Ellen Tsang

I was very saddened when I heard about Steve Job’s death – he was truly a leader of innovation who has undeniably changed our lives and how we interact with technology. As Erin mentioned in her blog, with the passing away of Steve Jobs, many people wondered if Apple would lose its touch (no pun intended).

Up until now, Apple has been extremely successful in positioning and marketing their products. To many marketers, Apple is the very epitome of a supreme brand which has won over the undying loyalty of its many customers. So what are the secrets behind their success?

Elite Brand Positioning

Apple uses premium pricing at the outset of a product’s launch to maximize profits from Innovators and hardcore fans and portray elitism, then discounts later on to target the other market segments. Apple also opened up their own official Apple Retail Stores in key cities over the world in high end shopping areas.

Apple Retail Store on Fifth Avenue, New York

Advertising focused on how consumers interact with the product

Unlike many of its competitors, who use the more-is-better philosophy and often bombard customers with so much information that they are put off, Apple works on the concept that less is more. On one hand, with a clean and intuitive interface, you almost do not need to read the manual to use their products. On the other hand, their commercials are minimalist. Instead of being laden with facts and details, Apple ads show a silhouette of someone rocking out on their iPod with minimal text. Instead of only focusing on the features of their product, Apple focuses on how consumers interact with technology and how our lives could be changed by their product. Their “less is more” marketing strategy allows Apple to really stand out amongst all the clutter we are exposed to everyday.

Hopefully, Apple can carry on Steve Job’s ‘legacy’ as a leader in marketing and innovation.