An Examination of Apple's Marketing Strategy and Mix

The provided assignment content explores various aspects of Apple's marketing strategies, focusing on their successful iPhone launch, product reviews, and market trends. The sources discussed include a case study on the iPhone's effective marketing, reports on Apple's work with Cochlear to improve accessibility, and reviews of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. Additionally, articles discuss the company's marketing mix, segmentation strategy, and role in brand building through social media. Furthermore, the content touches upon Apple's history, product launches, and market trends, providing insights into their approach to innovation and strategic management.

Strategic Marketing Management

Table of Contents
Introduction...........................................................................................................................................2
Description of the strategy of launch.....................................................................................................3
Strategy for the launch.......................................................................................................................3
Analysis and recommendation of launch...........................................................................................5
Target market........................................................................................................................................6
Unmet needs..........................................................................................................................................8
The 4P’s of marketing mix....................................................................................................................9
Product..............................................................................................................................................9
Price.................................................................................................................................................10
Distribution......................................................................................................................................11
Promotion........................................................................................................................................11
Brand equity........................................................................................................................................12
AIDA...................................................................................................................................................13
Conclusion...........................................................................................................................................14
References...........................................................................................................................................15
1

Introduction
The report discusses the progress of Apple Company and focus has been paid over the
launch of the iPhone 8 which investigated the features of the phone and the consequences of
it are simultaneously described. The report describes the purpose and the strategy of the
launch of iPhone 8 followed by the target market and before it, the segmentation and
selection of market have been done. The target market of iPhone 8 is the business people,
adults, child, teenagers and colleges. Thereafter the unmet needs are illustrated which was
derived either from the competitors or the expectations of the customers are not met to the
required extent. At the end, the marketing mix of the iPhone is investigated in which the 4Ps
i.e. product, price, place, and promotion are examined in detail to understand the Company
and its product strategy in a better way.
2

Description of the strategy of launch
Apple was founded by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak on April 1, 1976; they started
with the launch of the Apple Computers. Their idea was to create the computer which is
handy and people can use them conveniently at their homes and offices. They started their
business from the small garage and took it to the heights. The vision behind the creation of
Apple is to push the level of creativity and come up with the new set of ideas which prove to
be effective and meaningful for the society. It focuses on the social obligation as well
(Richardson, 2008). Apple is known to be the trendsetter and every now and then the new
feature is introduced which results in the launch of a new model of Apple iPhone. In the
prevailing trend, iPhone 8 has been launched. The feature that iPhone8 consists is adjustable
screen and all glass exterior followed by the wireless charging. The wireless charging is the
major change that twists and turns the technological era (Apple, 2017). The purpose of
launching iPhone 8 is to bring the revolution in the technological field and become the game-
changer in the mobile industry. Steve Jobs launching strategies are counted in the premium
strategies to ensure the success of organization (Rosoff, 2016). The strategy that Jobs depict
in every launch has been implemented at the time of iPhone 8 launch as well, the idea to arise
craze and rising the customer’s desire was to focus on their very needs and making attempt to
fulfill the same even adding on something more to it. The more attention should be paid to
customers and not on the product as they are the one giving the market. Along with the
customer focus the revolutionary approach needs to be adopted by the company, pre-booking
technique has been launch which drives the competition among the customers and not among
the companies (Sarigumba, 2017). Another eye-catching launch strategy was to add the pinch
of suspense to the product so that the launch gets awaited by people and they eagerly wait for
the product to get launch and suspense to be revealed. Lastly, the most important thing about
the launch is to plan the launch in a successful manner and bottom line must be involved as
they better know the desires of the customer.
Strategy for the launch
The Apple adopts the unique strategy to launch its new product which is iPhone 8.
There are specific 7 strategies that Apple uses which are quoted as under:
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Ignore your critics: Steve Jobs was carrying the approach which states that critics are meant
to speak up and stand at the opposition only. From the first invention till date and may be
further whenever iPhone was launching the new product critic opposed and laugh at it but
Apple proves to the king and always crashed the market with its product (Bergen, 2014).
