Marketing Strategies and Research: An Essay on Apple

This essay provides an overview of marketing, emphasizing the importance of marketing research in understanding consumer behavior and developing effective strategies. It uses Apple Inc. as a case study, detailing its primary research methods, particularly surveys and self-ethnography, to gather consumer feedback and inform product development. The essay highlights Apple's unique value proposition, promotional strategies, and emphasis on simplicity in its marketing approach. It also discusses the challenges associated with survey methods, such as inaccurate data and privacy concerns, while acknowledging the benefits of market research in adapting to changing market trends and enhancing customer satisfaction. The essay concludes by emphasizing the role of marketing research in helping companies like Apple maintain a competitive advantage and make informed decisions.

INTRODUCTION TO
MARKETING

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ESSAY.............................................................................................................................................3
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

ESSAY
Marketing is the set of activities that an organisation undertakes for promotion of its
products and services and includes the steps of marketing research, product development,
product branding, packaging, promotion and advertisements followed by sales. Marketing
research is the first step to determine the viability of a new product or service by conducting a
research directly to gain insights about the market from potential customers. Research lays the
foundation to make an efficient marketing plan for being cost efficient, have a competitive
advantage, and gain a huge market share (Stevens, Loudon and Wrenn, 2006). The propose of
marketing research process is ascertaining a specific product with the audience. Marketing
research information helps in identification of opportunities to serve different groups of
customers, examination of the market size and unmet market needs, investigation of competition,
clarification of unique value proposition, setting foundation for promotional strategies and tactics
(Brusco and et.al., 2017). The entire process helps the top management of the company for
making informed decisions, bringing innovation and allocating the resources appropriately. They
can determine feasibility, develop potential new markets, keep close tabs on marketing trends,
assess the demand for new products and place products optimally. Marketing research consists of
collection of data or information for going ahead with product differentiation and segmentation
of market by combining primary data with secondary information which is conducted through in-
house marketing or by a third party. Primary information is collected through exploratory or
specific researches like first-hand surveys, focus groups, questionnaires, exit surveys,
observations, interviews, product testing that address the issues and requirements of the company
through questions. Secondary information on the other hand refers to data that is already
gathered by an outside entity and can be used second-hand from various reports and survey data
published across journals, government reports or another business house operating in the specific
industry (Malhotra and Dash, 2016).
For instance, Apple Inc. which is a blue-chip technology company operating globally as a
designer, developer and seller of consumer electronics, online services and software implements
primary research method for developing its marketing strategies. Apple doesn’t believe in hiring
third parties for conducting its marketing research and conducts in-house research with aim to
develop best products with oriented towards consumers. Apples’ primary approach to conducting
research is the oversimplification of activities that are undertaken in the process. Although
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interviews and focus groups are the most recognisable marketing research methods, Apple does
not engage in them. In order to understand needs of the consumers, Apple determines two
methods, that is understanding the needs and actions to be conducted using Surveys and self-
ethnography which helps the company in its internal data and thinking (Hulland, Baumgartner
and Smith, 2018). Self-ethnography is the research method which involves studying the
researcher’s own group, where the researcher is an established participant and is aimed at
breaking out of all social and cultural infrastructures that might be pre-assumed for this group for
a deeper understanding (Hickey and Smith, 2020). The most prominent method for the survey is
getting the feedback of the consumers and enhance its product’s design, features, brand and the
services. On the official website of the company, Apple has introduced Market research survey
feedback for encouraging participation of its existing consumers. The feedback received by the
company is used for identification of the core issues with-in the organisation, therefore, Apple
takes consumer feedback pretty seriously and try their best to resolve those issues. The insights
generated from the database is also used in designing the next iPhone, the next iPod or the next
online services that the company has to develop and offer. Apple heavily relies in its consumers
and also takes their considerations to deliver them the best product they demand. The company
also stays ahead in context to competitive advantage with rival companies like Samsung and
Huawei (Alnabhan, 2020). The surveys implemented by Apple comes under qualitative research
which involves collection and analysis of non-numerical data such as texts for understanding
opinions, experiences, ideas, suggestions and concepts. It involves deeper understanding into
issues by analysing patterns and meanings of the responses for generation on new ideas. Online
questionnaires are used by the company to get feedback and responses, where the questions are
crafted in ways that produces best possible insights into how consumers feel, assessing the
preferences and tastes of the consumer, their suggestions and issues faced by them from all
products like iPhone, iPad, iPod, MacBook. After the analysis of this research, Apple has
devised its marketing strategy accordingly by integrating value proposition with product
placement. Apple’s unique value proposition is stated by the company as beautifully designed
products that work right out of the box in ever-small packaging. This is the major reason as to
how the company has managed to stay ahead in terms of revenue and avoided price wars at the
same time. It has emphasized on its unique value proposition which encompasses design
company, media platform, software powerhouse and computer manufacturer (Yang, 2020). The
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major promotional strategies that Apple incorporates is product placement in movies, popular
shows and celebrities along with the buzz that is created by positive reviews by the media. It is
also noted that Apple does not use the most popular form of digital marketing, that is pay per
click ads. Simplicity is another major marketing strategy Apple incorporates which ranges across
its design, product features to marketing advisements, that is, simplicity. Apple has interpreted
from its marketing research that that consumers tend to get overwhelmed with technology and
can create confusion in the products, places, prices, people, physical evidence and promotions.
