Apple has over 50% of the smartphone market share in the US despite iPhones costing as much as $1600! One of the big reasons for Apple’s success is its sleek marketing campaigns and ability to get consumers to buy into a lifestyle. In this article, we will explore what makes Apple so good at marketing and show examples of its award-winning campaigns.
1. Apple Is Amazing at Lifestyle Marketing
Lifestyle marketing is all about associating a brand or product with a certain aesthetic or ideal. Apple has done a great job associating the brand with being “cool.” Apple’s lifestyle ads regularly show people enjoying their lives and living life to the fullest while taking full advantage of different Apple products.
The ads are creative and have a unique aesthetic that depicts Apple users as being unique, confident, happy, and willing to think outside the box. It is common to feel a sense of wanting to join in on the fun after watching one of these ads. Apple also does a great job at including a diverse range of people in its ads in a natural way, ensuring that as many people as possible can connect with the brand and envision themselves using its products.
2. Apple Rule at Product Placement
Product placement is a form of indirect advertising where brands pay for their products to be featured in TV shows and movies. It is no accident that your favorite TV or movie character reaches for an iPhone. Apple spends hundreds of millions of dollars on ensuring its products, including Airpods, Macbooks, Apple Watch, and iPhones, appear in the latest and greatest TV shows and movies.
Apple takes it a step further by carefully curating who can and can’t use their products on the big screen. According to Knives Out writer/director Rian Johnson, Apple does not allow villains to use their products in the movie. In Knives Out, several potential suspects use their iPhones throughout the movie. However, the only character who does not use an iPhone is the eventual culprit, played by Chris Evans.
The fact that Apple products are constantly being used by the most aspirational TV and movie stars and that hundreds of millions of people see this further cements Apple products as incredibly desirable. It goes back to simple logic: if Apple is good enough for the movie’s hero, then it surely is good enough for you!
3. Status Symbol
Many people think that low prices should equal more sales and more profits. However, the luxury goods industry completely flips that logic on its head. This is because people like to use status symbols to signal to other people their value and success. Nobody would care about Rolex watches if you could buy them for $200, and everyone had one.
While Apple hasn’t gone as extreme as many traditional luxury goods, its products are still much more expensive than their competitors. iPhones can cost as much as $1600, and MacBooks can be over $3000.
Due to Apple’s high price point, its products have become aspirational. Having a brand new iPhone is now a status symbol and a way to celebrate your success. Apple has also done a great job by releasing new versions every year, so if you want to keep with the Joneses, then you can’t let your iPhone be more than 2 years old!
4. Apple Has Built a Loyal Customer Base
Apple’s marketing is focused on connecting with customers and delivering a consistent message. The result is millions of loyal customers who would never dream of purchasing an Android device. Data visualization is important and shows that Apple has the most loyal smartphone users in the US. It also helps that Apple produces consistently good products – you know exactly what you are getting when you purchase an iPhone or MacBook. The fact that Apple can create such a great customer experience ensures that the thought of switching companies never occurs to many Apple users.
Building customer loyalty is baked into Apple’s marketing philosophy. So much so that Apple’s marketing has been described as cult-like. Apple’s message is about joining the cool kids club and syncing your life with Apple products. For example, you listen to music on your iPhone using your Airpods, can work on your Macbook, and then stream your favorite movie on Apple TV and purchase goods using Apple Pay. This synergy between products combined with lifestyle marketing does wonders for customer loyalty.
5. Apple Deeply Understands Its Customers
A big problem many companies have is developing an accurate customer profile and effectively marketing to these potential customers. Apple, on the other hand, is an absolute master at not only determining who is the best fit for their products but understanding how they make purchase decisions, how they consume media, and where to reach them.
Apple understands that its target audience is upper and middle-class people looking for high-quality products, sleek design, and ease of use. The average Apple user appreciates functionality, but they are open to technical details. They are more focused on a product that looks amazing and does everything they want without much effort.
A big aspect of Apple marketing is constantly showing people having fun and being excited about using Apple products. The company really wants you to associate the products with feelings of positive emotion, and there is much less emphasis on technical capabilities and specific features. However, Apple does make all of this information widely available for users who are motivated by technical specifications.
6. Apple Creates Hype For Its Products
Even if you aren’t in the market for a new iPhone when Apple is gearing up for a new release, you can’t escape the buzz. Everywhere you look – YouTube, social media, and newspapers, you will run into articles, blogs, and videos talking about the latest iPhones.
The number of people Apple can get to think and talk about its products in the lead-up to a release is truly impressive. Virtually everyone on the planet will be aware that Apple is launching a new version of a product, and in marketing, informing people is half of the battle!
Final Thoughts
Apple doesn’t just produce incredible products; it also knows how to market them. Apple’s ability to create a massive loyal following of consumers who have zero intention of ever switching is incredibly impressive.
Despite Apple’s lack of innovation in recent years, its marketing has ensured they continue to grow and dominate the smartphone industry despite being a high-end product.
Comment below what your favorite Apple ad is of all time! We personally love the old-school iPod ads from the early 2000s with the silhouette of people dancing against a bright background!