Turning ordinary into extraordinary: Along with the new features and elements in the
iPhone, there is a need to focus on the external portions as well. The body and design of the
iPhone are always unique which turn it out differently from other products in the market
(McCormack, 2013).
Price justification: The pricing strategies adopted by Apple are something different. It
charges higher than their competitors do. The quality, model, features and functions fairly
pair with the pricing of the products (Tillier, 2017). It is the strategy of Apple that more the
price better will be the services provided and at the time of launch the justification of price is
proved.
They adopt the language of the audience: The strategy of Apple is such that it does not use
the technical terms that confuse the customer rather they explain it in a classical manner to
make the consumer understand the technology before making purchases (Bajarin, 2017).
Extending the purchasing experience: Apple not only focuses on the product and services
but also on the post purchases. The packaging done by Apple is extraordinary and it
continues to be the journey of luxury. From the initial point, it depicts that quality material is
been provided within the packaged box (Hangen, 2017). The retail experience store further
enhances the experience where customers not only can try out the products but also see how
the products are been used by the employees (Jones et al., 2010).
Build a positive image: Though Apple has many competitors it is ahead of all these. It
always brings up something new to the market and builds up its own way towards
development.
It is ‘The name’: iPhone is not only the product or a mobile phone used for, it’s the brand
name. The Apple iPhone itself has its name and is not calculated under the gadgets. It holds
the unique place in the cell phone market and reflects the distinct position among all
(Mickalowski et al., no.date). It is brand as a lifestyle product (Chanaron and J.J, 2013).
4

Analysis and recommendation of launch
As discussed Apple is a reputed company and it always plays a unique game in the market to
attract people and raise the urge to make purchases. According to the quality and royalty of
the product launch strategies are also different. Steve Jobs strategies gain the fame and
adopting these strategies for the launch results in better promotion and thereby increased
sales and profit maximisation which at last drives the customer satisfaction which is the
motive of Apple (Schuh et al., 2017). On analyzing these strategies following outcome could
be noted:
 Customers are King: The strategy of Steve Jobs is to focus on the target market and
not on the product. The features and other relevant information are made available on
the official site of Apple. Jobs never praised the product but always concentrated over
the need of the customer and how their problems could be simplified and resolved.
According to him if the customer is happy and satisfied with the product then he
might come back along with certain recommendations thereby performing the word of
mouth promotional activity (Thorbjornsen, 2017).
 Convincing the media and opinion leaders: Another strategy that is been noted is
that even before the launch date the discussion about the new product gets started.
People are not crazy for the features but they seem keen to note that what strategy and
in which manner the launch will be made. What all will be new and what uniqueness
will the product carry this time. Such curiosity results in pre-booking of the products.
 Revolutionary: Apple always comes up with something unique. People literally wait
that what is coming up next. This is the revolutionary strategy that Jobs has opted for.
It carries the idea to change the vision of people out there and increase the level of
suspense and pay them the value for which customers have waited for long. It always
adds out of the box features to stay ahead of the competitors and grab the market at
once (Sepahi, Mesri & Rahmani, 2017).
From the above analysis it could be recommended that in order to be successful only hard
work is not sufficient enough there is a need to perform smart work. The launch should be
designed in such a manner that it turns into the grand event. The connection with the
media must be strong enough so that the excitement level could be increased and
suspense could be drawn out. Thereafter the provision of pre-booking could be made
which is another measure to develop the desire of customers. Along with the suspense
Apple has its own manner to present the things and make it feel luxury so that people
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could even flaunt with the product and it depicts their status of living and standards
(Henry & Henry, 2017).
Target market
Every company target a particular market(s) and try to establish its name there.
Market segmentation comes into play where the targeted market(s) undergoing the deep study
of the culture, trend, and taste of the consumer (Satyavathy, Priya & Chanthini, 2017) to
determine the suitability of the products and services that the company offer. Focusing on the
Apple iPhone 8, which is the latest launch. Apple Company has come up with the new
features of the protective glass layer, wireless charging and improved picture quality (Apple
in the case study, 2017). For this, the market was targeted by the company which could make
the product even more successful and expansion can be enjoyed. Therefore the target market
of iPhone 8 is:
Media House: When the launch is concerned in the context of iPhone the first group that
needs to be targeted during the launch is the media house. Media is the most powerful house
that could lead the company to attain heights and even it could contribute in fall of the
company. One positive glimpse and success creation might help Apple to reach new avenues
and set another big target. The media assists the consumer in answering the questions of what
the product actually holds. Is it worth the suspense? The pricing strategies are worthwhile?
