Apple Corporate Brand Identity Analysis

This assignment delves into the corporate brand identity of Apple Inc., examining its importance and effectiveness. It analyzes various aspects of Apple's brand, including its strategic positioning, target audience, communication strategies, and overall performance. The report also identifies potential areas for improvement, such as enhancing co-branding efforts, focusing on secondary brand associations, and providing adequate employee training and facilities. Ultimately, the assignment aims to assess Apple's current brand standing and provide recommendations for future growth and development.

Running head: Brand Management
Brand Management

Brand Management
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................3
Corporate brand identity..............................................................................................................................3
Why brand identity is important..................................................................................................................3
Background of Apple brand.........................................................................................................................4
Part A...........................................................................................................................................................4
Apple products............................................................................................................................................4
Target customers.........................................................................................................................................4
Competitors and geographical performance...............................................................................................4
Apple’s Points of difference and points of parity.........................................................................................5
Positioning statement.................................................................................................................................6
Apple brand performance............................................................................................................................6
CBBE model of Apple Inc...........................................................................................................................7
SWOT analysis of Apple Inc.......................................................................................................................7
Part 2...........................................................................................................................................................8
Suggestions for future performance of Apple brand....................................................................................8
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................9
References.................................................................................................................................................10
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Brand Management
Introduction
The report talks about the corporate brand identity and brand performance. Apple Company has
been selected to explain the brand identity and performance. Apple Inc. is one of the biggest
brands in the world. The report presents a brief overview of the apple brand strategies and it also
explains the SWOT and CBBE model of this company. Another side, it provides some
suggestions for future performance of the Apple Inc.
Corporate brand identity
Corporate brand identity is the combination and arrangement of a company logo which includes
typestyle, logo visual, and name, tagline and description statement used with a company logo
that communicates a three and four words message about the company business and values
(Hatch & Schultz, 2008).
Why brand identity is important
The brand identity plays a significant role for every company. The significant of brand identity
are discussed as below:
Personality: A brand identity presents the values and personality of the company brand.
Therefore brand identity should be effective to communicate the corporate overall message and it
should promote the business goals.
Consistency: The corporate brand identity creates and develops a consistent message in the
market. Hence, it plays important role to maintain consistency in the market.
Differentiation: A brand identity helps to differentiate the company business from the
competition.
Awareness: A brand identity creates and increases awareness of the customers in the market.
Loyalty: An effective and valuable brand identity can help to build and maintain loyalty and trust
among customers (Heding, Knudtzen & Bjerre, 2008).
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Brand Management
Background of Apple brand
Apple brand has been selected for this report. Apple Inc. is an American multinational
technology corporation which was founded by Apple Steven Wozniak and Steven Jobs on 3
January 1977. It provides innovative and effective products and services to customers. The apple
logo is one of the best logos around the world. It is the ninth biggest company in the world by
revenue (Hayes & Kruger, 2014).
Part A
Apple products
The Apple products include iMac, iPod, Apple II, iTunes music store, iBook, iPhone
Smartphone, iPad tablet computer, the Mac personal computers, Titanium power book G4, Apple
watch and keynote. Apple branding strategy focuses and monitors on the emotions. It provides
online services also such as iCloud, iOS app store, iTunes Store, and Mac app store and apple
music. After Samsung, it is the second largest company in mobile phone manufacturer. It enjoys
largest brand loyalty in the world (Montgomery, 2008).
Target customers
Teenagers, adults, business people, young children and kids are considered the target customers
of Apple Company. Teenagers and college students use iPods and pads for many reasons.
Business people use apple products to finish the work with more efficiently and to communicate
and converse with clients. Adults use Apple products for daily routines work such as calls,
phone, map, directions, cameras and internet connections. Apple target customers’ play
significant role by revenue and profits perspective of the company (Gandomi & Haider, 2015).
Competitors and geographical performance
There are many competitors of Apple Inc. and the company always tries to beat and overcome on
its competitors. Google is the most important competitor in real term of Apple Inc. Samsung also
considers the biggest competitor of Apple Company because Samsung steals the ideas and plans
of apple company, reproduce them and sell them products less than Apple prices. Samsung is
producing TV, Tablet, and smartphones at lower standard and prices than apple and Ipads.
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PayPal, amazon.com, Dell, Google, and Microsoft are the other competitors of Apple company.
