Apple's Marketing Functions and Strategies: A Comprehensive Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Apple's marketing functions, exploring its roles and responsibilities within the organization. It delves into the company's marketing strategies, including market research, product development, communication, and sales support. The report examines how Apple integrates its marketing efforts with other key organizational functions like human resource management, customer service, finance, and research & development. It also includes a comparative analysis of Apple and EE's marketing mix and evaluates a basic marketing plan for Apple. The report highlights the importance of marketing in achieving organizational goals, building brand image, and fostering customer relationships. It emphasizes the need for effective strategies to promote products, compete with rivals, and generate revenue, ultimately contributing to the growth and profitability of the company.

Marketing Essentials

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................1
P1. Roles and responsibilities of the marketing function of Apple.............................................1
P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing in organisation context...........................................4
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................7
P3. Comparison of ways in which Apple and EE apply the marketing mix...............................7
Task 3 ..........................................................................................................................................11
P4 Prepare and evaluate a basic marketing plan for Apple.......................................................11
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................13
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Marketing term define as the process of management through which goods and services
move from concept to the customer to satisfy their needs and wants. It is very important tool in
the modern business organisation. Management process includes such as building strong
relationship, managing customers demand, adopt best strategies and compete the competitors for
achieving organisation's goals and objectives (Brooks and Simkin, 2011). Marketing involves the
coordination of four elements as product, price, place and promotions. Apple Inc. is an American
multinational technology company that designs, develops and sells electronics, computer
software and online services. Its headquartered in Cupertino, California. Company is selling
various products including iPhone smartphones, iPad tablet computer, iPod, Apple watch etc. it
was founded by Steve Jobs in 1976. Apple is the world's largest information technology
company as its revenue is approx US$229.234 billion and there around 123,000 employees are
working. It maintains around 499 retail stores in different countries. This report is based on
Apple's marketing functions which play important roles and responsibilities for developing firm.
New Apple products are developed to include improvement of applications and systems which
are set at various prices that depends on capability of customers. This unit initiates with
discussion of marketing mix of two companies. It focus on marketing plan of Apple. Some
recommendations have also given to improve its functions.
TASK 1
P1. Roles and responsibilities of the marketing function of Apple
Marketing functions play vital role for organisation development because department has
responsibility to generate revenues, maximise profits, increasing market share and it helps in
contributing to company growth and profitability. Generally, Apple company focus on creating
new or innovative products with high quality of features that helps in satisfying customers needs
and meet their desired expectations. They make several marketing strategies to promote their
brands as well as products and services (Chen, 2010). Apple always produce unique products or
new system software that other competitors might be unable to beat that is why it is world's
largest informations technology company. So for the promotions of particular products and
services, company's marketing functions play important role for making effective strategies by
identifying best alternatives of strategy. There are several roles and responsibilities which Apple
must requires to consider while making any decision and adopt strategies for effective promotion
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of new product. So marketing functions helps to identify potential sources to promote company's
products. Here are some elements which included in this such as market research, product plan,
development process, finance, sales, promotions and customer's services etc. the functions of
marketing are as follows:
Strategy: for this, senior managers or top level management generally take responsibility
for setting effective strategies which helps in achieving organisational goals and objectives.
Strategies regarding marketing, promotional tools and techniques, compete the competitors,
increase share in specific market sector, segmentation, target customers, brand position etc. these
all strategies made by managing directors, head of department, CEO of the company (Dibb,
2013). It generally made for deciding the way to enter in the market with new ideas and
innovations in a particular products or services and make strategies for promoting as well as
creating awareness among customers. Apple company usually promote its products by brining
creativity in advertisement for attracting more customers. So they approach to new ideas or
innovations and make strategy producing and promoting product in unique way which helps in
achieving competitive advantages.
Market research: it is the key responsibility for the marketing department that to
research effectively about the market when launching or introducing of new products and
services. Company generally conduct research or survey for for identifying market opportunities
and get better understanding of consumer's needs and desired expectations. Market research play
an importance role in knowing about current trends, situations or conditions of a particular
market. Apple focus on producing new products which are developed with unique feature and
qualities and find the best market opportunities for launching it that helps in compete to
competitors. By conducting survey, it can be identify or understand about competitor's strengths
and weaknesses so they can make effective strategies as well as take action to protect business
with existing customers and create good brand image among competitors (Fazlollahtabar, 2012).
Apple company can use various methods for research such as by studying reports, market data on
websites, contact with customers tom identify their needs and wants. So company can carry out
its own research by using several tools and techniques.
