Ipad’s Integrated Marketing Communications Report

Table of Contents establishment1 apples merged trade discourse theory curriculum for iPad. 2 trade name berth2 rate Audience3 Target market and segments4 military rank of the produces combine trade Communications architectural fancy4 Conclusion7 Recomm break offations7 Bibliography8 Introduction This makeup go a substance discuss apples Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Programme for their iPad produce and how this is coordinated to transcend the iPads product spot strategy.orchard apple trees iPad is a tablet figurer adding a radical genre to their agile impostures. The report result discuss the stigmatise pulling and any recommendations for future IMC planning. orchard apple trees corporate headquarters ar establish in California in the US in the heart of the Hi-tech industry. They ar global in name of computer electronic consumable gross revenue. apple position themselves as a top of the station bearing with pi integrityering innova tions and consumer get hold ofs and wishings in mind.Steve Jobs, power co-founder, chairman and chief operating officer of apple Inc. , do a compelling spot didactics during his base of the iPad at a assemblage in January 2010, he stated that the iPad is so e trulyplace often more intimate than a laptop, and its so much more capable than a smart ph hotshot with its gorgeous harbour (STONE, 2010). orchard apple tree is committed to re master(prenominal)ing in the forefront of innovation and property, and at that placefore leave alone defy their belligerent wages in a rapidly evolving market.This report exit besides highlight the importance of media for apples markermark and how orchard apple tree abide engagementd this to reach its locate hearing and increase tell on awareness. It will similarly question if apple is nidusing on the Marketing Communications Mix or are they relying more on the longing of the give a way of life? The theory behind IMC is to social function alone aspects of selling conversation much(prenominal) as Advertising, Public Relations, Direct market and Personal selling to attain and sustain long-term customer relationships while fortify place awareness and increasing profits. apples phthisis and effectiveness of the IMC campaign and their supremacy from it will be discussed further in this report along with what message apple are trying to de kick the bucketr in their advertising of the iPad. orchard apple trees Integrated Marketing Communications Programme for iPad. The apple fire set is forthwith recognisable end-to-end the realism repayable to the federations positioning strategy of their product line by way of product features, quality and ease of use to separate a few. Their leadership in innovation gives the brand competitive reward and this has fed the essential and desire for the brand by consumers.Therefore the iPad having the orchard apple tree brand already created a trust ed am The apple brand is instantly recognisable throughout the beingness due to the smart sets positioning strategy of their product line by way of product features, quality and ease of use to name a few. Their leadership in innovation gives the brand competitive advantage and this has fed the want and desire for the brand by consumers. Therefore the iPad having the Apple brand already created a certain am Apple is no different to well-nigh organisations for using promotional and advertising tools to substantiate customers interest and the desire for their products.However, their merchandise on innovation and design of the iPad also catches the fear of new potential consumers. To galore(postnominal) an early(a)(prenominal) the technology was not tot completelyy new, but the supposition was and Apple focussed on that. precedent products from Apple put their brand in the limelight and do any new product launch a much anticipated one. amount of reputation, awareness and extrusion in the marketplace before it was crimson launched. So how is Apples Integrated Marketing Communications organised to give-up the ghost the iPads positioning strategy? Firstly, we should calculate at the brand positioning and how the iPad fits in.Brand Positioning Brands and the management of brands save become precise important elements of frenzyure and the economy. A brand back tooth increase the products perceived foster and therefore brand management and the trade techniques used are seen as full of life to increase brand equity and the positioning of their products. Marketers see a brand as an implied promise of the level of quality consumers flip come to expect from the brands products and that future products will meet those expectations. Apple is seen as an iconic brand that delivers revolutionary, beautifully designed and fantastic aloney profitable products. (Daye, 2012). The Apple brand is in fact Number 1 in brand value according to Forbes, precept it is worth $87. 1 billion, up 52% from ii grades ago (Forbes, 2012). The subordinate of the Apple brand was Steve Jobs who was an excellent brand marketer and core to what Apple is today. He saw the future for Apple which was crowd release beyond computers, therefore his source metre was to remove the word Computer from their logo. Doing this leave behinded the company to diversify and expand into the reality of mobile impostures and more. Doing this allowed the company to diversify and expand into the world of mobile subterfuges and more.Just as the products are genuinely(prenominal) important for competitiveness, the brand is too, and the Apple brand certainly has succeeded in building up a truly valuable thoroughly an instantly recognizable and universally value brand. This makes it easier to call d experience and sell the iPad. In fact, many brands oer time become frenzy brands consumers become passionate about the brand and levels of allegiance go beyond te rra firma (Roberts, 2004) and Apple has become a cult brand in some respects. As mentioned in Steve Jobs compelling positioning contestation in the introduction, he made twain important statements about the product.They were that the iPad was between two already highly successful mobile twirls, the laptop and the smartphone, and very importantly that the iPad had competitive advantages over each. Apple brand chase were instantly excited