Who are all present at the time of launch? What duration did launch-capture? The
preparations and grand event brief are given along with the excitement that customer carries
are the basic strategy adopted by the company for the launch (Martin, 2014).
Critics: Critics are another crucial element that is been focussed. They are the one that
studies about the marketing strategies of the product along with analyzing the actual value
that is been charged and is the expense incurred and show off made is productive. They are
the must-have in the launch of the product. The critic helps in giving the ratings and they
bluntly comment on both the positive and negative aspect of product. They post the articles
and give newsfeed to spread the awareness and rendering knowledge to the customers. At
times critics help in adding up the features and imparting valuable advices that attaches a
sense of trust and commitment with the product, thus it is the essential element to be targeted
while launching (The Australian, 2017).
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Colleges and universities: At colleges and universities, these products of Apple are very
useful. iPhone 8 assists the college professors to prepare the slides and mark the notes for
their students. Simultaneously it is equally important for the students as well. It helps in
quickly recording the lecture session and highlights the notes for further references. It makes
the carriage of these notes easy; the student need not have to carry heavy bags. Only one
device does it all, entire aspect gets covered within it (Sigal, 2010).
Social media: The most emerging area that should be focussed while constructing the launch
strategies is social media. Popularity gained through the social media is unbeatable and it
helps in spreading the fame faster than anything else. Thus, a glimpse of launch program
must be posted on the social media on the immediate notice in an attractive manner giving the
personal touch to the event and building up the positioning by commercializing the product
over the social media (Schneider, 2015).
Star performer: At times it is a good technique that Apple adopts is linking the product with
the celebrity for depicting the quality of the product. Denoting eth product with the
characteristics of celebrities is the good trick to launch the product. Also the publicity option
is also selected by symbolizing the phone in the hand of celebrity in any other random
advertisement thereby signifying the luxury that the person carries and people start to connect
themselves with their favorite star and rush to purchase the product ().
Business people: iPhone represent class and iPhone 8 has maintained the class level and
luxury. iPhone 8 could efficiently be used for the business purpose. Minutes could be
constructed and fast mailing takes place. The documents could be easily transferred and data
and be conveniently saved on the cloud which could be accessed from anywhere in the world.
This has made working quick and smart. The authentication process had been enhanced and
make more convenient to the authentic user has increased the usability of the iphone8 as a
business phone (Brandon, 2015).
Adult: iPhone 8 is a one in all devices; it could be said as the supermarket or the hypermarket
carrying various functions in the single device. The primary attribute of the cell phone is to
communicate with the people. It gives access to internet connections which helps in solving
many realistic problems on the single touch. The camera assists in capturing the images in
different versions and styles. After all the documentation becomes easier. All the necessary
paper works and other essential documents become handy and could be easily accessed
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(Armstrong et al., 2015). The iPhone is seen as a luxury lifestyle product (Okonkwo and
Uche, 2016) where it is integrated into the adult daily life.
Unmet needs
The human is having the unsatisfactory nature, their needs never get fulfilled. On the
completion of one need the other need is aroused as the new desire and accordingly, the
tension gets created and the person craves for fulfilling the particular need. On
accomplishment, the satisfaction is gained and along with the satisfaction another desire pops
up and the process continues. Similar is the case with products and services, even after
getting a lot more features still there remains certain portions and needs that are unmet (Patel,
2017).
Lack of the feature of product: The primary unmet need is that some of the features are
provided by the competitors like Samsung. Though iPhone always holds the unique points yet
Samsung is the competitor and many times the competitor analyze the needs of customers
first and launch the functions and features before iPhone could adopt it. This might result in
less popularity and crash the market of iPhone8 (Miller, 2017).