It plays important role in Smartphone industry. In this industry there are various competitors of
Apple Inc., they are such as Nokia, Microsoft, HTC, Blackberry, Samsung, and Google. On the
other side, Apple measures the geographical performance of the company. The geographical
performance of apple is unique and effective compared to other competitors. Apple has an
excellent executive management team and it makes an effective business strategy to expand its
business. The geographical performance plays a significant role in the progress of Apple Inc. It
uses some geographical models also to measure the performance of the business as well as
employees (De Wit & Meyer, 2010). The apple revenues and geographical segment revenue for
the fiscal year were approx 2015 $234 billion revenues and Net profit of $53 billion.
Apple’s Points of difference and points of parity
Apple’s points of difference focus on discussing how iPhone 6 plus competes with other Android
Smartphone brands areas that generate a point of difference for the brand. While points of parity
focus on discussing how and why iPhone 6 competes with other Smartphone brands in all the
areas that generate a point of parity for the product and brand.
The point of difference makes the product unique and effective from other competitors in the
same product group towards benefits and attributes. It means consumers do not find the same
products in another competitive brand. On the other hand, the point of parity does not make the
product unique and effective compared to the other brands (Shneiderman, 2010).
Positioning statement
Positioning statement refers to the values and significance proposition plans of product to the
target market. Positioning implements all the key elements of the marketing mix such as price,
product, place, and promotion. The company makes good vision and mission statement to the
progress of the company. Positioning is the process of identifying and analyzing an appropriate
and suitable market for the product and services (Gupta, 2014).
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Apple brand performance
Apple company uses the Apple brand to become compete and successful across the various
competitive market in the world. The demand for Apple products is increasing day by day. It
offers good customer services by selling its product in the market (De Chernatony, 2010). It is
using innovative and excellent technology for products to attract its customers. The Apple
iPhone sales are showing in below diagram which is increasing year by year.
(Source: Business Insider, 2016)
A survey is being conducted about the Apple smart phones. There are some general and specific
questions have been given here to conduct the survey. They are discussed as below.
General questions
Question 1: Have the people purchased the product from Apple Inc.?
Question 2: Are they satisfied with the product quality?
Specific questions
Is Apple Inc better, the same, or worst than other brands?
Why do persons think Apple’s products are more popular than competitors?
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Brand Management
5 person opinions have been taken to answering these above-mentioned questions which are
discussed as below.
Person 1: The first person answers that he has purchased the products of Apple Inc and he is
fully satisfied the services of Apple Inc. In his opinion, apple brand is the best brand than other
brands in the world. He tells that apple products are much better than other products.
Person 2: The second person tells that he has not purchased Apple Inc. products but he has heard
the services of Apple Inc. So he wants to purchase the products of Apple in future. But he thinks
that apple brand is good than others.
Person 3: The third person gives the unique and different opinion that he does not want to use the
Apple products due to high prices of the brand. So he will not buy the Apple products in future.
Person 4: The fourth person tells that features of Apple Inc. are not good than other brands like
Samsung, Microsoft. There are some limited features available in Apple products.
Person 5: The fifth person shares his opinion that services of Apple products are good but too
much costly. So he suggests that Apple Inc. should reduce the prices of products.
CBBE model of Apple Inc.
The customer brand based equity model is developed by the Kevin Lane Keller. It is the way to
analyze and identify the value of the specific brand in the minds of consumers. It increases the
popularity of the apple brand and increases the options of profitability of the brand. This model
gives guidance to Apple managers for analyzing the marketing programs which can be helped to
improve the values of the company brand. If the company has effective CBBE model then it can
achieve the higher profit and revenue and it can achieve the goals, vision, and mission of the
company. This model is essential for the successful brand management. There are four factors
CBBE model such as brand loyalty, brand awareness, brand association and perceived quality
(Keller, Parameswaran & Jacob, 2011).
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SWOT analysis of Apple Inc.
The SWOT analysis is very useful to Apple Inc Company to identify and analysis of strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the company. SWOT analysis is used by the managers
and leaders of the Apple Inc. The SWOT analysis of Apple Inc. is discussed as below.
Strengths: SWOT analysis helps to identify and analyze the highest strengths of the company.
There are some strengths of Apple Inc are such as highest profit margins and revenue, strong
brand image and effective innovation process. Apple is known for the innovative and intensive
growth business strategies.
Weaknesses: SWOT also analyzes and identify the weaknesses of the apple company.
Weaknesses create barriers and obstacles in the organization. There are some weaknesses of the
company like high selling prices and cost and limited distribution network. It also imposes
restrictions on the business strategies (Wheelen & Hunger,2011).
Opportunities: The opportunities play a significant role in the business of the company.
Opportunities affect the business strategies of the association. There are some significant
business opportunities of Apple Inc. which are discussed as below.