Apple completely reduces the confusion of its consumers through simplification of its sales and
web copy and avoid using industrial jargons. Instead the company communicates in a direct and
simple way with its consumers and emphasize on the benefits that are absolute needs of their
consumers by brilliant content marketing techniques of high tech with high tech words. Apart
from this Apple designs excellent customer experience of the premium touch in its products, sale
procedure, look and retail stores. The company has also effectively utilised the marketing
research data to process emotional connection with the brand by using triggering words to evoke
and build on consumer’s mind. Lastly the creation of a community of customers and users with
huge fan bases has helped company in retaining the brand loyalty along with high market share
(Özbölük and Dursun, 2017).
Marketing research using survey method has helped the company with its marketing
strategies. This is not supposed to be a one-time activity but an ongoing process for learning the
business environment which is highly dynamic in nature. There are enough evidences of the
success of market research in growing the sales of the company. It has dramatically educed the
ambiguity that exists in the global market so that the companies can focus on what is exactly
needed by the customers. many companies who failed to remain updated with the changing
marketing trends, like Nokia, have drastically failed in the electronics market. Marketing
research helped successful companies like Apple in moving ahead with new innovations,
understanding competition, technology and customer preferences. It has helped companies in
identification of gaps in expectations of customers and using the powerful information to
enhance the market intelligence, minimising risks and making key decisions to make the
business more productive (Cateora and et.al., 2020).
There are large numbers of challenges by adopting survey method for analysing market
and customer behaviour. Customers are not willing to give genuine reply for the product and
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hence it becomes difficult for the organization. Recorded data are not accurate because of
purchaser wrong details and hence it becomes complicated for Apple to make changes in its
product (Mix and Brand, 2017). Company use various kind survey methods such as online,
offline etc. Compare to number of buyers there are very people who respond on services and
quality of product which create difficult situation for the firm to analyse behaviour of them
towards product. Giving contract to another firm or outsourcing for survey decrease quality of
data and hence increase expenditure with bad result. Most of the people that participant in
research even didn’t buy the product or services of the firm. It’s just that they get some money or
something from BPO’s or their employees hence it will difficult for the company to understand
customer behaviour. For example: company sales iPhone 12 pro at £1,399.00 and very few
people purchase while outsourcing company gives report of millions of people and hence
information is faked which cannot help in firm’s growth. Most of the company’s buyers belong
to high class society which gets very less time for responding on such kind of survey and hence it
creating difficulty for marketing team. Style of the conducting it might offend workers for
example company send form repeatedly to analyse buyer’s experience related to mobile and it
annoy them which leads to negative review on company’s product. It becomes difficult for the
organisation to control and monitory such kinds of outsourcing evaluation which effect of its
image and on the contrary decrease its market share. Firm take details of customer and share
survey page to them on message but sometimes it offend people as they feel their privacy and
misused by the firm and hence many case can be filed against them. It can be seen that there are
large number privacy policy violation cases file against in international court related to mobile
cell phone industry and hence customer’s now don’t share much information and experience on
online survey. Increasing number of hackers uses various types of viruses to attack on mobile
system. For example: they hack mobile of a person by using fake survey form which increase
tension for customer and hence they refused to give comment on any place. However, there are
few people who fill up such kind of form and help the firm but remain insignificant to expect and
company cannot conclude easily (Deepak and Jeyakumar, 2019). Traditional methods of for it
are not use by the organisation such as review face to face or on call as it increase cost and time.
