Apple Positioning Statement

Apple Positioning Statement. Apple is the brand for everyone and anyone that satisfies the need to have the latest technological advances by offering products that look good but are also fun, faster, lighter, and thinner. According to Kapferer, “Positioning does not reveal all of the brand’s richness of meaning nor reflect all its potential” (Kapferer, 2007, p177). His model, “For What? Whom? When? and Against whom? ” (Appendix Two), restricts brands as soon as they begin answering the four questions. This type of strategy has a differential technique suited to companies relying on their USP to compete against market leaders.
The questions fail to fully encapsulate a brand and take away the identity, making it hard to distinguish between brands targeting the same people with similar products, such as Pepsi and Coca-cola. The positioning statement, based on Elliot and Percy’s model “To (target segment and need) our (brand) is (concept) that (point of difference/benefit. )”(Rosenbaum-Elliot, Percy & Pervan, 2011) was chosen because it is a central positioning strategy which market leaders mainly use.

What is a good positioning statement?

Apple has demonstrated its superiority with boastful statements, including, “It’s the most amazing iPhone yet” (Apple, 2012), which is why a model that communicates the utmost benefit has been chosen. Although it can be hard to summarize a brand’s characteristics into one sentence, Apple’s outgoing, straight-to-the-point attitude would be more suited to Percy’s positioning model. Apple’s competition is challenging to pin down because, in the past years, it would be argued that Apple would be rivaling companies such as Dell as a PC manufacturer.

Dell’s brand positioning appears to be a differential strategy focusing on its USP that you obtain the computer “Direct from Dell. ” (Dell et al., 1999). This differs from Apple because Dell focuses its marketing on people who specifically want or need a computer, spending limited time and energy on those not interested. Apple uses a different technique by having a broader target market advertising that their product is for everyone and anyone. “Everyone should have a notebook this advanced. And now everyone can.
” (Apple, 2012). Although Apple’s target market is more significant, both companies are successful because they both use their primary attribute, reassurance of quality. This psychological acquisition has been obtained through the alleged added value created from good experiences consumers have encountered throughout their trading years. Recently, Apple has reached out considerably into online media (iPhones, iTunes), which has put them into a new competitive market with Blackberry and other mobile companies alike trying to be the best.
To understand consumers’ perception of Apple, a brief survey (Appendix Three) was handed out to several randomly selected participants of all ages to ascertain their opinions of the brand. As Apple is accessible to all ages, there was no limitation to whom the survey was handed out, except younger children who would not have to comprehend what was being enquired. The following information is a tiny sample of the population, meaning that the results do not represent the population as a whole.
The brand analysis uses theoretical concepts to piece a picture together in understanding what a brand is. The brand analysis looks into different aspects, such as brand identity, culture, and mantra, to investigate the brand involved in identifying its strengths and weaknesses. The primary concept that is important to all companies is brand personality, which personifies a brand name that enables consumers to relate to a brand personally.

Apple Inc. Industry Analysis Business Policy and Strategy

Example of brand personality traits includes sincere, impulsive and imaginative. Blackston (1992) argues that “a brand relationship includes the two components of trust and customer satisfaction. ” (Glynn, 2009). Brand personality enables consumers to reach self conceptualization through the personification of the brand. Therefore customer satisfaction is obtained by perceiving and reacting to the brand while the brand behaves and responds to the consumer.
Apple is great at reacting to customers because former co-founder Steve Jobs focused on giving the customers what they never knew they needed. Apple completely changed how we use music players and phones. The personification of Apple is supported within the evidence gathered from question nine in the survey “How would you describe Apple? ” All the vocabulary used told the brand as if it were a person, such as innovative, stylish and most popularly creative.