Product development: it is another important function of marketing department that to
develop the product for satisfying customers as well as serve them best for maximum
satisfaction. They works for internal and external product development team to modify existing
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products or develop new products in the market. Company analyse its products sales and identify
any gap which is reason behind decreasing sales volume so they find the best opportunities to
develop their products by adding some values, innovations and creations for attracting more
customers and satisfy their needs and wants (Gertner, 2011). Apple company concentrate on
making new system software and good quality of products for end users and also they use pricing
strategies which depends on customers capabilities as how much they can spend for such kinds
of products.
Marketing team provide informations regarding customer's needs and wants so they can produce
or improve product's quality according to demand. The products development process helps to
marketing department in setting prices and preparing plans to launching the new products and
services.
Communication: company usually plans for promoting its products in the market.
Department plans campaigns and develop communication tools to promote particular product to
the customers and prospects. Communication is the process through which company provide
information or convey the message regarding their products and services. Apple company
usually make plan for advertising campaigns, develop e-mail marketing programs, promotional
content create for the company websites, customers newsletters, company brochures and
sponsorship, press release etc. so company can appoint any advertising agency who can make
creative or unique advertisements.
Sales support: marketing department of any organisation focus on sales performance
which helps to speed up the business growth. So they provide sales teams with high quality leads
by running advertisement. Team support in handling company's problem and also resolve
customer's issue regarding products and services (Hair, 2012). In this, they reply the mechanism
like coupon or telephone numbers as well as encourage visitors to the company website for
register their details in return for special report.
Events: There are several companies who organise various events and functions such as
exhibitions, seminars, sales conferences and customers hospitality events which support in
promoting business and create awareness among customers about products and services.
Marketing department plans for logistics of the events, meeting facilities as well as book
exhibitions booths for providing event material such as displays, presentations etc.
Apple company also organise such kinds of events and participate in various fares or exhibitions.
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P2 Roles and responsibilities of marketing in organisation context
Marketing functions is important part of an organisation so it is connected with firm.
Because it helps in identifying potential customers for satisfying their needs or wants and also
analysing market opportunities for business growth (Hoffman and Fodor, 2010). There are
several department in an organisation and these all play important role in achieving goals and
objectives. Main aim of marking function is to create a good brand image and build strong
relationship among customers. To compete with competitors, it is requires to adopt best
marketing strategies for promoting products and services in the market and compete with
competitors by using effective advertising strategies. Apple company also focus on maintaining
relationship with other department and there are some roles and responsibilities of Apple which
are interrelated with several business's functions as these all support in attaining goals and
objectives.
Marketing and human resource management: It is most important function of an
organisation because it related to manpower which must be required to run the business. In this,
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Illustration 1: organisation's functions

various process followed like recruitment and selections, training and development, performance
appraisal, maintain employee relations etc. it also includes staffing and managing all human
resource activities which helps in business operations. HR play important role in maintaining
work productivity as its main objective is to encourage, motivate and inspire employees for
achieving predetermined goals or set targets of an organisation in effective manner. So marketing
department helps in searching most talented people and recruit them according to their
knowledge, ability and skills that match with job profile (Jones and Rowley, 2011). Better
marketing strategies support to attracts good candidates for the company which helps in
increasing work productivity. Apple company generally hires high skilled and qualified person
for effective job or task.
Marketing and customers services: It is very useful for providing customers services for
their better satisfaction as marketing department take responsibility to solve consumer's problems
or issues and provide special supportive team for conflicts resolutions. It can be regarding
product's quality, features, design, technical error, size and shapes etc. so the duty of marketer is
to provide proper informations as well as disclose terms and conditions of particular product to
the buyers. This department always try to analysis customer's demands or needs and find best
way for meeting their desired expectations by providing quality goods and services. Apple
company is also appointed its supportive team for resolving consumer's problems and give them
best experiences. It will help in maintaining good relations with buyers and retain them for long
time by loyalty.
Marketing and finance: It is the essentials part of an organisation as finance is required
for running the business so it is backbone of the firm. Marketing department generally helps in
arranging funds from different sources and also attracts to investors for better investments. With
the helps of finance resource, company can run its operation smoothly. Marketers play important
roles in arranging funds as well as generating capital for successful organisation (Kotler, 2011).
Company can issue its shares, bonds and debentures for getting funds as most of companies do
same thing. They always try to attracts more investors by offering them various interests rates.
Apple company arrange its own capital or funds from the selling of their goods and services in
the market and create demand among customers through advertisements, online marketing,
publicity as well as using various promotional tools and techniques for generating funds by
increasing sales volume.
