Apple is one of the leading tech. companies in the world that delivers millions of consumer electronics to customers every year, varying from the iPod Nano, iPhone, iPad to the iMacs. Millions of users eagerly await every year for new product releases that the Cupertino company reveals behind closed curtains. Behind all of these products is the famous designer Sir Jonathan Ive. He has been credited as one of the most influential Britons outside the UK, and is well known and appreciated for his product designs that have become so popular.
On John Webb’s blog of innovation excellence, he comments on the 10 Success Principles of Jonathan Ive. I agree with John’s statement that success comes from Ive allowing Apple products speak for themselves.
Looking at the numerous product offerings that Apple offers, we can see that these products are definitely based on customer orientation. These products are based on what provides the most value to the consumers, and are not necessarily charged at the cheapest price possible. There may be considered a premium just to be able to use Apple products also.
One of the best examples would be the unibody Macbook notebook lineups. Apple’s notebooks are charged at a higher price compared to competitor’s similar offerings. Yet many users opt to purchase Macs instead of PCs. Looking at Apple’s offering, we can see that the Macs provide a simplicity of use from a friendly operating system environment that differs from the competitors. The learning curve of using Macs are very simple and consumers may adapt easily. Many necessary software for the computer to operate are also already included, along with programs already installed to transfer data from the old computer, altogether easing the complications of purchasing a new notebook computer. On the hardware side, the design is simplistic with few knobs, indicators, and sensors around the computer. But the product still provides an elegant, premium, and sturdy feeling from its aluminum unibody design that lives up to Ive’s principles of simplistic design. It could be said that consumers that purchase Apple products must value benefits that cannot be quantified by money alone also, such as simplicity and elegance.
It should not be mistaken that Apple does not do any marketing for its products. In fact, one of the major strengths of Apple has are its marketing capabilities. However, we see that the marketing approach of Apple is not to establish itself as offering the cheapest alternative to consumers, but the company that provides the consumer with the highest quality products that tailor for customer needs. Using this approach, Apple has been generally favored by many consumer electronic users around the world and is one of the most highly regarded corporations around the world. I believe that Apple is the prime example that consumers look for value, whether or not it is explicit or implicit, and not just the cheapest alternative in terms of money. Consumers are willing to pay the premium and wait out for quality products with high value, they do not just follow the laws of the demand curve. Hence, marketing should be based on providing value for the customer, and not purely focusing on money, since we can see that greater success is possible from focusing on what values customers best.
