One of Apple’s Ingenious Marketing Strategies

On Tuesday, September 12, Apple announced the new iPhone 15, with a never-before-seen feature: a better camera. Apple enthusiasts, desperate to get their hands on the brand-new, eye-catching iPhone, flocked to the Apple store, prepared to test out the new iPhone’s “no-need-to-spend-money-on-a-phone case” quality. To add to the excitement (and the disappointment), Apple has also released a new watch, the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which is pretty hard to distinguish from the Ultra 1.

A close family member of mine had pre-ordered the iPhone 15 and was set to pick it up on Friday, September 22, and I, wondering how different this new iPhone would be, decided to come along. Before even stepping into the Apple store, the lines to pick up the pre-ordered iPhones were overflowing to the point where people with pick-up times later in the day had to wait outside the store. Even in the store, the lines seemed endless. Rows and rows of people waiting for this one life-changing iPhone that happens to be titanium and carbon neutral, but most importantly, it’s Apple.

Apple is a well-known brand that is famous for its cutting-edge technological advancements in not only the field of iPhones but also with computers, watches, and desktops. The company’s signature is always finding better ways to improve their older iPhones. Looking back upon recent years, the iPhone hasn’t undergone many changes. But we’re not here to complain about Apple products being too cliché over the years. We’re here to figure out how Apple is still able to make so much profit and revenue from these repetitive iPhone designs. So the question is, how is Apple so successful in its sales? And the answer to this question lies in their marketing.

When announcing the launch of a new Apple product,  Apple releases a lengthy video called “Apple event” that goes into depth on how their product can be implemented for everyday use. For example, take the Apple Watch: Apple shows scenes of celebrities wearing the watch or going on strolls to complete their step count for the day. Any company can do this but what makes it different from other companies isn’t the watch or product itself but the runner. Yes, the runner! Apple uses noteworthy people such as Serena Williams, Pharrell Williams (wow a lot of Williams!), Jason Moma, Billie Eilish, Kendrick Lamar, and the list goes on and on. My point is that these celebrities are whom a variety of people look up to, so seeing your favorite celebrity using an Apple product can make those varieties of people now Apple customers. 

As seen in the iPhone 15 Apple event, Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer played the role of “Mother Nature” in Apple’s attempts to emphasize how they are changing their phone to be all carbon neutral by 2030. The term, “carbon footprint” essentially means the total amount of greenhouse gasses generated by our daily interactions, such as the emissions of gas cars. Apple turning carbon neutral was a huge step towards balancing the emission of carbon and battling climate change, presently seen in today’s world! 

Fans of Spencer would most likely be inclined to watch the video showcasing Spencer’s incredible acting skills and be informed of Apple’s plans to benefit the ecosystem. This all plays into Apple’s ingenious marketing, as I’m sure you can see by now, the chain effect this would make in more customers now involving themselves in the realm of Apple products.

Though famous actors in commercials play a significant role in Apple’s marketing strategies, Apple has many more factors that lead to its marketing matrix. As seen with huge billboards in populated areas (Times Square) and Apple stores in luxury districts, Apple has implemented a lasting stance in the realm of technology. Including famous actors in commercials to attract an audience of variety is an interesting mind game Apple tends to play on its customers. Is it fair for Apple to essentially “trick” people into buying their products? I hope this article keeps you thinking!

Citations:

“ One Apple’s Ingenious Marketing Strategies .” Apple, Apple Inc., www.apple.com/iphone/. Accessed 12 Oct. 2023. 

Lundstrom, Kathryn. “One of Apple’s Ingenious Marketing Strategies.” Apple’s New Ad, Released Alongside a New Product Drop, Is a Parade of Celebs on Macs, Kathryn Lundstrom, 20 Nov. 2020, www.adweek.com/programmatic/apple-new-ad-parade-of-celebs-on-macs/#:~:text=The%20famous%20faces%20include%3A%20Kendrick,Donald%20Glover%20and%20Iris%20Apfel.

Apple Unveils iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, Press Release, Apple, 12 Sept. 2023, www.apple.com/newsroom/2023/09/apple-unveils-iphone-15-pro-and-iphone-15-pro-max/. 

“One of Apple’s Ingenious Marketing Strategies.” 5th Avenue, Apple Cube Is Back, Press Release, Apple, 19 Sept. 2019, www.apple.com/newsroom/2019/09/apple-fifth-avenue-the-cube-is-back/.