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Marketing and research & development: It is very important functions of an
organisation as research and development support to find customer's needs and wants by
conducting survey process. This department assist various factors like internal and external
which effects company's plan and policies so it helps in identify those forces and collect data or
information to analysis best outcomes. Research also support in finding customer's needs or
wants, what they expect from company and provide them suitable goods and services according
to their demand for meeting desired expectations (Kozinets, 2010). Company conduct such kind
of research process for analysing currents market trends, competitors, consumer's choices and
new products and services which helps in making strategies and adopting best one for surviving
in the market. After knowing the situations, researcher produce innovative goods and services
that helps in attracting more customers towards organisation's products. Apple company
generally conduct survey process for developing new product with some unique features and
adding value for satisfying customers. Marketing department support to conduct research or
survey for the business development. They also motivate to employees for adopting best
technologies and add some features for improving particular products that will helps in
increasing productivity. Company can attracts large number of customers and reach potential
buyers through research and development process.
Marketing and production & operational department: In this, marketing support in
production functions as it analyse that how much quantity of products should be produced
according to demand pattern as well as take decision that meet proper demand with supply. They
also helps in encouraging to the customers for purchasing company's products and services that
produced in better quality. In this, company make decisions regarding manufacturing of products
in which includes size, software, quality, features, model, colour, packaging and dispatching of
goods in effective manner that can be distributes to the buyers for satisfying their needs and
wants. Organisation manage all functions and focus on marketing trends, changes which depends
on environmental studies. These departments support in managing and controlling of inventory
system (Lamb, 2011). Apple company produce limited products so it will be easy to control on
inventory or stock for long time. So company undertakes new or innovative ideas that helps
customers for making work easy and they focus on removing work stress of people by providing
advance technology in high quality and give best services for their satisfaction.
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Marketing and information technology: Marketing support in information technology
department as it is interrelated with this. Apple is world's largest IT company which deals with
software and hardware and sell various kinds of products. So marketing department helps to
promote all these products in the marketplace. They make several strategy for selling and
promotion of products and services. For launching new products, company requires to create
awareness among customers because in present scenario, it is difficult to survive in the market
sue to cut throat competition (Linoff and Berry, 2011). Microsoft, IBM, EE, Samsung and many
more competitors are available in the market who are selling best products and services and their
financial positions and goodwill is also very strong at marketplace. Apple company's marketing
managers should consider effective tools and techniques to promote the organisation and adopt
various strategies for developing new products as well as creating new innovative goods and
services.
Task 2
P3. Comparison of ways in which Apple and EE apply the marketing mix
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Illustration 2: elements of marketing mix
source: marketing mix 2017

Marketing mix considered some elements that called 4ps and 7ps. It helps to the
organisation in making decisions regarding strategies that what company should produce and
how tom adopt strategy to promote products and services in the market for fulfilling consumer's
demand as well as meet with their desired outcomes. Apple company focus on marketing mix
strategies for developing the business among competitors so they make products to satisfy
customer's needs and wants (Malhotra and Birks, 2013). So in this project report Apple and EE
limited company considered and also described that how they use marketing mix to achieve
business objectives as:
Marketing mix tools Apple EE limited
Products This company serves its
customers with wide variety of
products including iPad, Mac,
Watch, software etc. company
believes in innovation and
come up with many updates.
The iPhone range of the
products which is in high
quality and act as the status
symbol for the customers.
This company is mainly
providing network services to
the buyers. Its core products
are the voice transfer services,
internet access through 3G and
4G plan, mobile phones and
SIM cards to make use of the
services that the company
provides.
Price Apple company generally uses
premium pricing strategy so
they need to maintain its status
and symbol and also have to
charge premium price from the
customers. This strategy helps
to the company in targeting a
small sector of middle and
upper class which result in
making higher profit margins
for the company.
This company use penetration
pricing strategy in order to
penetrate in the market. It was
the first mover to 4G services
so kept the in high level and
uses premium pricing strategy
to gain early profits.
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Place Apple use holistic approach of
distribution to reach the
market. They make decision
regarding the strategies of
selective distribution that
includes Apple stores, online
stores, authorized dealers and
telecom companies etc.
This firm also use several
distributions methods to reach
at potential customers like
internet and catalogues to do
direct marketing. They also
used intermediaries such as
franchise, partners and agents.
Promotions Apple use four major
strategies such as advertising,
public relations, sales
promotions and personal
selling. They also adopt
several promotional tools like
events, press release etc. to
make good relations with
customers.
This company use public
relations tool for promotions
because this method helps the
company in achieving its goals
and objectives.
People Company focus on people who
are working within
organisation. In other word,
people involve all the
members who are associated
with the product so Apple
believes in maintaining
relations with all members
because employees of the
company are one of the most
important reason behind the
innovation.
Its main objective is to
increase sales and market
coverage. They focus on
managers, employees and
intermediaries that support the
company in achieving its goals
and objectives.
Process In this, company believes in They generally adopt strategies
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