Apple targeted businesses since the beginning with their Mac. Producers, Artists, Graphic designers seemed to prefer their product when they actually got to experience it and see everything they had to offer for their business. Lately we have seen companies making the transitions from Blackberry to iPhones, from PC's to Apple Computers and even iPads are very popular among businesses that use hand held devices to maintain better communication with their employees.
Apple has also made their way into institutions such as Schools, Universities, Hospitals. Being that their product tend to be more durable and have better warranty these institutions are bringing in Apple products when is time to replace old ones. We can see the change happening right at our own college, many of the lab rooms at BMCC are now equipped with Apple computers.
Apple has definitely made their way to businesses not only from the music industry and Arts but from every kind that has technology needs from a phone being that now iPhones are available in different Mobile companies not only AT&T, to computers and Tablets.
\ When you walk into their stores there are specialist just for businesses needs usually wearing black shirts, also their website has a site for them too accommodating to their needs.
According to our textbook Market Segment is a subgroup of people or organizations sharing one or more characteristics that cause them to have similar product needs. When Apple designs their product they have their Target Market in mind at all times. Unlike other companies that try to put everything together in one product or should I say the needs of many target markets in once product Apple stays true to their consumers and keeps their quality, uniqueness and elegance the same or they actually improve it. Sale of the others products might show that Apple is decreasing and by other products I mean the sale of the Samsung Galaxy against Apple's iPhone but when we look at profit and number and tittles Apple has only rise worldwide using demographic settings, age, culture, ethnicity and more. Having their product in different language , having their feature " siri " talk in many languages shows why Apple has become a successful worldwide company. Recently Apple took the number one spot from Coca Cola and that definitely shows that they are here to stay with their innovative Products.
Aside from targeting and segmenting us the " regular " people with their gorgeous products Apple has an even bigger Market and those are professional, not only business people but the Art side of business. Their iPods and Macs are designed to go beyond and artist prefer their product to create their work. Even though at the beginning these products were targeted to the mentioned market above Apple as been able to make their product appeal not only to them but to everyone . Age, Culture, demographics is not such barrier for Apple anymore for every single product can appeal to anyone at any age from any culture and at any part of the world.
A new product takes a very long time to come to life and when we are getting a new product on the market chances are the company is already working on or has already been working on a new one. Products define a company and if your products are as good as you claim they are and live up to the public's expectations then that company is very likely to succeed.
Apple has been known for their product development and how exciting it is for their fans every time a new product is launched. By having unique and luxurious products Apple makes you proud in owning one of their product and make their fans go " crazy " for them to the point of making lines for days outside of their stores.
Apple is one of the most the innovative company there is and they know their consumers well and give them what they want every single time no matter which product is launched, from their iPhones to their iPads to their Macs. They never fail to impress a big part of their Market.
Apple is knowing by its high standard, and as mentioned on my previous blog, for their uniqueness. Social Media is not something they wanted to change I assume. When you go to almost every website there many icons where you can click to " share " the product or their page on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest .. the list goes on, and they are usually visible. If you go to the Apple website, you can say that the feature does not exist even though it does. Being that they keep their image as high end, maybe all those little icons might seem " tacky " in such website.
The lack of use of social media has obviously not impacted Apple in any way. Apple's executive do not blog and barely use twitter and most certainly are going around advertising their Facebook Pages. Steve Job didn't even have a Twitter though their new CEO created one but as said above barely makes any use of it.
As big as social media is these days Apple has not gotten to the point of using it and as we all know, it has not made a difference in their sale. I believe Apple's customer to the marketing for them by posting pictures of their new bough Apple products and talking about them to friends, family and on the social networks.
Apple's key to their success has been their uniqueness.When you buy any of their product you know that you can't get anything like it at another place. From their high end physical materials to their unique software. Their " Think Different " campaign definitely relates to their products, when you are using any of them you are required to think different.
