Apple marketing strategies are so powerful that when you search for ‘Apple’ on the internet, Google won’t show you an edible fruit but a half-bitten one. And the half-bitten silhouette is one of the world’s leading tech giants that has formed a gadget and software ecosystem in every household. As a matter of fact, Apple’s marketing strategies are directly reflected in its massive fan base. Today, the company’s marketing prowess has created a worldwide cult following.
Since 1976, Apple continues to astonish people with its innovation and ingeniousness. It is rather surprising to think that Apple was neither the first company to develop smartphones nor portable MP3 players. But, it stands out among other giants like Microsoft, Google, and others with its minimalist products. One thing which is obvious is that Apple’s marketing strategies are neither devoted to making millions of dollars nor selling out their products. It is more devoted to building a cult for generations to come.
In this blog, we will discuss 5 leading Apple marketing strategies that have swayed millions of people from around the world to stand in massive queues just to buy a ‘phone’.
Case 1: Building Curiosity with a Sneak-peak
Apple is, no wonder, a master of teaser marketing campaigns, building the suspense for as long as possible. Weeks or months before the release of every iPhone, the media conversations and buyer speculations build to unfathomable levels.
In 2012, Apple announced a press conference but did not disclose its subject. The company created a cliffhanger as the media speculations kept growing. The massive media attention and blogosphere generated phenomenal consumer interest–for free! Moreover, weeks later Apple launched a paid media campaign to keep the flow going.
Case 2: Create Pain Points and Sell the Illusion
The demand for a product increases when it fills the existing void or scarcity in the market. Scarcity increases the value of a product and makes it more desirable. And, Apple has long mastered this key point. The company has found its own strategy of hyping the sense of faux scarcity. In 2014, iPhone 5 were not plentily available when it went on sale. Just an hour after it went on sale for preorders, Apple’s website reported heavy demands which further resulted in delayed deliveries. Due to scarcity, the only feasible option was preordering the phone, and hence, the queue was unimaginably long. The tactics not only worked but estimated record-setting first-day sales. Even two weeks after the iPhone went on sale, it was back on for preorders for three to four weeks, dragging the desire (and the difficulty) to own one.
Case 3: Communicating in Customer’s Language
The book of Apple marketing strategies says to be different, delightful and friendly. The core driver of every Apple product is the removal of complexity in favor of ease of use with innovative features like touchscreen ‘gestures’ for zooming and scrolling, or ‘SIRI’ (your personal assistant). People will not understand technicalities like gigahertz, Qualcomm processing and others. What they understand is sleek design, edge-to-edge glass, retina display, to name a few. And, Apple marketing strategies are based on the language that customers are fluent in.
For example,
- iPod is not a music player and storage device—it lets you store hours of music in your pocket.
- iMac isn’t just another computer – it helps make your computing experience exciting and pleasurable.
- iPhone isn’t just a smartphone—it lets you put the power of an Apple computer in your phone.
Case 4: Building Brand Community or ‘Cult’
Over the years, Apple has created a community of millions of users around the world who are cool, fun and friendly. Apple marketing strategies include making customers want to belong to that community!
For instance, Apple’s ‘Think Different’ ad campaign took the world by storm! It began with a voice-over narration that said “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers.” And every person around the world has related to that at one point of their lives. Apple smartly capitalized on the universality of that self-perception, which made its customers believe that the brand understands them and is like them. Apple marketing strategies brilliantly created a strong, vibrant and engaged community of users is to get crystal-clear on your brand values and personality.
Case 5: Minimalism is the new normal
Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. And that is the core value of Apple marketing strategies. Since its founding, Apple’s products have vastly evolved in style and sleekness, whereas the minimalist design has remained constant. More is not always better and Apple definitely adheres to that. Apple understands that technology consumers often get overwhelmed.
An Apple retail store is designed for test-driving products not grabbing boxes. Even the products are kept sleek and minimal, with simple color schemes and a clean, uncluttered design. The names are short and easy to remember, including the app store that has made third-party partners huge successes.
Another fundamental strategies that remain constant in the book of Apple marketing strategies are its unwavering prices. The leading tech giant definitely knows its brand value and does not compromise with it. Even with high prices and competitive brand deals offered by other brands, users opt for Apple products and the Apple ecosystem. Apple’s marketing is a magnum opus of the marketing world. Apple marketing strategies are indeed something that is yet to be adopted by other major technology companies.
