In Depth: Apple Ad History and Study of Promotional Mix

I've entered another installment in the In Depth series – In Depth: Ad History and Study of Promotional Mix. I will go through the history of advertising, promotion, and marketing at Apple and the evolution of it. Starting with the text heavy and very informative ads of the 1970's to their most iconic and recognizable campaigns to the sleek ads of present.

The first installment will be the 1970's

Ch. 11 - Developing and Managing Products

Innovation…

Today Apple is clearly the “Most Admired,” the “Most Innovative," and the “Master at Design.” It seems that Apple and innovation are one of the same. The company and it’s products, particularly the iPad have been described as innovative, versatile, groundbreaking, revolutionary, magical…etc. These are not just words used by some clever marketing team at Apple (well…except for ‘magical’ that’s all Steve Jobs), these are words used by those reviewing the products and company.

Innovation is key to new product development and Apple has it nailed! Apple hasn’t necessarily developed products that did not exist before. The iPod wasn’t the first MP3 player, the iPhone wasn’t the first smartphone, and the iPad wasn’t the first tablet! So, what makes Apple so praised? What makes them so “innovative?” 

A Harvard Business Review article says that Greg Joswiak, Apple's vice-president for iPod and iPhone marketing told author in an interview, about Apple's general innovation philosophies. "An overarching theme, is that everything the company researches, develops, and releases is considered for how the tech and design might be reused in the future"

This is not just in esthetic design and compatibility, but also in functional design. While the iPad was a new product, its interface wasn’t new. The iPhone and iPod touch were already very popular products and the way one used an iPad is essentially the same way one would use one of these products, which made this new product much easier to undestand.

Apple is so admired today for it’s innovation, not just because of their products, but the innovative ways they are used and interacted with and all the other innovations they have sparked. Their products have been the catalyst and conduit for much other innovation, such as the many apps developed specifically for the iPad, which did not exist before.

Ch. 16 - Integrated Marketing Communications

"The ultimate goal of any promotion is to get someone to buy a good or service or...to take some action." The AIDA concept outlines the process for achieving promotional goals in terms of stages of consumer involvement with the message.

A= Attention
Apple gets our attention with imagery on their website, publicity, such as the keynotes and stories in largely circulated publications – as a highly anticipated product and being a company people and investors have their eye on, the iPad and iPad 2 where the subject of much publicity – and (to the good fortune of Apple) the many noncorporate blogs (such as MacRumors.com).

I= Interest

D= Desire

A= Action
Seems like Apple did a good job. The first generation iPad sold about 15 million. According to PCMag The iPad 2 has been popular worldwide; analysts estimated that roughly 500,000 units were sold in the first weekend, temporarily driving wait times up to five weeks. The iPad 2 also reportedly sold out overseas within 24 hours. "Digitimes estimates Apple sold around 2.6 million iPad 2s in March. Apple hasn't divulged any official numbers yet, but the company is expected to report sales data in its quarterly earnings call on April 20."

Ch. 10 - Product Concepts

As I've stated before Apple is often in category of it's own when it comes to strategy, advertising, retailing, and products, additionally in the way consumers view Apple and its products. Apple products can not be quite completely pigeonholed into one specific type of product.

The new MacBook Pro - Called "the last notebook you'll ever need" by InfoWorld

An Apple product can be called a shopping product, because it is "more expensive than a convenience product and found in few stores," yet Apple products enjoy the status of specialty products. If one were to call a Mac a "computer," than it could be called a shopping product. It would be a heterogeneous shopping product, because the "prices, quality, and, features [of computers] vary so much." This could be said for someone that is concidering a Mac and might compare it to other computers, but to some to even compare a Mac to other computers would be blasphemy.   

The way Apple has been marketed and branded consumers do have this concept of an Apple product being a specialty product. Those that are Apple users, particularly Mac users are very reluctant to accept substitutes and Apple definitely has an exclusive image. Apple is "cool" – most importantly cooler than the "other guy" – Apple is quality, Apple is "magical" (as Steve Jobs loves to repeatedly tell us). The Apple stores help create this image. They almost have this boutique feel as any exclusive product would, and yet Apple products feel attainable. This is where Apple has achieved greatness and is the envy of many marketing professionals. Although Apple products are more expensive and have this very stylish, elegant, and upscale feel they still feel reachable and accessible to what one might call the "average" person. The products that have helped launch the brand into this status have definitely been the iPhone, iPod (in particular for it was the first Apple product to truly get Apple in everyones sight and hands), and now the iPad.

A magical and revolutionary product at an unbelievable price

Ch. 18 - Sales Promotion and Personal Selling

Marketing managers can use sales promotions to increase the effectiveness of their promotional efforts and to offer incentives to buy. Unfortunately for us (the consumer) Apple does not offer many promotions. Fortunately for Apple, they don't need to! Apple sales are pretty good without aggressive promotional campaigns.

Apple does offer some rebates. You can see current promotions they are offering on the company site. At the moment Apple is offering an online rebate for up to $100 dollars back on a printer with the purchase of a Mac and a mail in rebate of $30 back on iWork and MobileMe software. One of their more popular promotional campaigns has been the "Buy a Mac for college and get a free iPod touch" campaign, which usually runs from late May until mid September. Apple also offers education pricing – discounts for students and faculty. This is a great way to entice the student. A college student that uses a Mac during their time in school is more likely to stay loyal and want to use it for work later, as it will be the product they are most comfortable with.

Talking about sales promotion and personal selling and Apple it is of note to mention Apple sales personnel – Apple Specialist. While the personnel at the stores may not be aggressive sales people or may not fall under the definition of consultative selling, they are there to help you and help make the sale. The selling strategy at Apple is fairly unique and great. While one does not feel pushed to buy plenty of representatives are at the store to make the consumer feel more comfortable and informed about their high value purchase and to answer technical questions. While the Apple Specialist at a store may not be following up on a sale they do help build that relationship between Apple and the consumer that makes Apple customers so loyal.

The Greatest Movie Ever Sold

A documentary about branding, advertising and product placement that is financed and made possible by brands, advertising and product placement.

From Sundance.org:

Acclaimed filmmaker and master provocateur Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me) returns to the Sundance Film Festival with tongue-in-cheek perfection as he examines the world of product placement, marketing, and advertising by making a film financed entirely by product placement, marketing, and advertising.
We live in an age where it’s tough even to walk down the street without someone trying to sell you something. It’s at the point where practically the entire American experience is brought to us by some corporation. Utilizing cutting-edge tools of comic exploration and total self-exploitation, Spurlock dissects the world of advertising and marketing by using his personal integrity as currency to sell out to the highest bidder. Scathingly funny, subversive, and deceptively smart, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold shines the definitive light on our branded future as Spurlock attempts to create the "Iron Man of documentaries," the first ever "docbuster"! He may very well have succeeded.

Step Right Up – Media Remix

Here's a cool video I found for the Tom Waits song, "Step Right Up." It's a great use of other media with the song to convey the message.