Apple's has made their homework to make complex simple. Their products are simple to use but at the same time you look at it and it may seem complex which is what makes them different. Steve Job once said " the best technology is invisible, things work like magic " and many of the features of the Apple's software makes you feel like that. Apple has been very unique and different from their competitors and have stayed on top of their game even when not everyone agree on their uniqueness. One thing is certain, UNIQUE has worked for them .
Apple's logo is recognized worldwide without needing to put their name under it. When you go to their retail Store most of them if not all of them only have their " APPLE " logo in the front which lets us know how successful they are. They take branding to another level from their logo, their retail store, online store and all the way to how their products are packed. The Apple experience does not end on the purchasing, the unpack-aging experience is pretty amazing as well.
In order to be successful selling a product a company's personal selling must be at its best.
When you walk into any Apple retailer, or at least from my experience, all the employees are hands on with the products. One must know the product very well in order to have the " personal selling " side of their company well managed.
Apple trains their employees to make their customers feel at home and even when you are not buying they make you feel very important. When you buy an Apple product their employees make you feel as if your coming into a new family where you are going to be taken care of as long as the life of the product and I believe they stay true to that . +
Apple's Genius Bar is a key element to their selling, I personally buy their product because there is a comfort in knowing that if anything is wrong with the product you purchase you can just make an appointment or walked into one of their retail store.
Even before getting to the point of using the Genius Bar, when you buy a product Apple as stations set up so that the representative that assisted you in your purchase can help you set up the product. Apple also has workshops to help you learn how to use the product you purchase and how to transition from Microsoft Products to their Mac software.
I've always said that if a company can be recognized only by its logo, it means that they have been very successful not only in sale but their marketing-advertising department has been as well. Apple is one of those companies that are recognized just by their logo. Apple advertisements are simple but just like their product they catch your eyes by how delicate and sophisticated they appear to be.
Apple uses slogans within their advertisement a lot, and they seem to stay in your head or you might find your saying them when a commercials comes on. The " Think Different " Slogan was a big one between 1997-2002. This slogan was created in their New York Office and it was used in different commercials and in many printed advertisements until Apple came up with the next Slogan, " SWITCH " which was about making the switch from Windows platform to Mac.
For the iPod and iTunes apple uses silhouettes on their TV commercials and on their printed ones of people listening to the product and dancing, you don't even have to see their logo to know that is an Apple advertisement. On their printed advertisement apple tends to get a big spot or several spots in one location so their advertisement is all you see.
Apple has encountered criticism about their advertisements and sometimes selling a product advertising one thing and they don't perform what they offer. They had a incident in Australia with their iPads that ended up in lawsuit since they kept advertising the 4G and they were not compatible with any carrier in the country at the time. Apple spends millions in marketing but at the end of the day we can see why they spend so much money, their advertisement are " very elegant and precised "
The Apple stores doesn't have a lot of " Sales " their prices are what they are from the beginning. There are a few offers that come within buying a product for example they have a " Back to School " Promotion that happens yearly. Every year the offers changes between a few options, sometimes it is buy a Mac and get a free iPod Touch or something towards their sales to which is a iTunes/App Store Gift card. Also Students always get about $100.00 off their Mac products.
Throughout the years Apple has opened many
" Apple Stores " making their retail side bigger and bigger. As of
summer 2013 there are 415 retail store in 13 countries, 253 of them are in the
United States then the rest are in Canada, Australia, France, Italy, Gemany,
Spain, China, Japan and a few other countries. If there is an Apple Store it
means that their customers percentage is big in those countries. In 2011 they
had a global sale total of $16 Billion dollars leading the retail market that
year.
Many Apple Stores are found inside shopping
mall but the ones in New York City
as mainly stand alone stores. I've visited their stores a couple of times,
specially the beautiful and very good located Fifth Avenue store around 59th Street.
The very moment you walk by this store you want to go inside. Its architecture
catches the eyes of locals and tourists. When you come in the store you feel as
you are in a very high end retail store, though many of their stores are very
nice and they all have almost the same designs, this one in particular is
different, I think the fact that is on Fifth Avenue has to do with it. It has
glass stairs and elevator, while you are entering the store you can see all of
their products and have an image of the whole store.