Large amount of money invested in wrong analysing of customer behaviour hence effect on
growth of the firm. Now days there are many laws that is passed by the government in order to
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control company’s marketing which become major challenges in understanding people’s think
about product and services.
However, there are multiple benefit of conducting such types of survey. It helps firm in
analysing customer behaviour towards product and services. Also, firm will be able to implement
various kind strategies towards targeting large number of customer in Britain. Main focus of the
organisation in it remain on understanding demand of consumer so accordingly services
delivered and hence firm will able to maintain supply change management. Buyers- centric
product is developed by the firm according to it and hence increase profit which help in
expansion of market (Mothersbaugh, Hawkin and Kleiser, 2019). Apple is one of the premium
brands around the world and stability of it can only possible by analysing customer satisfaction
level for example: iPhone 11 is one of the best selling cell phone because it able to evaluate what
is expectation of people from its new product. Monitoring and controlling of market can be
effectively done with the help of it as firm will be able to understand market changing nature.
Taste and trend of customer in Britain quickly changes hence for making connected them for
same product long time can only be possible by up grading changes in system. It helps firm in
preparing marketing plans and hence able to target various kind of customer in the country.
Company able to figure out customer expectation with the help of survey and can easily evaluate
customer satisfaction from various kind of tools such as Net Promoter Score, Customer Effort
Score, Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT) etc. After analysing it Apple will be able to make
quick changes in services and product quality and also planned workforce according to which
help in gaining competitive in globalisation. Strategies are framed by the firm from such kind of
survey and hence able to target diverse people in the country. Accuracy of launching new
product can highly impacted from the result of such kind of form which helps in making
changing in product and increases its quality so that it can raise number of customers for it.
Demographic of the country for STP (Segmentation, Targeting, positioning) model can be taken
from such data which increase chances to reaching right people and deliver product & services.
People have different opinion regarding company and it leads to some kind of rumours which
effect on growth of the organisation. Analysing customer behaviour can help apple in perspective
of people towards its product & service for example: Apple is known for data protection but few
years back negative started that product of country share information and hence impact on loyal
customer. Such kind of problems can only be resolved with the help of understanding people
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nature and behaviour towards product and then promote it (Morgan, Feng and Whitler, 2018).
Company is limited to premium customer but because of best quality services it able to increase
its market share in middle class or low class people in various part of globe. There are large
numbers of consumer of cell phones of firm which always ready for giving opinion; suggestion
etc. related to quality hence it didn’t take much time in completing survey. Most of the people
that use it services are highly satisfied which can easily identified from such kind of marketing
analysis of customers.
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Books and Journals
Alnabhan, O., 2020 .Literature Review Marketing New Products. Apple Inc.
Brusco, M.J., and et.al., 2017. Cluster analysis in empirical OM research: survey and
recommendations. International Journal of Operations & Production Management.
Cateora, P.R., and et.al., 2020. International marketing. McGraw-Hill Education.
Hickey, A. and Smith, C., 2020. Working the aporia: ethnography, embodiment and the
ethnographic self. Qualitative Research, p.1468794120906012.
Hulland, J., Baumgartner, H. and Smith, K.M., 2018. Marketing survey research best practices:
evidence and recommendations from a review of JAMS articles. Journal of the Academy
of Marketing Science, 46(1), pp.92-108.
Malhotra, N.K. and Dash, S., 2016. Marketing research: An applied orientation. Pearson,.
Özbölük, T. and Dursun, Y., 2017. Online brand communities as heterogeneous gatherings: a
netnographic exploration of Apple users. Journal of Product & Brand Management.
Stevens, R.E., Loudon, D.L. and Wrenn, B., 2006. Marketing planning guide. Psychology Press.
Yang, Z., 2020, August. The Impact of Brand Innovativeness on Customer Loyalty—Take Apple
Inc. as an Example. In 2020 4th International Seminar on Education, Management and
Social Sciences (ISEMSS 2020) (pp. 443-448). Atlantis Press.
Mix, M. and Brand, C.B., 2017. Marketing management.
Deepak, R.K.A. and Jeyakumar, S., 2019. Marketing management. Educreation Publishing.
Mothersbaugh, D.L., Hawkin, D.I. and Kleiser, S.B., 2019. Consumer behavior: Building
marketing strategy. McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Morgan, N.A., Feng, H. and Whitler, K.A., 2018. Marketing capabilities in international
marketing. Journal of International Marketing, 26(1), pp.61-95.
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