Apple Iphone - How It Gained Popularity in the Mass Market.
Apple iPhone: How it has gained popularity in the mass market.
INTRODUCTION
This case study examines Apple Inc and aims to deconstruct how Apple has employed a variety of marketing techniques to understand its customers and deliver the iPhone to the global mass market. The iPhone has revolutionised the smartphone market through savvy customer driven product design and effective marketing. Bajarin (2011, p.1) suggests that with the global smartphone category projected to grow at 49.2% over the next five years, Apple faces the challenge of mitigating market share loss in an environment where competitors are now able to offer a comparable operating system in Android. Moreover with Android’s open system which allows it to partner with global device manufacturers such as Samsung and HTC, a greater volume of consumers in the mass market have access to the product and brand at a variety of price points thereby threatening to erode Apple’s smartphone market dominance.
In analysing the techniques utilised by Apple to market the iPhone, this case study will assess the effectiveness of its segmentation, target market and positioning strategy which has evolved from a targeted approach to a mass market strategy. This paper will look at the implications of this to its selected target markets and how the iPhone is subsequently positioned to these consumers. Moreover the nexus between needs theory, social identity and brand positioning is explored to understand how the iPhone has built a loyal customer base and some of the challenges this might now present with the iPhone being targeted to the mass market.
Finally this case study dissects how Apple recognises and capitalises on the behavior of its consumers throughout the buying decision process for the iPhone. In exploring this, the case study examines how Apple has leveraged sociological and psychological patterns in its consumers to build its brand personality and to penetrate the market. The marketing and commercial
INTRODUCTION
This case study examines Apple Inc and aims to deconstruct how Apple has employed a variety of marketing techniques to understand its customers and deliver the iPhone to the global mass market. The iPhone has revolutionised the smartphone market through savvy customer driven product design and effective marketing. Bajarin (2011, p.1) suggests that with the global smartphone category projected to grow at 49.2% over the next five years, Apple faces the challenge of mitigating market share loss in an environment where competitors are now able to offer a comparable operating system in Android. Moreover with Android’s open system which allows it to partner with global device manufacturers such as Samsung and HTC, a greater volume of consumers in the mass market have access to the product and brand at a variety of price points thereby threatening to erode Apple’s smartphone market dominance.
In analysing the techniques utilised by Apple to market the iPhone, this case study will assess the effectiveness of its segmentation, target market and positioning strategy which has evolved from a targeted approach to a mass market strategy. This paper will look at the implications of this to its selected target markets and how the iPhone is subsequently positioned to these consumers. Moreover the nexus between needs theory, social identity and brand positioning is explored to understand how the iPhone has built a loyal customer base and some of the challenges this might now present with the iPhone being targeted to the mass market.
Finally this case study dissects how Apple recognises and capitalises on the behavior of its consumers throughout the buying decision process for the iPhone. In exploring this, the case study examines how Apple has leveraged sociological and psychological patterns in its consumers to build its brand personality and to penetrate the market. The marketing and commercial
References: Kotler, P & Keller KL (2009), Marketing Management, 13th edn, Pearson Education Inc, New Jersey.