Consumer Behavior Analysis: Apple and Toyota, Promotional Strategies

This discussion board post analyzes consumer behavior by examining the marketing strategies of Apple and Toyota. The post begins by exploring how reference groups influence consumer behavior, particularly in the context of Apple's brand image and the impact of social proof on purchasing decisions. It then shifts to Toyota, analyzing a commercial advertisement and identifying situational influences on consumer buying behavior. The post fulfills the assignment brief by providing contemporary examples, explaining how these examples illustrate relevant consumer behavior theories, and posing questions for peer discussion regarding marketing strategies and consumer trends. The Apple section discusses how the company leverages its brand image and promotional strategies, while the Toyota section focuses on the impact of video advertisements and situational influences on consumer decisions. This post aims to provide insights into how companies like Apple and Toyota use consumer behavior theories to enhance their marketing efforts.

Running head: REFERENCE GROUP AFFECTING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
REFERENCE GROUP AFFECTING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
Name of the Student
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1REFERENCE GROUP AFFECTING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
Apple Inc. is a multinational technology firm based in America with headquarters in
California. Apple Inc. is considered as one among the four biggest technology companies.
The company produces premium quality iPhone, Mac, iPod, Apple Watch, AirPods and
Apple TV (Green, 2015). Among these iPhone has been the most successful product of Apple
Inc. due to the enormous market demand in Singapore and across the globe. To increase their
product’s competitive advantage Apple Inc. has identified the key attributes of their products
which the consumer searches for and what has enabled Apple iPhones to grab a major market
share than the other competitor brands. Apple Inc. spends a great deal of money in
advertising about the launch of a new iPhone model. The company makes extensive
advertisements through television, social media, web, radio and news. They employ solid
marketing strategies to boost their brand image in front of the media.
The biggest strength of Apple Inc.is their brand image they have become successful in
turning their customers into their fans. Social factors are the major influencers on consumer
behaviour for purchasing an iPhone and a part of social factor includes reference group. The
strong branding of Apple Inc. mostly affects the consumer buying behaviour. Along with
iPhone’s pioneering features, Apple Inc. also majorly depends on their brand image which
illustrates their product features and the niche multimedia services offered within the phones.
The company uses social proof as their promotional strategy before the launch of their
iPhone. The company records the sales and shares it with their customers to affirm their
emotional responses. Thus the customers who are confused while making purchase decisions,
through this social proof can depend on the consumer behaviour of the other customers
(Askalidis, 2015).
Question: What changes do you think Apple Inc. should incorporate in their
promotional strategies to increase their market share further?

2REFERENCE GROUP AFFECTING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
References
Green, S. (2015). Apple. Bellwether Media.
Askalidis, G. (2015). The impact of large scale promotions on the sales and ratings of mobile
apps: Evidence from Apple's App Store. arXiv preprint arXiv:1506.06857.