Ch. 15- Marketing Communications

Apple has a comparative advantage over its competitors – it’s brand name. Apple has successfully set-up their brand as a luxury cellphone brand. Apple’s promotion strategy begins by introducing their new iProduct in front of a small group of people. Just like every other company, Apple Inc. strive for increase sales of their iProducts. Apple Inc. also uses AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) concept in their promotional strategy.

Attention: As I said earlier, Apple start promoting their new iProduct by introducing it in an event, where they will explain how the product will help our daily life easy and also how the new product is better than older version. This keynote events are usually secretive, unless some insider leaks the information. Apple’s doesn’t directly promote on social media, but it asks various blogger and various Tech Reviewer to review its product and in process promote it to the world. Apple also uses traditional media very effectively to market their product. They promote their iProducts through commercials, magazines and newspaper ads and also situate billboards at some of the busiest locations.

Interest: For its iPhone 7, Apple created an Ad campaign called “practically magic”. In the series of Ads, Apple tried to demonstrate various exclusive features of iPhone 7 and 7 plus. They also conducted hands-on demonstration in Apple Retail Stores and also at four major phone-carriers’ stores.

Desire: For the new iPhone 7, creating desire in customer was Apple’s biggest issue. Since, iPhone 7 was considered very similar to iPhone 6 it was a challenge to sell it to customers. But, Apple was aware of the challenge beforehand and they started to advertise their new phone by comparing it to their older iPhone from the keynote event itself. Apple’s ad campaign “practically magic” also highlights this features, namely, the stereo speakers embedded in new iPhone, the water resistant feature, their new expressive iMessage feature and also the Dual Camera in iPhone 7 plus.

Action: Apple is still continuing to persuade its Target market to buy its iPhone 7 through lucrative Ads. They are also offering Apple Upgrade Program, where customer can get new iPhone every year for a small monthly fee. The four major phone-carriers are also offering some very good promotional offer. So far, Apple haven’t done good enough to meet its previous iPhone sales. Since, a lot of customers thought it wasn’t worth to buy a new iPhone, instead wait for the next iPhone, their 10^th anniversary iPhone, which is expected to have some very awesome features and an all-glass design.