and could not bide for the release of the iPad so they could be the first to live with it, whether they needed such(prenominal) a catch or not The iPad was a game-changer in the tech world when released in April of 2010 and some believe it may end the personal computer era such is the strength of the brand. Target AudienceThe iPads orient reference is not as crystallize as one would think, it turns out that it is very broad. The initial thought on the iPad by the media was that it was bonnie a big iPhone that could not be used for regul ar phone calls, so who would want something like that? Apple believed, like for the iPod, that the iPad was for everyone. They got this perception when a year after the iPod was released many consumers still believed the device was for techies and celebrities. The task, therefore, was to use colloquy theory to inform world audiences that the iPod (and now the iPad) was for everyone, not just a select few (Fill, 2009).The fact that many features and programs on the iPad were inherited from the iPod and iPhone it meant that users would be old(prenominal) with the devices capabilities and perk up the advantage of mobile work out too. The iPad had the potential to position music revelrs of all ages and denominations, it was a learning tool for twain students and professionals with the addition of thousands of applications (apps) available. The build of apps could attract consumers who love to read, share photographs, stay in move through forms of email, forums, virtual meetin gs, social media and Apples Facetime to name a few.This made the iPads audience gigantic and diverse. Target market and segments Segmentation is required because a single product is unbelievable to meet the needs of all customers in a mass market (Fill, 2009). This should be the case for close to products, however the iPad is upstanding many needs and desires. For example, due to the variety of applications available, the iPad becomes an educational tool, a recreational tool, a channel tool and a communication tool, all of which the iPad was designed for. It is clear the device is equally good for home use as well as wrinkle for both genders.But the competitiveness of the product is modify by Apples stage winning dedicated music store, iTunes, which delivers unlined d makeloading of not just music, but books and movies too, which widens the target market and covers several market segments. The need to communicate through channels such as social media, example is Facebook, and websites specifically designed for mobile devices such as iVillage for women, make the iPad a very captivating device as it is stylish, light exercising weight and now trendy to own one.Consumers of all ages and backgrounds bear potentially own one as the damage of the base position is relatively acceptable in terms of good devices is concerned. Because of the potential to increase productivity businesses are scrambling to secure the iPad, students and colleges want them, and they are seen being used by intelligence activity broadcasters and present(a)ers not to mention government representatives. Apple do not appear to target markets like former(a) companies do, they tend to target people.They use elements of IMC and AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, and Action) to achieve and maintain customer loyalty and increase brand awareness. They managed to present complex technology in an easy, user friendly and fun way, a account to their success in many markets. Evaluation of the products Integrated Marketing Communications plan Apple offerd on the successes of previous products when launching their iPad product, using images and reminders of what those previous products have done for the world. Their merchandise communications for the iPad very much concentrate on what the company has done and what they are outperform at.In the tonic debut of the iPad, the company reminded us that in October 2001, Apple revolutionised the way people learn to music with the iPod, in April 2003 Apple revolutionised the way people buy music, videos and games with iTunes. In October 2007, they revolutionised the world of mobile communications with the iPhone, and now with the iPad, Apple will revolutionise the world again. Steve Jobs wild description of the device during his Keynote in January 2010 makes the individual user feel that it was made for them, that they will hold the internet in their hands and it is an incredible experience. Steve Jobs on many occasi ons has stated that he loves Apple products and their customers. This destines in the customer support Apple has invested in. The company internally is well briefed on how Apple wants to be perceived, again this shows in how secrecy shrouds products prior to their launch. Their communication desegregate is very much audience focused and eer consistent. The message for iPad is clear, it is a device for the individual who could personalise it and bring it anywhere. Apples marketing objectives were quite wide for the iPad.Their approach has always been the same, but different to other organisations, their introduction was somewhat spectacular due to the fact that products prior to launch were always successfully kept a secret. This made Apple brand fans excited and other consumers intrigued. Apples marketing strategy is Its better to be simple and it shows in their marketing communications as they keep their advertising minimalistic and product information in simple language. The m ain forms they use are social media, online advertising, presentation keynotes and sometimes viral marketing each way, the message is clear and simple the product is exciting, fun and easy to use. This is unusual, as traditionally, technological products were always described by their systems statistics and technical terminology which the average consumer does not picture. Brand awareness is increased because of the hype. The communication ripple or marketing immingle involves the slaying of a marketing plan consisting of i) Promotion, ii) Product, iii) hurt and iv) Place. The Apple brand is an incredibly hygienic brand hence Promotion is mentioned first.Apple, surprisingly, do not spend as much on advertising as one would think. Media such as television and magazines are their main choice but what Apple did and did best were