The reason I mentioned this is because I recalled the conversation last September last year with a friend who just landed at Changi Singapore airport to line up with more than 200 other people, waiting to be bought crazy New iPhone phone. For me, it was a silly concept that why fly from Vietnam to Singapore just to become one of the first to receive the phone. But based on theory of marketing, the Apple frenzy is something to admire.
They have an army of loyal fans that would promote Apple until the cows come home. They buy absolutely everything that they produce, no matter what the cost. In fact, they have made the news once again for topping a poll as the coolest brand in Britain!(1) And I’m struggling to think of another brand that has managed to achieve the same adoration and fan base that this brand has… So how do they do it?
#1. They know good social currency
The company utilises social currency through providing a community of shareable information through its social media such as Facebook, where users can see Apple’s post and pass along knowledge.
#2. They know good triggers
Apple is good at keeping a consistent brand, even though they are always growing, but the changes they make do not break the interface of their overall brand message. This consistency runs on all channels they have. Customers can know it is an Apple ad even before the brand appears on any media channel. This helps Apple maintain relevance with customers. (2)
#3. They create good emotion
Customer creates emotion through demonstrating that customer feels better when having Apple products. That is conveyed through the story they convey throughout the following marketing process. (3)
#4. They build a good story
The story they conveyed during their marketing is a strong story. It shows lifestyle, innovation, passion and style – and why don’t you want to be part of it? It is like an exclusive club with millions of members.
#5. Good practical value.
So when you buy an Apple product, you’re sharing and representing the same ideals that this brand represents. And that is not the only thing that can be pointed out for this. You can see it in the powerful copy they use on their website, stylish images in their advertising and beautifully designed of their products. That’s all about telling a strong story that will make your audience want to be part of every try you make.
#6. Public
Apple regularly posts contact with users and acknowledges their support. By publicity, it encourages users to continue giving feedback, in the hope that they can gain objective feedback on their products from customers.
With these 6 STEPPS, we can see that Apple is using word-of-mouth to increase its relevance in our society today. From there, we can see that Apple always wants to contribute to being a part of the community whether or not we use Apple products.
So what do you think? Does the brand succeed in using the word-of-mouth method and communicating with a large number of customers? Let me know in the comments.
Thank for reading!
(1) Haselton, T 2017, ‘Here’s why people keeping buying Apple products’, CNBC, May 1 2017, viewed April 6 2019, <https://www.cnbc.com/2017/05/01/why-people-keep-buying-apple-products.html>.
(2) Bajarin, T 2012, ‘6 Reasons Apple Is So Successful’, Techland Time, May 7 2012, viewed April 6 2019, <http://techland.time.com/2012/05/07/six-reasons-why-apple-is-successful/>.
(3) Moorman, C 2018, ‘Why Apple Is Still A Greater Marketer And What You Can Learn’, Forbes, Jan 12 2018, viewed April 6 2019, <https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinemoorman/2018/01/12/why-apple-is-still-a-great-marketer-and-what-you-can-learn/#40925c7115bd>.
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