 Creation and formation of new product lines
 Distribution expansion network
 Rising demands for Smartphone and tablets
Through the opportunities, the company can expand and explore its business and various
products. The company can beat and overcome on competitors through these effective
opportunities.
Threats: SWOT analysis of apple identifies and focuses on the threats which present in the
market and environment. The threats of the company are such as imitation and aggressive
competition. All these threats influence the growth of the business. So the company should take
suitable and appropriate actions to prevent all these threats (Thompson & Martin, 2010).
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Part 2
Suggestions for future performance of Apple brand
There are some suggestions are providing for the successful future performance of the apple
brand. They are discussed as below.
 The company should make good and innovative marketing strategies to take the benefits
of the brand and it must develop some new products also. The company should make
unique vision and mission statement for the growth of the business.
 A generalized company mission and vision should be implemented at every age of the
hierarchy.
 The company should develop the innovative culture for the employees and members
within the organization.
 It should shift and assign more responsibilities to COO for the future transition.
 Apple Inc. should explore and expand various retail channels to maximize and achieve
potential sale and profit and it should minimize the various risks in growing market.
 It should build and maintain brand reputation, loyalty, and trust for the achievement of
goals and objectives in the future.
 The company should expand and develop new products and services and it should
maintain good communication with investors (Guffey & Loewy, 2010).
 The company should maintain good economic position to increase its market share in the
market.
 It should improve its website sale system to create and maintain convenience for its
customers.
 It should reduce the prices of products and it should maintain the same quality standards.
 The company should focus on the differentiated lifestyle branding of the products.
 It should improve the quality and standard of products and services and the company
should improve the brand position and it should expand its business through geographical
basis (Coronel & Morris, 2016).
 It should invest highly amount in the business to expand its market and it should create
and develop effective opportunities to local professionals in their countries which would
provide support to real customers for accumulating the needs and requirements.
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Brand Management
 It must produce and develop customized products and services so the people can use
them globally.
 It should not waste the resources and it should provide medical facilities to employees so
than perform good work.
 A global communication process should be introduced by the company to communicate
with investors and shareholders.
 The company should provide adequate and regular training to employees and it should
provide proper facilities to employees.
 It should enhance the co-branding to reduce the cost of products.
 It should critically focus and evaluate the secondary brand association, point of parity,
point of difference and different target groups (Osterwalder & Pigneur, 2010).
Conclusion
The report is based on the corporate brand identity of Apple Company. It explains the
significance of corporate brand and its performance. Now it is concluded that Apple Inc. is
performing good work day by day but still some improvements are needed. The company should
develop new technologies and it should produce some new and innovative products.
References
Coronel, C. and Morris, S., 2016. Database systems: design, implementation, & management.
Cengage Learning.
De Chernatony, L., 2010. From brand vision to brand evaluation: The strategic process of
growing and strengthening brands. Routledge.
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De Wit, B. & Meyer, R., 2010. Strategy: Process, content, context. Cengage Learning EMEA.
Gandomi, A. and Haider, M., 2015. Beyond the hype: Big data concepts, methods, and
analytics. International Journal of Information Management, 35(2), pp.137-144.
Guffey, M.E. and Loewy, D., 2010. Business communication: Process and product. Cengage
Learning.
Gupta, R.K., 2014. Secrets of Building a World Class Brand. Siddhant-A Journal of Decision
Making, 14(4), pp.344-356.
Hatch, M.J. and Schultz, M., 2008. Taking brand initiative: How companies can align strategy,
culture, and identity through corporate branding. John Wiley & Sons.
Hayes, A.W. & Kruger, C.L. eds., 2014. Hayes' principles and methods of toxicology. Crc Press.
Heding, T., Knudtzen, C.F. & Bjerre, M., 2008. Brand management: Research, theory and
practice. Routledge.
Keller, K.L., Parameswaran, M.G. & Jacob, I., 2011. Strategic brand management: Building,
measuring, and managing brand equity. Pearson Education India.
Montgomery, C.A., 2008. Putting leadership back into strategy. Harvard business review, 86(1),
p.54.
Osterwalder, A. and Pigneur, Y., 2010. Business model generation: a handbook for visionaries,
game changers, and challengers. John Wiley & Sons.
Shneiderman, B., 2010. Designing the user interface: strategies for effective human-computer
interaction. Pearson Education India.
Thompson, J.L. and Martin, F., 2010. Strategic management: Awareness & change. Cengage
Learning EMEA.
Wheelen, T.L. and Hunger, J.D., 2011. Concepts in strategic management and business policy.
Pearson Education India.
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