As soon as you come in there are a few
" Specialists " greeting and asking if they can help you with
anything or directing you towards any product or services you want. Their
employee are easy to identify for they wear a bright solid colored shirt with
their logo in white so the annoying " do you work here ? " question is
out of the picture. Their store is very well organized by having tables with
many of the same product in order for customers to be able to experience the product,
there are no
"dummy " versions of their
products, which leads to more purchases being that this shows that they are
very confident of their product.
When you buy any of their products there is
a table for set ups, one of their specialist is available to help you to start
up your new gadget. Apple retail stores also offer one on one or groups
introductions, giving you all the information you need to start using their
unique products.
Purchased an Apple product online or at a store?
your experience doesn't stop there. Apple has a great customer service area for
technical support at their retail store: the Genius Bar. You can walk in and
bring your questions, technical and physical problems with you Apple product
and they will have a solution, even though sometimes it means paying more
money. The Fifth Avenue
store in particular is very busy and for a better customer service they offer
Genius Bar appointments and when you walk in at the time of your appointment
you just have to check in with a specialist or even on your own phone with
their own App.
Even thought their products can be expensive
it doesn't stop thousands of people from purchasing them daily.
Apple has different products that lets costumers have
more option for their needs and their wants,
from different styles to different sizes of the same product as well, which
is accommodating to their customers desires.
The stimulus that affects consumers on purchasing
Apple products is the sight. Apple has a way to make their product unique and
their design standards are very high. They've been turning the every day
products we use into something that I like to call it beautiful. Their
finishing touches to all of their product, not only on the inside but on the
outside, it has been key to their success. Apple focuses their attention to the
whole product, from their operating systems to their amazing designs and you
can definitely see that in every
single one of their products.
When buying Apple products, personally I've had
different consumer decision makings. It has all depended on which product I've
bought. my first apple product was an iPod Nano. I did almost no research to
get this product because almost everyone around me had it and they loved, also
it wasn't worth hundreds of dollars. My second Apple product was a Mac Book Pro,
needless to say I had an extensive decision making when purchasing this
product, not only it is something I use a lot but the price was over the 1,000
mark and when buying something at this price I see it as investment and at the
end it was a great one. The customer service that Apple offers has a big impact
on my decision to buy their product, I might not need it as often but when I
do, it is pretty great . I would say Apple justifies their prices and makes the
decision making process a lot easier.
Demographics has a lot to do with the " consumer
decision making " for the age , the place and culture of someone can
affect what they buy. Generation Y and Tweens are very attracted to Apple, for
them it is more of a trend now also. Apple has found a way to make it through
businesses .
Apple has made their product unique which also helps
the process of making the decision of buying any of their products.
Apple's global demand for their products have gone up over the years significantly. Apple's main market started here in the United States since it is an American company but they have been focusing on expanding their market to the world. They have been building up worldwide by opening " Apple Stores " . Apple has been very successful at making customers satisfied over the world because of their great customer service, and how they make their customer feel valuable. Apple's unique and advance technology has attracted the world market, therefore I believe their global marketing has succeeded.
One of the ways apple has reached their worldwide target market is by having their products available in different languages, adjusting to ones need. In 2012 the apple website had 126 countries to choose from if you wanted an iPhone or any Apple product. The latest iPhone 5S and 5C are launching in another 36 countries by the end of this month. Apple has about 400 stores and approximately 130 of them are outside of the United States, Apple revenue is around 40% USA and 60% outside of the USA. The past year hasn't been the greatest for some part of world for apple but nevertheless has it been loss.
. " While Apple’s revenue in the Americas grew 43 percent, and Japan jumped 113 percent, Europe grew a relatively anemic 8 percent, to just over $8 billion. Asia Pacific — which includes China — must have had some very poor performers, since even with China’s 26 percent jump the region grew only 15 percent."
