Marketing Essentials Report: Apple and the Marketing Mix - Unit 2

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of Apple's marketing strategies, focusing on the role of marketing within the organization and its interplay with other functional units. It examines how Apple utilizes the elements of the marketing mix (7Ps) to achieve its business objectives globally. The report delves into the functional units of marketing within Apple, highlighting strategies like market research, product development, and customer support. It also explores the application of the 7Ps, including product, place, price, promotion, people, physical evidence, and process, to Apple's product offerings and market approach. Furthermore, the report develops and evaluates a basic marketing plan for the organization, considering market segmentation and strategic objectives. The analysis is supported by references to academic sources, providing a well-rounded perspective on Apple's marketing practices and their effectiveness in the competitive market.

Running head: MARKETING ESSENTIALS
MARKETING ESSENTIALS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
The purpose of the research paper is to analyze the role of marketing and how it
interrelates with the other functional units of the chosen organization Apple. It will alos compare
the ways in which the chosen organization uses the elements of marketing mix (7Ps) in order to
achieve the overall business objectives in worldwide. In the end of the report it will develop and
evaluate a basic marketing plan for the organization.
Discussion
Marketing is a very crucial tool which is used by most of the organization in their day to
day business. The marketing is done by the organizations to understand the marketplace, demand
of the customers of the certain geographical location, building a healthy and profitable customer
relationship, drive the market strategy and provide quality products and services to the
customers. According to the author (Londhe 2014) in the present era the business organizations
are slowly realizing the importance of the marketing which is used to build a strong customer
relationship. They are also using this tool in order to build an innovative approach towards the
market strategy in the daily business. The author (Londhe 2014) proposes that the marketing is
very essential in the current market scenario all around the world.
The functional units of marketing in Apple is discussed below :

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Marketing function for Apple can be explained with the help of the above given diagram.
According to the author Jackson and Ahuja (2016) the market functions can be defined or
explained as the roles of the business organizations which helps Apple to identify and source
potentially successful products for their own target market. It will also help the company to
promote its products and services as well. The marketing function also involves various types of
roles and responsibilities in the business organization which are responsible for the business
growth and smooth functioning of the company. Here in the case of Apple the organization uses
the strategies to influence the teenagers to buy the iPhones and use their services further in
various countries. The marketing functions which are helping Apple to gain competitive
advantage over its competitors in the market consists of strategy management, marketing
research for sales and support to- the customers, product development and improvement in the

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existing products of the company. These marketing functions are known to have various types of
different functions in the business organizations. and thus results in the growth of the company.
As reported by the author Jackson and Ahuja (2016) Apple makes the best of marketing in order
to capture the market. The company has recorded for selling the most smart phones among the
smart phone industry.

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With proper use of marketing the company has increased its profitability so as by increasing the
sales of the company. The finance department of Apple analyses a proper budget year for the
company whereas the production team is known to analyze the budget and moves forward with
the production of the devices accordingly. With proper analysis the human resource department
is known to generate new policies and procedures according to the market trends of the business,
sales, target and services which are provided by the company. Therefore it can be said that the
functional units of Apple work collaboratively and communicate effectively with each other in
order to bring success to the business.
7P’s of Apple
Product Mix – By the end of the year 2010 Tim Cook who was CEO of the company told that all
the Apple products could fit in a table itself. But now it is no more there is a range of products
and service which are offered b the company. Few of the products of the company includes
IPhone smartphones, IPad tablets, Mac desktop and portable personal computers and iPod digital
music and media players. Moreover the company also generates revenue from iTunes, Istore and
Iapps.
Place Mix – The place elements of the company generally includes the sales channels offered to
the customers which includes Apple Store, Online Stores, Direct sales force, Third party cellular
carriers, and Wholesalers.
Price Mix – The pricing strategies of the company includes Premium pricing, Price skimming,
Geographical pricing according to the customers segment.
Promotion Mix – This includes promotional activities of the company such as advertising ,
personal selling, sales promotion and public relations such as events.

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People Mix –The company is also promoting vision through the people of the company so as by
sharing their thoughts add providing them perfect knowledge about the products(Londhe 2014).
Physical evidence Mix – The company is known for creating its own brand image by relating
with the innovation and technology of the company.
Process Mix – The company also gives high importance to the customers aiming to provide
development and customer experience. It is also trying to integrae the company culture to
interact with the users (Chen and Ann 2016).
Develop and evaluate a basic marketing plan
Marketing plan is very important as because it helps the organization to develop products and
services in the business that meets the need of the target market. Good marketing plan will help
the organization to develop the customers and understand why the product and service offered to
them is pretty much different from others in the competition. The link between the marketing
plan is to plan out the objectives which are needed to achieved by the company.’ In order to meet
the strategies the organization has to develop various types of marketing strategies to meet the
marketing objectives.
The market segmentation for Apple includes the people with high income and demographics of
30 to 40. Those will be the target market for the organization. In order to do so the company
makes use of the 7P of marketing mix to analyze the market and meet the demand.

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References
Londhe, B.R., 2014. Marketing mix for next generation marketing. Procedia Economics and
Finance, 11, pp.335-340.
Jackson, G. and Ahuja, V., 2016. Dawn of the digital age and the evolution of the marketing
mix. Journal of Direct, Data and Digital Marketing Practice, 17(3), pp.170-186.
Baltes, L.P., 2016. Digital marketing mix specific to the IT Field. Bulletin of the Transilvania
University of Brasov. Economic Sciences. Series V, 9(1), p.33.
Chen, C.M. and Ann, B.Y., 2016. Efficiencies vs. importance-performance analysis for the
leading smartphone brands of Apple, Samsung and HTC. Total Quality Management & Business
Excellence, 27(3-4), pp.227-249.
Kotler, P., Burton, S., Deans, K., Brown, L. and Armstrong, G., 2015. Marketing. Pearson
Higher Education AU.
Wu, Y.L. and Li, E.Y., 2018. Marketing mix, customer value, and customer loyalty in social
commerce: A stimulus-organism-response perspective. Internet Research, 28(1), pp.74-104.
Steenkamp, J.B., 2017. Global Marketing Mix Decisions: Global Integration, Not
Standardization. In Global Brand Strategy (pp. 75-109). Palgrave Macmillan, London.