The launch of two products at a similar time: The fame of iPhone X is on such a hike that
craze of iPhone 8 is not up to the extent that is expected. The features of iPhone X are so
exciting that people are focusing on that particular product and saving the fund to procure
iPhone X. The simultaneous launch will affect the sales of the former product as the features
are lacking and the latter is coming up with much better qualities and uniqueness (Bashi,
2017).
Inappropriate analysis and evaluation of customer need: The customer's problem need to
be analyzed, any of the section or sample size if ignored could lead to dissatisfaction among
the customers (Singh, Sao, Nagare & Dharamarajan, 2017). The recommendations of
customers should not be ignored either because they are the one that suggests the new feature
to get added or ignoring that section may result in dissatisfaction among the customers and
failure of the launch (Henry, 2017).
Not seeking the expert’s advice: In order to have the successful launch of the product there
is a need to seek expert’s advice so that uncovered points could be analysed and in case if
such advice is not entertained there are chances that something might lack at the time of
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launch which is likely to affect the reputation and thereby sale of the particular product
(Ranjan, 2017). The gold color of iPhone 8 was not appropriate and the back of the phone
turns out to be old creamiest color instead of gold (Brownlee & Swan, 2017).
Issues with decision making and problem-solving: Another unmet need that occurs is the
problem solving and making of the prompt decision. At times there occurs the uncertain
situations that need to be dealt immediately and the backup plan should be promptly
constructed, this shows the management skills and decision-making strength of the company
and the image of company is directly connected with branding of eth product thus in case
lack of management is depicted it might adversely affect the image of product thus failure of
launch could be seen (Soffar, 2017).
The 4P’s of marketing mix
The marketing mix is the strategy that plans the progression of the product. It helps in
promoting the product and services in a different manner using distinct techniques and
strategies. The 4 P’s of the marketing mix are a product, price, place, and promotion. Later
on, the 3 P’s were also added in order to expand the area of promotional activities. These 3Ps
were people, process, and physical evidence. In the context of iPhone 8, the marketing mix
analysis should be made to know the appropriate launch strategy and what measures could be
taken to make the launch more successful. It helps in analyzing the launching strategies and
figuring out the various alternatives and selecting the one best strategy that is suitable in all
aspect (Pratap, 2017).
Product
There is a wide range of products under Apple. It started from the computers and
moved forward successfully in the cell phone and other electronics as well. Apple watches
were introducing along with the Apple TV. With the introduction of new ranges of iPhone,
several apps were also invented which were definite to the iPhone users only. It develops its
own software and iTunes. The product line of Apple is iPhone, iPod, iPad, MacBook series,
MacOS, and others. Apple is the fastest growing company with lot more products and a new
version of services and apps (Cleverism, 2014). Apple controls its own eco-system as the
firmware; software and hardware of its products are all designed in-house and are all
exclusive to Apple. Thus it is able to give better performance as compare to others. iPhone 8
there are has several new feature, the glass in the front and back of the phone, wireless
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charging and advanced camera. The I Cloud assists in setting up the free cloud services and
rendering it to the customers for fast access to the information at any corner of the world. It
helps in reducing paperwork and supports the de-mating of documents (Greenspan, 2017).
Along with the ease, it also comprises of social obligation by saving the paper and supporting
the go green tag in favor of the environment thereby appreciating the environment protection.
Apple is seen to be environmental friendly, using solar power, wind as hydropower to power
96% of their worldwide facilities, the packaging that they use are also recycled, coupled with
recycling of old Apple products (Apple_Environmental_Responsibility_Report_2017.). This
further enhances the consumer wanting to be associated with Apple. The product mix of
Apple and its iPhone range are enormous; the product line is increasing with the increasing
technologies and thereby Apple is continually setting the standard (Luiz, 2007).