product launch crusade releases. As mentioned before, keynote presentations were what Apples source CEO was extraordinary at. And people who mattered m ost to pass on and place the new product in the media through public relations press releases, were present at these presentations. Secrecy of a product generated interest and added to that the Apple brand which created hype, resulted in enthusiastic anticipation of the iPad launch.Commercials were simplistic but visually pleasing and this raise the beauty and simplicity of the design and features of the iPad, on the dot what Steve Jobs himself loved about Apple products. This is also mirrored in their shop designs featuring simple but sophisticated look just displaying the Apple products promoting their features. More recently, the iPad has been placed in most good computer electronic stores around the world and of course Apples own e-commerce website. It is now as easy to purchase the iPad as it is to buy shoes.The iPad, like other Apple products, is designed and manufactured to the highest standards as always maintained by the former CEO Steve Jobs. The Product is probably App les most important P in the communication mix as they believe they have the most a product can offer. Apple is committed to bringing the best personal computing experience to students, educators, inventive professionals and consumers around the world through its in advance(p) hardware, software and Internet offerings. (Apple, 2004). The products and the brand will push the other Ps of the mix for Apple.Price was not as important for Apple as their products. With their iPad they have competitive advantage with innovation, they also have control with materials, such as touch screens and flash store to keep costs down over their competitors. Most electronic goods prices generally take place as the product nears the end of its PLC, (Product liveness Cycle). Not so much with Apple products. Apple manages to get people strung-out on their products from an early age. The iPad, like other Apple mobile devices, are very easy and fun to use and have the capability of adapting to the us er by mode of applications and personalisation.Therefore, as the user grows older the device can contain more get on applications. For example, games and early learning apps can entertain children while music and movies are a must for adolescences, and productivity and news may be important for adults. Today we cannot live without social networking and weather information This is a very clever way of stretching a varied target audience that is not confined to gender, demographics, interests, or plain age and Apple use apps to promote the iPad.The effectiveness of the IMC campaign is hard to flyer for the iPad as an individual Apple product, as much of the interest is down to the loyalty of the brand also. Critics will always item to the negatives, but there is without doubt, evidence to show the iPad is a huge success. Promoting the iPad to young users, for example, in schools and colleges and images of celebrities and peers using them means it generates the desire to own one . Apple can also shut away the consumer into the brand by linking their products and gos so that they continue to use the brand through life.Conclusion Their advertising and in-store presentation of the iPad gives the product a prestigious image, but the ability to allow the consumer to try it or play with it in their stores shows the confidence the company has for their products capabilities and quality, and that is what consumers inevitably alternative up on. For effective marketing there needs to be effective communication of the information of the product. Apple does it well, but they do it simply and that seems to work. The desire they have generated for the consumer to want a fun and productive device is unquenchable.Apple may not follow all the rules of Integrated Marketing Communications, but they are careful in the planning of a product entry into the market. Secrecy, hype, presentations and image are key to their success it seems and the Apple brand remains powerful and resilient. Recommendations Apple as a company must be transparent to remain credible and sustainable in todays business climate. This will also aid in the expansion into emerging markets. The success of the iPad has been a cornerstone for the company roven by sales of nearly 40 million iPads at the end of 2011, according to Forbes, and they expect 73 million in sales by the end of 2012. This can be over confident and risky as they leave out new innovation since the iPad 2 launch. To continue growth into 2013 Apples marketing strategy will need to focus on brand positioning, promotion, customer service and estimate a competitive price of iPad with additional features linking to research and analysis of the environmental forces to compete in the global market. A continual S. W. O. T. analysis would benefit to understand the companys position.Promotion development and strategies can be extremely effective if Apple continues to focus on its strategic forgiving resource management and by fashioning consistent attempts to remodel its marketing plan to continue successfully. Bibliography Apple, 2004. Apple Press Info. Online useable at http//www. apple. com/pr/library/2004/01/08HP-and-Apple-Partner-to-Deliver-Digital-Music-Player-and-iTunes-to-HP-Customers. hypertext mark-up language Accessed 27th March 2013. Daye, D. , 2012. Weakness In The Apple Brand?. Online visible(prenominal) at http//www. brandingstrategyinsider. com/2012/12/crunch-time-for-the-apple-brand. hypertext markup language. US860jAqyCl Accessed 28th Feb 2013.Fill, C. , 2009. Marketing Communications. Fifth Edition ed. Harlow Pearson Education Limited. Forbes, 2012. Apple Tops List Of The Worlds Most reigning Brands. Online Available at http//www. forbes. com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2012/10/02/apple-tops-list-of-the-worlds-most-powerful-brands/ Accessed twenty-fourth March 2013. Roberts, K. , 2004. The Future Beyond Brands Lovemarks. novel York Powerhouse Books. STONE, B. , 2010. New York Times. Inside Technology. Online Available at http//www. nytimes. com/2010/01/28/technology/companies/28apple. html? _r=0 Accessed 12 Feb 2013. &8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212&8212