of billions of dollars. Selling products is something that Apple does best. However, they realize that it’s not the product they are selling but rather the reputation and experience of owning an Apple product. These are some of the intricacies and attributes of Apple’s marketing strategy.
1. Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication
Apple has always kept its products simple. This is also reflected in the range of its products, with the iPhone, Mac, iPod, and iPad essentially being the only main products it sells. This also frees Apple up to work and market its accessories which are presented as must-have status symbols. The Air Pods, Home Pods, and covers are a testament to this strategy. Apple’s advertisements rarely emphasize complicated specifications like pixels or Megahertz, instead of focusing on how its products can get stuff done effortlessly.
2. Think Differently and for the crazy ones.
Apple has always branded itself as a company trusted by creators. There is a reason it releases different versions of the same product. An example of this is the iPhone Pro Max or the MacBook Pro. Apple has positioned itself as the facilitator of creativity and innovation. All of Apple’s products are aesthetically pleasing, and this is emphasized in its marketing campaigns. They can be seen as a blank canvas for people to paint their world on. Some of their products can literally be viewed as straight from some futuristic science-fiction story. This also factors into Apple’s target market.
3. Accessibility and Persona Building
It was Steve Jobs’ dream to put an Apple in every pocket. From the very beginning, Apple has worked hard to create a persona that was accessible to everyone, yet like everyone, it too had hidden potential and creativity. Apple leaned into this persona and backed it up with its products and married it to its marketing strategy. One scarcely finds movie stars doing advertisements for Apple, and yet both they and common people use Apple products. This is because Apple’s persona sells its products for it. This persona isn’t a famous movie star but rather constitutes everyday people who make up a major part of its loyal fan base. It is this loyal customer base that gets the ball rolling long before the official launch of products. The hype they produce cannot be bought via superficial marketing or advertising. Apple markets its products to people with diverse skills and even to those with disabilities. The University app provides free courses to students, Garageband satisfies music creators, and Books make it easy to read e-books. The health and fitness app lets people track their bodies, and iTunes revolutionized the music industry. These factors weigh heavily into Apple’s marketing brilliance.
4. Value Proposition and Experience Ecosystem.
Apple has always viewed itself as above and beyond the competition. It markets its products to be revolutionary. When the iPhone, iPod, and Mac were first launched, they were revolutionary, but the fact that this marketing strategy still works in today’s competitive technology market is an achievement in itself. With Apple, everything is different, from their Operating System to their advertisements. Their marketing team convinces customers that what they’re buying into is a life-changing experience. This maintains that the aura of Apple is a status symbol of sorts and keeps on attracting customers, loyal or new ones. Apple Stores also differ from other companies in their design, customer satisfaction, and friendly staff. All of these factors help build Apple’s brand into one that provides a unique experience to its customers.
What kind of customers does Apple target?
- Creators: Apple products are crafted for creative people who often get the most out of them. This means professionals, experts, designers, programmers, etc.
- Millennials: Apple targets young people who like to express themselves. iTunes, Books, University, Health are all a result of Apple’s emphasis on younger, better educated, tech-friendly, easily-awed customers.
- Higher Income Groups: Because of Apple’s premium pricing for premium products, a third of its customers fall in the bracket of people earning over $100000 annually.
- Urban customers: Apple generally tends to target city-dwellers accustomed to a faced-paced life. Apple markets itself as a means to make that life better and easier or slow that life down. Both add to its appeal amongst city-dwellers.
Emphasis on Values (conclusion)
From a company started in a garage, to a trillion-dollar corporation, one can’t help but notice that Apple has placed high importance on their core values of Thinking Differently, uniqueness, and the wow factor. Apple knows how to put on a show with all of its product releases playing to its strategy of increasing the hype and aura surrounding Apple. The success of Apple’s marketing strategy can be felt in its revenues, and while the high quality of its products is also responsible, no other company understands the market quite as Apple does. The hype surrounding the company during its product launches is not visible around any other company, and a lion’s share of that must be attributed to Apple’s marketing strategy and the genius of its marketing team.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What are Apple’s Values?
- Belief in the simple, not the complex.
- Think Differently
- We build products we believe in.
- One person, one computer.
- Who is Apple’s Head of Marketing?
- Tor Myhren is Apple’s vice president of Marketing Communications
- What agency or advertising firm does Apple have?
- TBWA\Media Arts Lab based in Los Angeles which was also responsible for Apple’s iconic ‘1984’ ad during the launch of the first Macintosh.