Price
Apple is brand as a luxury premium brand. It is position as a lifestyle product. It
defines the class and standard of living of the person. iPhone does not lower its price when it
faces competition. The branding is so strong that it gains the attention of consumer before the
news of new launch is release. The high cost depicts the preciousness of the product and
leaves behind the impression of luxury and class being followed in the technology it has
opted for (Steenkamp, 2017). The range of iPhones is popularised for the innovative
technologies that the company uses all-time new features that it added to every product they
launch. The pricing of launch should also be considered as to what amount has been spent on
the launch event and what all areas have been covered under the launch processing. Due to
its high price, Apple provides it unique exclusive applications that are essential in the daily
life for its consumers. These applications can be downloaded from iTunes. The sheer
numbers of applications in iTunes make it attractive for the users although some of these
applications need to be paid for. Apple adopts the unique launch strategy and saves the good
amount on promotion as before the launch the entire market expectations get created and high
purchases are developed which balances the entire cost of launch at once. The company
adopts the smart pricing technique in the context of the launch of the product and flaunting its
varied services. The idea of Apple is that on cutting down the cost of its product will directly
affect the image of the product. The main pricing is the quality they serve and the logo they
pass on to their customers. People like to flaunt the logo and depict the royalty of the product
and simultaneously reflecting their own standard and status of life (Bhasin, 2016). The
iPhone comes up every time with the new technology, new model, and unique design. It
10

always brings the newness and beat up the market by setting the trend. (Hisrich and
Ramadani, 2017).
Distribution
Apple sells the iPhone online and onsite at its stores, the alternative retail sites are
Amazon, eBay and the similar e-business sites and inline market (Thielin, 2017). The main
distribution channels of iPhone are through services providers in various countries. This
service provider will normally subsidize the price of the iPhone in order to retain their
customer through a 2-year contracts. The demand of the iPhone is so high that reservation
had to be made and all major services providers need to carry these iPhone or risk losing their
customers. The services providers had outlets all over the countries and these stores are easily
accessed by the consumers. The channel of distribution is vast in the case Apple as the
product line is also tremendous (Kucuk, 2017). The different outlets of iPhone are located in
Singapore, Canada, California, Mexico, India, Kenya and much more. The Apple targets
different countries to launch the product in an effective manner. Distinct launch programs
take place in major places like UK, US, India, Australia and other similar places. The launch
program could be made successful by applying certain theme thereby making the program
rather exited enough. Also the place selected for launch is of high importance, it should be
the lavish place which depicts the characteristics of product. Furthermore, the place should be
in accordance to the status of customers or the target market. It should be located in the centre
of the city at posh area where maximum footfall has been recorded on the average day (Patil
and Bach, 2017).
Promotion
The fame and craze of Apple and its iPhone is to such an extent that just the news of
its launch of products creates alertness. The best marketing and promotional strategy that is
been adopted by the Apple is by word of mouth and this had led to expanding the business
and results in the development of the iPhone range (Kalyanam, 2002). IPhone8 came up with
the new features and distinct techniques which were awaited for long period of time. The
positive word of mouth clarifies half the way of the product and leads it towards the
development. It is the most effective tool to increase the sales and profit. Apple has very
selective of where every launch takes place (Constantine’s, 2006). Firstly the Apple’s own
site is used for conducting the promotional activities and the social media is been used to
spread the news. At any point, Apple never compromises on the classic and luxurious front.
The standardization and status always get reflected through each and every step that is
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undertaken by the Apple (Al-haithami, 2017). Apple appointed the brand ambassador that
represents the company and its product. Most of the time the launch is inculcated by the
celebrities and this attachment leaves the imprint on consumer’s mind and they related the
product’s quality with that of the celebrity which proves to be the beneficial point for Apple
and its launch program. In iPhone 8, the wireless charger was promoting in such a unique
manner. It not only conveys the message but it signifies the value and educates the people
that it is not like any other product but only the iPhone8 is worth to earn it (Hansson and
Mattsson, 2017). The values and ideas of manufacturing the product are connecting with it.
The review of the customer adds on the promotion of the iPhone 8 launch program. By
analyzing the popularity of the iPhone, the investors also get attracted to gain the profit and
secure their monetary term and multiply it in an effective manner (Bary, 2017). Promotion of
iPhone8 is also conducted through the service providers like SingTel, M1 and Star Hub.
These service providers promote the iPhones8 intensively offering offers and bundles to
retain and attract new customers. The vast amount of service providers that Apple has around
the world results in an impactful promotion for iPhone8 (Apple-Find Location, 2017).
