Bus628 – Strategic Brand Management

Brand Strategic Plan

Anthony De Rosa

Dr. Thayer

        6/16/2019

BUS628 – Strategic Brand Management

The product that I choose is the iPhone XS Max. Apple has been around for many years. Apple was first developed in the ’70s when Steve Jobs, who is the founder, developed the first computer. This computer sold for $666.66. Fast-forward to 1984 when Jobs introduced the Macintosh for $2495.00. “Hello, I’m Macintosh. It sure is great to get out of that bag. Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking, I’d like to share with you a maxim I thought of the first time I met an IBM mainframe: NEVER TRUST A COMPUTER YOU CAN'T LIFT! I can talk, but right now I’d like to sit back and listen. So, it is with considerable pride that I introduce a man who’s been like a father to me… STEVE JOBS. “From that moment on the company grew and grew. They first introduced Palm Pilots, then laptops, then iPods. In 2011 Apple became the world’s most valuable company, is worth $337 Billion. Even after Steve Jobs passing, the company has continued to make many strives. They introduced the iPhone 4,4s,5,5s,5se,6,6Plus,6s,6sPlus,7s, 7sPlus, 8s, 8sPlus, and now the X and XS Max The iPhone XS Max is a 6.5-inch version this time with a 2,688 x 1,242-pixel resolution. This is the latest product to hit the market in terms of new technology for Apple. This is the larger version of the regular iPhone XS. As stated from “CNBC critic Todd Haselton bluntly praised the iPhone XS and XS Max as the best phones the Cupertino, California-based company has ever sold. However, he acknowledged they are not enough of an improvement over last year’s iPhone X to warrant an upgrade for X owners.” you need to make sure that you store your facial image in the phone to be able to unlock the phone.

Ideally, it comes down to the market at the time of the product. Apple has always been a WOW factor for me. I love to see the next product that they are going to come out with; they have the iPad air now. It is like a minicomputer. I use that to do most of my work for school. People still laugh at me when they get in my car and see the 1st generation iPod that I have it has all my music on there. I leave it in the car, and this is the easiest thing not to make my phone die. The apple air pods are just as amazing; they show a continuation to the apple products. You need them to be able to complete the apple collection.  “Their main user base of Apple products has traditionally been the creative industry, usually known to be designers and media people. This endorsement has helped Apple enormously in selling the ‘creative’ lifestyle as it helps customers imagine cool and trendy creative people, sipping cappuccinos, tapping on swanky laptops and lounge in stylish offices. Another company which has managed the same level of customer endorsement is no doubt Harley-Davidson; with it’s free-loving, no-nonsense, tattooed customers. It’s free advertising, make sure those customers represent a desirable lifestyle.”

This brand has been in the news on many different scandals. One that comes to mind is the one where Apple intentionally slowed down peoples iPhones. This not only made people very angry at Apple, but it made apple must do something to retain their customers. “Apple has admitted to intentionally slowing down iPhones as they get older, without notifying customers.” Apple does go into further detail that explains that doing this would ensure that the phone would have a longer life span. Apple did state that they didn’t want the public to think that because they have a slower phone, they need a new one. Despite this debacle of Apple intentionally slowing the phones down, Apple still has a loyal number of customers. They reported, “Attracted by the iPhone’s clean design and emphasis on privacy, users bought into the iOS ecosystem of apps, movies, and music. They then discovered that jumping to a rival product would be an expensive hassle.”

In this market for cell phones not only is the competitive environment strong for the brand, but also the cellular carrier. The consumer is going to go where the best deal for them is. Currently, Verizon is marketing Buy One iPhone XS Max and get one free. Then clicking on Sprint, T-Mobile, Boost, Or Cricket, its buy one Samsung Phone get one free. One of the main things that set apple to the disadvantage is the cost for the product. Currently, for the 32 gigabytes, iPhone XS Max customers are looking at around $1000 - $1200.However, being able to purchase a Samsung it is starting about $900. This price difference is only $100.00 yet; some people don’t want to spend the money on the iPhone.

For my assignment, the target audience is going to individuals Bachelor Stage Newly Married Couples, Full Nest I, Full Nest II. I will be targeting people who make more than the average salary, professional people. This type of people can also be considered Middle- and Upper-Class people.  The demographics are going to be US and International.  As for the behavior of the individuals, they are either going to be a diehard Apple Fan, or they are going to be switching to the product. They are going to do everything and anything to be able to get it. The demographics of the people who I am going to be presenting this too is anyone in the world that needs to use a cell phone. Nowadays, everyone needs a cell phone. “The high-end iPhone XS and XS Max start at $999 and $1,099, respectively, but can cost as much as $1,449 for versions with 512 GB of internal storage. Positioned next to these premium options, the iPhone XR seems like a bargain. Its $749 starting price is far more palatable for the average consumer, but it’s still pricey.” Even Apple CEO Tim Cook describes the reason for the increase in the product. “Under CEO Tim Cook’s leadership, Apple’s focus has shifted markedly toward boosting its share price to keep its investors happy. Cook ditched Apple’s streamlined product strategy in favor of more options across higher price points in a clear response to two important trends: the saturation of the smartphone market and growing economic inequality.”

The product that I choose does fit the criteria for this segmentation. One reason is that people need cell phones. If they are used to working with a particular brand, they are going to continue to work with that brand. I think that people always want the latest and the greatest. People are not worried about the cost of the products if they are willing to be loyal to the brand. I am going to use a real-life experience. I was exposed to Apple fifteen years ago; I bought my self my first Apple iPod. From that moment on, I continued to grow with the Company. I am the voice for Apple with my family. I was able to get my husband, sister, and parents to switch. I have Apple iPads, Apple TV, Mac Book Pro. Apple is something that takes over; you want to make sure that everything is compatible. Well, with Apple, that is precisely what you get, compatible equipment.

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