Apple Watch vs Fitbit 2: A Comparative Marketing Report

Desklib provides past papers and solved assignments for students. This report compares Apple Watch and Fitbit 2 marketing strategies.

Principles of Marketing
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Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................. 3
Findings.......................................................................................................................4
Comparison of target markets.................................................................................4
Product- product and brand value evaluation..........................................................4
Price: Evaluation of the Pricing Strategies Used.....................................................5
Place: brand distribution..........................................................................................5
Promotion: brand communication............................................................................6
Conclusion and recommendation................................................................................8
How has each brand applied the 4P’s and why they have applied in such a
manner?.................................................................................................................. 8
Which brand has been most successful in the application of the 4P’s?..................8
How could each of the brands improve the use of the 4 P's?..................................8
References..................................................................................................................9
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Introduction
In this project, the in-depth research is been done concerning the target market of
the Apple watch series 4 as well as the Fitbit 2. The research is done with the help of
the market research database like the Mintel reports or TGI etc. After that, the
understanding is been developed concerning the brand itself, along with the brand
values as well as the competitive positioning in the market. Along with everything the
application of the marketing mix for both the products is also discussed i.e. place,
price, promotion and product. The report is to be prepared in the comparative
analysis form.
Apple watch is the product line of the smartwatches which is designed, developed
and marketed by the Apple Inc. the watch is a combination of the fitness tracking,
health-oriented capabilities hiked up with the iOs integration. It also has a wireless
connection to the iPhone which enables the function of the texting and calling.
Fitbit along with the basic functions of a normal tracker do other activities too like it
records the daily step count, stairs used, count of calories burnt, distance travelled,
sleep patterns, heart rate etc. It will also show the notifications of the smartphones
as one can easily connect it to their smartphones, like the incoming messages, date
alerts etc.
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Findings
Comparison of target markets
Targeting refers to the selection of the customer segment on which the company is
focussing, which they think will help in the enhancement of the sales along with the
increase in the profitability (Kotler and Armstrong, 2015).
Apple watch series 4 Fitbit2
 The group targeted is 22-55
 Gender-male and female (Ng et al.,
2018)
 Income group: being a prosperous
brand, Apple watch series 4 is targeting
the high-income level individuals (Ng et
al., 2018).
 Lifestyle targeted: modern, young and
open to change etc. (Olson, 2018).
 Behaviour: once someone gets a taste
of the Apple products, they become
brand loyal and always opt for the
Apple brand (Palmatier and Sridhar,
2017).
 The age group targeted is 25-44.
 Gender- women (Lang, 2017)
 Income group- upper-mid income level.
 Lifestyle targeted: college going
working or professional women (Lang,
2017).
 Behaviour: Fitbit will target only the
people having a healthy lifestyle
combined with the fashionable and
trend one (Lang, 2017).
Product- product and brand value evaluation
Apple watch series 4 Fitbit2
The Apple watch series 4 is basically
focussing on the fulfilment of the
customizable smartwatch which also
helps in the enhancement of the iPhone
capabilities (Payne, 2017). It is also a
product which helps in presenting the
superior value proposition to the owner of
Fitbit is focusing basically on the fitness
trackers but also includes a very wide
variety of the products which offers
around 11 different kinds of trackers to
choose from for the customers (Chandon
and Ordabayeva, 2017). They also sell
accessories which are having its focus
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the watches on a complete hardware
integration of Apple. The Apple watch
series 4 is mainly focussed on the
personalisation, design, easy access,
services as well as the integration (Ng et
al., 2018).
on the alternative bands suitable for the
small tracker which can be inserted in the
bands.
Price: Evaluation of the Pricing Strategies Used
Apple watch series 4 Fitbit2
Although deciding on the price is a
very difficult job for the Apple brand
which is due to the interrelationship of
the cost and the demand along with
the variance in the degree of the
competition (Payne, 2017). But the
Apple is tend to follow the strategy
which is basically having
differentiation as its base which
mainly focusses on the value of the
product along with the capabilities as
well as the advantages which allows
the brand to sell the predicts at a
premium price i.e. higher prices than
their competitors (Palmatier and
Sridhar, 2017). The Apple watch series
4 is expected to range from $ 399
The Range of the Fitbit mentioned on the
website is starting from 59.95 euros to
249.95 euros and these Fitbits are ready
to use Fitbits (Chandon and Ordabayeva,
2017). The website also offers various
kinds of accessories which range from
6.95 to 299.95 euros, which also means
that the most expensive product offered
by them is actually an accessory.
Therefore it can be said that the more
features a Fitbit band possess, more
there will be the hike in the prices, and
also the rice for the stylish products in on
hike (Lang, 2017).
