Introduction
Apple is a world-famous company and brand, and its products are popular all over the world. The company earned this fame and popularity due to its high-quality and innovative products, successful promotion, the personality of Stephen Jobs, and understanding of the target audience. This paper will study the development and significance of each element of Apple’s marketing mix to determine its relevance to the company’s mission.
Apple’s Mission and Values
The Apple website currently does not state its mission or goals; however, it defines its values. These values include accessibility, education, environment, inclusion and diversity, privacy, and supplier responsibility. The value of accessibility is reflected in people with disabilities’ opportunity to use Apple products. For example, the products have the option to use voice commands and VoiceOver, increase the font of the text, or use a smartphone microphone and headphones for better speaker hearing (“Accessibility,” n.d.). Apple also promotes the use of technology in education, making it more accessible through e-books, apps, and device features, as well as uses sustainable manufacturing methods and encourages users to recycle their devices.
Apple also cares about the privacy of user data and develops applications that have maximum protection against theft. Besides, Apple claims that employees should benefit from their work and promotes supplier responsibility and diversity values that ensure that all employees are treated fairly and provide them with a comfortable and safe working environment (“Supplier responsibility,” n.d.; “Inclusion & diversity,” n.d.). Based on Apple’s values, it can be noted that the company’s mission coincides with Steve Jobs’ ideas and Tim Cook’s statement in 2016 that Apple’s goal is not just to create great technologies, but to develop technologies that improve people’s lives (Bambenek, 2016). Thus, this idea is central to the company’s activities and can be determined as a mission.
Analysis of Apple’s Marketing Mix
Analysis of Product
The marketing mix includes the product, price, location, and promotion, and the products are one of the central and most successful elements of Apple. Apple products are known for their innovation, simple design, functionality, and quality. All of them are technological products, which are original devices or programs and software created for them. Apple’s devices are smartphones, laptops, music players, smartwatches, and wireless headphones, while programs include cloud storage, Apple TV, iOS software, and some others. These devices and programs are compatible and aimed at making people’s lives easier and more enjoyable.
At the same time, Apple provides a guarantee and fast service in the event of products’ incorrect work. Apple is also usually the first to innovate and improve its technologies. For example, the latest iPhone model has a camera with ultra-high quality, water-resistant case, A14 Bionic chip, which is the fastest chip in a smartphone (“iPhone 12,” n.d.). At the same time, Apple expands its product range by introducing new programs and devices to meet consumer demand in an era of emerging technologies. Thus, the products of Apple create core value for the company.
Analysis of Price
Apple uses two pricing strategies for its products, such as the premium and freemium pricing strategy. The first strategy is based on the idea that all Apple products have a premium price as the company adds a brand increase to smartphones or laptops’ typical price. Thus, Apple products’ prices are usually higher than those of their competitors, such as Samsung or Xiaomi; however, this premium status, combined with the brand and product quality, turns the disadvantage of high price into a competitive advantage.
The freemium pricing strategy is based on providing some of the products for free, but it requires additional payment to use all their functions (Kumar, 2014). For example, all new Apple devices have a free Apple TV subscription for 12 months, but a customer has to pay to continue using after this period (“Apple TV+,” n.d.). Thus, both strategies are consistent and generate profit for the company without scaring customers away.
Analysis of Place
Apple has also selected beneficial places to sell its products as it has expanded across multiple sites. First, physical stores with modern designs and friendly staff are located in more than 120 countries worldwide (“Choose Your Country,” n.d.). Second, customers can buy products online from the company’s website or through authorized resellers such as Amazon. Users can purchase applications and programs in the Apple Store application. In addition, Apple sells its goods not only through official stores but also representatives in different countries. Thus, the buyer can easily find and receive goods and consultation from almost anywhere in the world, which is another advantage of Apple.
Analysis of Promotion
At this stage, Apple’s promotion strategy is practically unique, since, despite the limited use of print ads, commercials, and social networks, news about the company can be found in any media. This situation is possible due to the company’s brand and popularity, which creates conditions in which the media requires news from Apple. However, the company still uses traditional promotion strategies such as advertising, social media, and public relations. First, before selling new devices, the company launches commercial and after distributes print ads. In addition, the annual presentation of the products to the audience is also an important part of the promotion, as it is popular with buyers and allows them to become familiar with products’ new features.
Apple is also involved in various social projects; for example, the company released products in red to send 100% of their eligible proceeds to combat HIV/AIDS and COVID-19 (“Apple expands partnership,” 2020). However, most often, Apple news is spread on social networks and media by users or sites due to its popularity.
It’s also worth noting that Apple limitedly uses social media to promote the brand and create its persona. For example, Apple’s Instagram and Facebook profile has photos that are taken on the iPhone camera by users, and some posts about social initiatives or events, but does not have direct advertising of products. Interaction with users on social networks is also limited to comments and tags. However, this use of social networks is enough for the company as it strives to show the quality of its devices but not direct advertising for the customers. This approach forms Apple’s persona as a premium company that does not need advertising, since it trusts and knows its loyal customers.
Conclusion
Thus, the analysis of Apple’s marketing mix demonstrates that it uses effective strategies to promote its products. The core of the current strategy is the quality, innovation, branding, and popularity of products that keep their premium prices and reduce advertising costs. At the same time, while Apple makes limited use of its social media and publishes news on the official website, its social media presence is significant due to users who post with Apple products. The company profiles are in line with its values, mission, and style, and demonstrate useful technologies and focus on social initiatives. Consequently, Apple does not need to change its strategies at this stage as they bring successful outcomes.
References
Accessibility. (n.d.). Web.
Apple expands partnership with (RED) to combat HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. (2020) Web.
Apple TV+. (n.d.). Web.
Bambenek, C. (2016). Tim Cook’s mission of making tech to ‘lift humanity’ fills an important void left by Steve Jobs. Business Insider. Web.
Choose your country or region. (n.d.). Web.
Inclusion & diversity. (n.d.). Web.
iPhone 12. (n.d.). Web.
Kumar, V. (2014). Making “freemium” work. Harvard Business Review. Web.
Supplier responsibility. (n.d.). Web.