MG412: Apple Watch Series 6 vs Fitbit Versa 2 Marketing Mix Report

This report presents a comparative analysis of the marketing strategies employed by Apple Watch Series 6 and Fitbit Versa 2, focusing on the application of the 4Ps of marketing: product, price, place, and promotion. The analysis delves into the target markets of each brand, examining how product features, pricing models, distribution channels, and promotional activities are utilized to reach and influence consumers. The report highlights the key differences in the approaches of the two brands, with Apple leveraging premium pricing and a focus on technological innovation, while Fitbit emphasizes health-conscious consumers and a broader range of features. The analysis considers the effectiveness of each brand's marketing mix, drawing conclusions about their market positioning and overall success. The report also analyzes the different promotional activities used by both brands, including advertising through various media and the use of social media platforms. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and offers insights into the strategic choices made by both companies.

Comparative Analysis

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In the report comparison analysis of two brands is analysed with the help of marketing mix tool.
To know the basic comparison of Apple iWatch series 6 and Fitbit versa 2. With the help of
marketing mix comparison of its product, price, place (target market, distribution channel),
promotion strategies is analysed. By this report it inferred that both have different strategies and
are well settled but Apple have high market share and growth in comparison to Fitbit.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................5
Target Market...................................................................................................................................5
Marketing mix:.................................................................................................................................5
Product.........................................................................................................................................5
Price ............................................................................................................................................6
Place.............................................................................................................................................6
Promotion.....................................................................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Comparative analysis means compare the two products, brands to know the basic
difference. Marketing mix refers to the factors of combination that are control to influence
customers by the company to buy their products, these factors are-promotion, price, product,
place (Luenendonk. 2020). In this report comparative analysis is done with the help of marketing
mix of two brand- Fitbit versa 2 and Apple iwatch series 6. Apple is founded by Steve Jobs in
1976 in America. Its headquarters I Cupertino, California and U.S (Rawlinson. 2017). Apple
iwatch market size in a million US dollars is 74 and its market share leads the wearable gadgets
by 51 % in the global market. Fitbit is an American electronics consumer company was founded
in 2007 by James Park. Its headquarters are in San Francisco and California. Market share Fitbit
is around 31.7 % in the global market. Market size of the Fitbit was values USD 30.41 billion.
MAIN BODY
Target Market
Target market for Apple watch series 6 are well-informed consumer who like to use high
technology watch with a high, medium or medium-high income level who use innovative
products and for them elegant, beautiful and trendy is also an important factor. Most of the
customers are from the loyal customers of the brand (Al-Omari, and et.al. 2018). Mostly fitness
and sports person are the target markets the Apple iwatch series 6.
Fitbit's target market is where the individuals who are 30+ who need to motivation to be
active and those who are overweight and those who already active and monitor their performance
Fitbit also target kids because kids nowadays are not so active and parents want to monitor their
activity can be analysed it easily with the help of Fitbit.

Marketing mix:
Place
Apple is a multinational brand and its watches are available easily in different countries.
In early days Apple watches are only sold online through its website. Customer can reach to the
product easily as it has well built distribution channel. Later the Apple launch its watch in the
market, it is available on the retail stores of the company and on some luxury outlets where brand
tied up with them (Datta, Ailawadi and Van Heerde. 2017). Since 2015 watches are available at
the company outlets and by announcing best buy to selling the watches through retail shops.
Fitbit sells its product by two marketing channels. It directly sells to the customers by
online selling and by selling to the wholesalers and then wholesalers sold to retailers of the
country. It uses marketing intensive strategies where company sells its product to the possible
retailers, to ensure easy reach of the products to the customers. For effective online selling
operations, company did partnership with many delivery agents to do product deliveries on time.
It also follows Omni channel distribution which helps in easy access of the product to the
customers through online and offline stores. It has build network with various suppliers for the
raw material required for the production. For the regular innovation, producing new and
attractive features of the product company work close with their suppliers.
Product
Both companies have similar products with different features. Apple watch series 6 has
different features from the Fitbit versa 2 such as oxygen level of the body is measured, ECG app,
monitor sleep times, tracking workout metrics, music and broadcasts, share activity rings, invite
friends for competition for seven days activity challenge, having 100% recycled aluminium,
seamless straps, have and attend phones and send messages even don't have phones the wallets
are also shared Siri can be used. Availability of customization in the form of wristbands for
enhances the style statements (Hanssens and et.al. 2018). Its ability to perform many activities
wirelessly makes it the best gadgets to use.
Fitbit have some low features compare to Apple. Fitbit versa 2 have Amazon alexa built
in, guided breathing sessions, music experience, on screen workouts, sleep scores, goal based
experience modes, essential apps, reminder to moves, find my phone app, real time pace and
distance, notifications and quick replies, water resistant to 50 M, multi day battery, cardio fitness
score, Fitbit pay, accessories and clock faces, Fitbit app, always show heart rate 24*7 and always

