After the recent announcement of the highly anticipated iPad 3, called “iPad”, there has been much consumer buzz. Many of my peers have rushed to pre-order the new apple product, in order to get there “fix”. This really got me thinking, “How is apple able to have this effect on people? And how can it do this, so frequently?”. After watching the new “iPad” trailer, it dawned on me.
Apples so down to earth, common sense brand is what drives this consumer craze. Apples advertising campaigns tend to focus on human emotion, and focus strongly on human interaction and relationships. They have a brand personality about lifestyle; imagination; freedom regained; innovation; hopes, dreams and apsirations; and power-to-the people through technology. This strong brand presents an idea to consumers that conveys simplicity, and yet still seems to be revolutionary. Also, with such strong emotionally charged adds, the company is able to really engage there customer base, causing them to go and run out every couple years to buy the next best apple product in hopes of experiencing once again the “apple dream”.
This exceptionally strong branding move by apple has enabled them to position themselves in such a way in the personal computing and consumer products market that they are able to sell the same style of goods as there competitors, yet they are able to charge a premium price. The “added value” in the premium price that this legion of consumers is paying for is the membership to the “apple lifestyle”, that seems to scream innovation, passion, and freedom. One, for the same price could buy another competitor product, with the same computing power for a largely reduced price. Yet, through doing this, they are losing the value that the apple brand brings in their life.
Apple has got to this point in brand strength through one major tactic, referred to as monolithic branding. Basically, everything that is associated with the organization is branded under the apple brand. This fact right here enables them to really imprint the apple ideal that they so clearly try to express in all of their advertisements in their consumers mind. The past successes and feelings toward those successful apple products is usually then transferred toward the new expected apple product that is going to come out. This positive attitude towards the new product causes it to be under high demand.
Although this monolithic branding has greatly helped apple in its pursuit, it can also have a negative impact as well. This possible negative that I am referring to is the fact that since such great, innovative things are expected from all of the apple products, the apple organization has to follow through on this promise. If, apple is not able to deliver the most innovative, elegant product on the market, they could be in serious danger of permanently damaging their product brand reputation, which would drastically hurt their organization as a whole.