Even though I really like Apple and all of its product there is one thing I am against of, and that is outsourcing all of their manufacturing jobs. When you turn your Apple product and read their small imprint you will read " Designed by Apple in California, Assembled in China " . This is a problem we have with many American companies and the reason Apple gives for outsourcing their jobs is that " The infrastructure and labor force doesn't exist at the levels necessary to support Apple's operations " They say that even the largest city in the United States is not capable of handling their manufacturing need.
Apple sure does know their target market. They have a very wide target for they try to attract teenagers with their iPod and even iPhone, business people are using iPhones and iPads, many corporations provide their employees with these gadgets instead of the very popular Blackberry that was mainly used by business people, college students with their Mac and even Kids though they obviously not able to purchase they attract them and parents end up buying for them . Though personally I don't believe Apple products are kids friendly many people are actually purchasing, specially iPads . Their demographics mainly goes from Teens to Gen X but as time passes they have attracted Tweens and even baby boomers !
Many people complain on the fact that Apple comes out with a new version of their products often I believe is very necessary in order to be able to keep up with their biggest competition, Android. Even with those complains Apple keeps breaking record almost every time a new product is introduced, for example last week the new iPhone 5S was released and in less than one hour it was sold out. The Monday after its release Apple announced that they had a $9 Million sale throughout the weekend.
Apple has been able to attract many markets not only age wise but ethnic markets also. The Apple madness is not only an United State's, they have been successful worldwide. As the textbook say, by 2050 one in three residents in the US will be Hispanic therefore many companies have to find a way to reach out to different cultures and languages. Nothing proves more their worldwide success than today's News.
"Apple Bumps Coca Cola to become world's Top Brand " after 13 years Coca-Cola held the number one spot and today Apple made it to that number one spot.
I believe Luxury is Apple's main focus, therefore people who owned an apple product are considered middle or upper income people. The presentation of their products sells, even their packaging is neat and at an upper end of the Market from their products to their customer services.
We believe in accountability - four suppliers and for ourselves
" By vigorously enforcing our Supplier Code of Conduct, we ensure that our suppliers follow the same principles and values we hold true. We collaborate with experts in areas such as human rights and the environment to conduct comprehensive, in-person audits deep into our supply chain. When we uncover problems, we work with our suppliers to fix them."
Apple's code of conduct and social
responsibility are posted on their website along with reports from their yearly
audits and their claims on how they take the environment into considerations
when producing their products.
The Apple Supplier Code of Conduct.
TheApple
Supplier Code of Conductis based
on standards created by the International Labor Organization, the United
Nations, and theElectronic
Industry Citizenship Coalition (EICC). It requires suppliers to provide safe
and healthy working conditions, to use fair hiring practices, to treat their
workers with dignity and respect, and to adhere to environmentally responsible
practices in manufacturing. But our Code goes beyond industry standards in a
number of areas, including ending involuntary labor practices and eliminating
underage labor. To make sure suppliers adhere to the Code, we have an
aggressive compliance-monitoring program that includes Apple-led factory audits
and corrective action plans, and confirmation that these plans have been
carried out.
Workplace ethics and protection for whistle-blowers.
To conduct a thorough
audit, suppliers must give our auditors access to factories and provide them
with accurate documents and record-keeping processes for review. Our auditors
are skilled in identifying circumstances where a supplier may be providing false
information or preventing access to critical documents — both of which are core
violations of our Supplier Code of Conduct. Coaching workers on what to say
during an interview and retaliation against workers for participating in an
audit interview are also core violations.
Apple’s
commitment to environmental responsibility.
At Apple, we take responsibility for
minimizing the environmental impact of our operations and products, and our
suppliers must take responsibility for their operations as well. They must
comply with local laws and regulations and use environmentally responsible
manufacturing processes wherever Apple products are made We report on our total carbon footprint
— and we’re one of very few companies to do so. We manage our overall footprint
by comprehensively measuring and reporting the impact of our own operations and
our products
Making working conditions safer.