have display on the screen, larger display area, automatic activity and sleep tracking, comfortable
fit, mensuration health tracking, premium finish, wireless syncing. Apple watch series 6 came in
8 different colours- titanium, silver, gold, graphite, space grey, blue, space black and product red.
While Fitbit have 7 different colours — Emerald/ copper rose, black /Carbon, stone/ mist grey
aluminium, petal/ copper rose, navy and pink, Bordeaux/copper rose and smoke woken/mist
grey.
Promotion
Being a well-known brand Apple spend quite good on its promotion. For I watch
company it gave more importance on special features fir health and fitness with the help of
various ad campaigns. Company do ad campaign by doing advertisement through print and
electronic media by magazines and TV. Apple watch advertisement is done in vogue magazine
on the spread on 12 pages (Mahmoud and et.al. 2017). Company also puts several hoarding to
increase its brand visibility. Its most famous advertisements like Macintosh commercial iconic
Apple is considered best for all time as the best super bowl commercial. Different advertisement
is set for different age groups for example for the younger audiences through television of
displaying games on the iwatch. Whereas for the older audience (50+) advertise for their age
group by the print media or by the radio commercials describing the features of the watch. With
the increase of the digital world, digital advertising is also done through social networking
platforms such asYouTube, Face book and Twitter. Fitbit uses several media to promote Fitbit
versa6. It did advertisement through radio and television which helps in large reach and available
to persuade large number of customers (Maro’ah, Firmansyahand Roosmawarni. 2018). With the
regular uses of internet, online and social media advertising is useful as it is cheaper and
beneficial. Fitbit gave regular update information to the customers through its social media
platforms.
Customers know all the necessity information through the advertisement done by the
company through Face book, Twitter and YouTube. With the trade exhibitions and events it also
did various sales promotion of the company. It also does personal selling by increasing its
availability in retail stores by large sales force. With the percentage of sales method it helps
company to know its promotion budget for the next year. For the promotional activities it uses its
360 degree approach. It uses is social media platforms for the interaction with the customers.

With the regular engagement and interaction, company understand the customers need and
demand. Fitbit also maintain its websites which gives detail information of the company and its
products and also give information related to its sales and ongoing campaigns. Company also has
its loyalty card program which consists of points which redeem in exchange for products and
exciting gifts.
Price
It is difficult to analysis the price of the product due to the continuous pressure of degree of
competition, cost relationship and pressure of the demand. Apple uses its clear strategy based on
capabilities, product demand and advantages that allow selling its product with high margin in
compare to those of its competitors. Apple adopted premium pricing policies for the watch.
Prices of the Apple are higher in comparison to the competitors but it has trust on its loyal
customers and have confidence on the quality and status symbol of the product (Marwede. 2017).
Customers buy the Apple watch because of high quality and have advanced technology.
Fitbit uses premium pricing for its products; Fitbit prices are lower in comparison with
apple watches. It uses product bundle pricing, where products are sold at low prices by bundling
together in comparision to the price of individual product. Fitbit also follows optional product
pricing strategies, where the price is charged for the base product and additional charges are
taken for additional accessories which came along with it (Hanssens and et.al. 2018). For online
selling it charges additional cost for the delivery of the product. Fitbit fix its prices for the
product then retailers and wholesalers sell the product by adding their own margins.
CONCLUSION
From the report it concludes that Apple and Fitbit both are using the best strategies in
their context. Apple iwatch series have additional features in comparison to the Fitbit versa 2.
both company is using different pricing strategies for their product, Apple focuses on high
income level consumers who like to use luxury products and loyal customers, those who never
compromise on the quality of the products. Whereas Fitbit focuses on the health conscious
customers and the parents who are worried about their child health. Both companies uses mostly
same promotional activities through TV, radio and print media like magazines and through
online by social media platforms and ad campaigns.

REFERENCES
Journals and Books
Al-Omari, Z.S., and et.al., 2018. The impact of marketing mix elements on forming mental
images about Islamic banks in Jordan: An Empirical Study. OFFICIAL. 12. p.54.
Datta, H., Ailawadi, K.L. and Van Heerde, H.J., 2017. How well does consumer-based brand
equity align with sales-based brand equity and marketing-mix response?. Journal of
Marketing. 81(3). pp.1-20.
Hanssens, D.M and et.al., 2018. Consumer attitude metrics for guiding marketing mix decisions.
In LONG-TERM IMPACT OF MARKETING: A Compendium.(pp. 557-600).
Mahmoud, T.O.,and et.al., 2017. The influence of green marketing mix on purchase intention:
The mediation role of environmental knowledge. International Journal of Scientific &
Engineering Research. 8(9). pp.1040-1048.
Maro’ah, S., Firmansyah, M.A. and Roosmawarni, A., 2018. Marketing Framework of Small and
Medium Enterprises (Smes) Based on Marketing Mix of Syariah. International Journal
of Management and Economics Invention. 4(09). pp.1924-1928.
Marwede, M., 2017. Product development for distant target groups: an experimental study for
the silver market. Springer.
Online references
Luenendonk, M., 2020. Understanding the Marketing Mix Concept – 4Ps. [Online]. Available
through <https://www.cleverism.com/understanding-marketing-mix-concept-4ps/>.
[Accessed on 12 April 2021]
Rawlinson, N., 2017. History of Apple. [Online]. Available through
<https://www.macworld.co.uk/feature/history-of-apple-steve-jobs-mac-3606104/>.
[Accessed on 8 April,2021]