The biggest issue with the launch of the iPhone8 is the introduction of iPhone X as a
limited anniversary model with features that suppress the iPhone8. This had caused the sales
of iPhone8 to be not as good as the previous models as many customers decide to wait for the
iPhone X launch which is within a few month time (Fortune, 2017).
Brand equity
The brand equity is created by the consumers and it could not be constructed
manually but need to be earned. Brand equity is the result of consumer satisfaction and the
perception they create within their mind. It basically depicts the mindset of consumers on
what are their views in the context of product and do they need it further in the future with
more amendments. The positioning of the product is termed as the brand equity. The brand
equity involves brand loyalty, brand awareness and brand association. In the context of the
launch strategy the brand equity gets created from the time of launch itself that is to say that
initial impression gives the view that product will be successful or not. As it is stated the first
impression is the last impression thus launch a program of Apple promote all its features that
have been added to the product and raising the urge of people to buy it on early notice. The
theme, management and operations of launch program reflect the image of the company and
its product thereby creating the brand awareness. Also along with launch the promises are
12

also been made by the company that are scrutinized and tested at the launch venue and thus
the brand loyalty is attained building the trust among the employees resulting in healthy
connection. The brand equity is also base on the choice of market and the target audience. At
the time of launch the target market of launch as discussed earlier are served in a genuine
manner so that better brand equity is made. The feedback of launch is collected from
consumers and necessary changes or drawbacks are noted down so that the similar mistake is
not repeated the next time and better outcomes are experienced. These positive feedbacks and
customer loyalty are identified at the time of launch and brand equity gets created (Detlef,
2016).
AIDA
AIDA is one of the most popular and suitable criteria adopted for the launch and promotion
of the product. It is abbreviated as Awareness, Interest, Desire, and Action which must be
focussed for a successful launch.
Awareness: Awareness depicts the knowledge about the product. This strategy of launch
helps in enhancing the customer knowledge and making them aware of the trend and the
added features of the product to be launched. It is the pre-preparation from the day of launch
so as to develop the customer’s interest.
Interest: Then comes the interest portion, as soon as the awareness is spread people tend to
grab more knowledge about the new product launch and this creates the interest. The motive
of launch strategy is to develop such an idea or procedure that emerges the customer’s
interest towards the launch.
Desire: Desire is the urge to get something, though it is not the necessity. Desire is the
symbol of standardization and status of the person. As per the target market and consumer
group the desire is released. The launch is made at the place where most of the target market
collects in the good amount and the awareness is conveyed to them. At the time of launch the
mesmerizing description of the product was intentionally made to enhance the desire to book
one quantity of product.
Action: Action is the final attempt of the launch procedure where the customer finally get
attracted to the product and its characteristics and at last take the step to purchase the product.
The action is the signal that launch was successfully made and the strategies adopted are
successful. The aim of Company is to attain the customer satisfaction and keeping this in
view every action undertaken is positive and likely to gain success.
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Conclusion
Therefore, it could be concluded that iPhone 8 launch was the most awaited product
carrying a lot more uniqueness within it. The Apple Company has an enormous product line
and it has successfully maintained the luxury image and always stays ahead of its competitors
and proves to be the trendsetter and continues for the long term. In the particular report, the
basic discussion of the company has been made along with the discussions over the
specification of iPhone 8. The strategy for the launch along with the purpose of the launch
has been described in the brief. The market of iPhone 8 has been targeted which involves the
media house, critics, social media, colleges and universities and business class people. The
segmentation of the market has been done. Thereafter the unmet needs of the product launch
have been described which involves the launch of two ultimate products simultaneously, the
lacking features of the product, not seeking the expert advice and inappropriate analysis and
evaluation of the product. Thereafter the marketing mix analysis is undertaken where the 4Ps
of the marketing are elucidated in context of launching strategies of iPhone 8. Band equity
has been explained and connection has been drawn between brand awareness, loyalty,
association and launching strategies of product. How the product launch strategies influence
the brand equity and positioning. Lastly, AIDA process is quoted that explains each attribute
briefly abbreviating it as awareness, interest, desire and action. This is the chain that process
when one step gets accomplished. Concerning about the launch strategies the AIDA model
need to be adopted so that wise steps could inculcate and smooth functioning carries on.
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