To reduce the
risk of hazards in the workplace, suppliers must provide proper protective
gear, guardrails, safety harnesses, and other safety equipment, as well as
comprehensive, up-to-date training for workers. And we go even further. In many
cases, we review new materials and manufacturing processes to assess potential
risks and take appropriate action before they are introduced to the supply
chain. When we discover a problem — during an audit or through one of Apple’s many
onsite employees — we require immediate correction, and we look for ways to
expand safety procedures and practices in all similar facilities.
Although
the code of conduct seems comprehensive, concrete standards or measurements
used in the auditing process should be revealed. Also, the audit result should
be shown with more details, such as the audit result of individual suppliers
and how many businesses are terminated because of the social responsibility
violations. Only with the above details can the Apple’s report be more
convincing. Finally, Apple should be able to explain how issues like Foxconn
suicides and the use of H-Hexane can happen with all suppliers’ strict
compliance with its code of conduct and how it keeps coming up that their manufacturers exploit employees.
As most of us know or have been hearing about for a few months the new iPhone Models are coming and Apple held a reveal event at their Headquarters in Cupertino, CA. At this event two new iPhone models were announced the new iPhone 5S which out of the two is the product that differentiates since it provides a valuable and unique appearance at a higher price end than the iPhone 5C. Apple has always had competitive advantage not only with their iPhones but with all of their products being that they are perceived as significant and superior to the competition for they are on the higher end, I like to call them Luxurious. There are a lot of new phones coming out that are affecting the sale of Apple for example the new Samsung models therefore Apple knows that they have to keep working on innovating their products as quickly as the other Markets.
Having the competition attack their prices on commercial and also maybe losing customers, they have came up with a cost competitive product starting with an iPad Mini. Though the product still expensive they created a version that is cheaper than their original iPad. By this diversification they started attracting new customers not only because of the cheaper price but because of the size of the new product, which is what made me want to buy it, and also making it more similar to its tablets competitors like Amazon's Kindle and Barnes and Noble's Nook.
Continuing their cost competitive products on September 10th they announced a more affordable iPhone, the iPhone 5C. The Marketing strategy that apple seems to have for this new phone is to target a younger Market by having these new iPhone 5C in different colors and at lower cost but maintaining the satisfaction of their customers by having these product still be some what luxurious. This also makes it more affordable for parents.
Apple's product have been imitated on their physical end resulting in law suits but what makes them sustainable is their Operating Systems with iPhones and Ipads and also with their Mac, they are the only ones to have it and I believe nothing has come close to it.
Apple, Inc. Founders Facts and Trivia: Apple was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, who started working together in 1970 to create a personal computer. The Apple company was incorporated in the state of California on January 3, 1977.
Apple Company Corporation Headquarters: The Apple, Inc. U.S. headquarters is located in Cupertino, California.
The Mission Statement, Global Vision, and Values of Apple, Inc. It was widely reported that a famous quote from Steve Jobs in the 1980's was the Apple company mission statement: "Man is the creator of change in this world. As such he should be above systems and structures, and not subordinate to them." The "official" mission statement on the Apple corporation website, however, is not really a mission statement at all, but rather a list of products and past accomplishments. As stated, Apple's "mission" is… "Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices." Apple ends its press releases with a statement that resembles what a traditional mission statement is expected to be… "Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, creative professionals and consumers around the world through its innovative hardware, software and Internet offerings."
One of Apple's Most popular product is the iPhone which was first announced in 2007. Since then, the popularity of this product has increased for at the beginning only one company had the right to it. Now almost all the cell phone companies carry the very unique phone from older models to the latest iPhone 5. Apple will hold an event on September 10th to reveal their new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.
Apple targeted businesses since the beginning with their Mac. Producers, Artists, Graphic designers seemed to prefer their product when they actually got to experience it and see everything they had to offer for their business. Lately we have seen companies making the transitions from Blackberry to iPhones, from PC's to Apple Computers and even iPads are very popular among businesses that use hand held devices to maintain better communication with their employees. 
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