Place: brand distribution
Apple watch series 4 Fitbit2
Apple is currently practising a
strategy where it positions its product
The Fitbit is available for the customers'
ether on the main website or any other
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to as many places possible and also
tries to position it as close to the
target customers. Also, Apple
watches have a certain reserved
space in each of the sales points of
the company (Heracleous and
Papachroni, 2016). Since the company
is focussing clearly on the
differentiation, the Apple stores are
like the direct channels for sale of the
company products and are also
considered to communicate to the
people the commitment of the Apple's
distinction and design. The location of
the stores is selected at the strategic
places especially in the major cities or
at the places with the footfall of the
premium class customers. Also, the
stores are designed very carefully,
concentrating on every detail right
starting from the architectural design
to the translucent stairs made up of
glass or the big facades made up of
the glass (Heracleous and
Papachroni, 2016).
online stores. Also, it is available in
various shops selling a similar kind of
products. Fitbit brand does not possess
its own stores like Apple stores, which is
just selling the Fitbit brand (Armstrong et
al., 2015).
Promotion: brand communication
Apple watch series 4 Fitbit2
Apple is the brand that is known to
invest a lump sum amount solely in
the name of promoting its products on
many different platforms like the TV,
The way in which Fitbit promotes itself is
only through advertising. They came up
with the campaign concerning their
product on the television with the help of
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billboards, specialised magazines, by
coming into the contract with the
other companies etc. Apple is always
keen on searching the right time and
spot to come up with the promotional
activities which will have a
significantly big impact on the sales
of the product (Payne, 2017).
the small clip they have prepared which
promotes the products of the brand
(Armstrong et al., 2015). Also, they give
some written advertisements in
magazines as well as the newspapers.
One more promotion strategy adopted by
the Fitbit is the Fitbit event organised by
them where the people are offered to
have a trail of the product, along with the
activities that are arranged as well as the
demonstrated referring to the product
(Armstrong et a., 2015).
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Conclusion and recommendation
How has each brand applied the 4P’s and why they have applied in such a
manner?
As it is well known that the Fitbit is a leader that is working towards establishing
wellness as well as health space. They are mainly working towards the guiding,
inspiring as well as motivating the consumers so that they are able to reach their
goals and lead a healthy and happier life. With the new product range, they mainly
focus on working women and the college girls who want to maintain a good and fit
lifestyle. Therefore keeping all this in mind Fitbit has applied the marketing mix.
On the other hand, Apple Inc. is using an approach of premium branding. In this
particular approach, capitalisation of the premium brand is been focussed and it is
made sure that the marketing mix applied is focussing on the maintenance of the
strong brand image which is been created by the Apple Inc. the 4P's of Apple Inc.
reflects the mission and vision of the brand.
Which brand has been most successful in the application of the 4P’s?
As per the analysis is done, Apple is using the marketing mix in the more prominent
manner as compared to the Fitbit. There are few lacking points in the marketing mix
of the Fitbit like they do not have a store of their own which is mainly selling their
brands. And even the target segment is somewhat succinct for the Fitbit which
somewhere lags it behind as compared to its competitors.
How could each of the brands improve the use of the 4 P’s?
Apple is almost perfect when it comes to the use of the 4 P’s of the marketing mix as
it can be seen clearly by the sales and the brand loyalty of the apple customers. It is
usually said that once an Apple user, always an Apple user. So this pretty clears that
they making the good and effective use of the marketing strategies.
On the other hand, Fitbit can try and improve on the application of the 4P's as there
is a lot more scope when the place or the promotion of the product is concerned.
This will certainly help in boosting up the sales as well as the brand loyalty and value
in the market.
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References
 Armstrong, G., Kotler, P., Buchwitz, L.A., Trifts, V. and Gaudet, D., 2015.
Marketing: an introduction.
 Chandon, P. and Ordabayeva, N., 2017. Drivers, Consequences, and Remedies
of Biased Size Perceptions in Marketing. In The Routledge Companion to
Consumer Behavior (pp. 93-109). Routledge.
 Heracleous, L. and Papachroni, A., 2016. Strategic Leadership and Innovation at
Apple Inc. SAGE Publications Ltd.
 Kotler, P. and Armstrong, G., 2015. Principles of Marketing-Global Edition.
Pearson.
 Lang, M., 2017. Beyond Fitbit: a critical appraisal of optical heart rate monitoring
wearables and apps, their current limitations and legal implications. Alb. LJ Sci. &
Tech., 28, p.39.
 Ng, E.H., Nepal, B., Schott, E. and Keathley, H., 2018. TOTAL QUALITY
MANAGEMENT & APPLE SUCCESS.
 Olson, E.W., 2018. TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT & APPLE SUCCESS.
In Proceedings of the International Annual Conference of the American Society
for Engineering Management. (pp. 1-7). American Society for Engineering
Management (ASEM).
 Palmatier, R.W. and Sridhar, S., 2017. Marketing strategy: Based on first
principles and data analytics. Macmillan International Higher Education.
 Payne, B., 2017. Brand Positioning and its Usefulness for Brand Management:
the Case of Apple Inc. Newcastle business school student journal, 1(1), pp.51-57.
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