Apple Inc.
Discuss how various forms of IMC can be used to communicate with its target audience by taking an audience or touch point perspective.
Various forms of IMC can be used to communicate with its target audience by taking a touch point perspective. In this case Apple understands that buyers’ observations and attitudes towards its brand are the consequences of the information they receive and see out there, and from experiences they have had with their products. They know that not all touch points will be effective and the customer’s purchase behavior is not something they can control with every technique they use.
Discuss how Apple uses and must deal with the four categories of contact points discussed in the chapter including company created, intrinsic, unexpected and customer-initiated touch points.
Company created touch points are under the control of the marketer and this has helped Apple tremendously. From advertisements to websites, from press releases to in-store décor Apple is doing a great job at maintaining their products demand and keeping the prices high. When you enter an Apple store it invites you to relax and stay hanging out there. It lets you try their products and see with your own eyes and feel with your own hands the high quality of their products. Their advertising campaigns are simple with most of their products being presented alone and only with a few words which it genius because it is not trying to push the product but people feel attracted to buy them. They recently launched their iOS7 and iPhone 5S and 5C and a large number of people were waiting to see the press release, they control everything in this aspect. They cause people to be anxious for their brand and to know what their next thing will be.
Intrinsic touch points are often not under the direct control of the IMC program however Apple I feel has great control over this. The way they take charge of the interaction with their customers is highly motivational. The staff at an Apple store will always greet you with a smile and ask you if you need help or have any questions. They are all dressed in the same blue shirts and that helps you recognize who will help you. They are well trained and ready to assist you with any technical questions you might have. They also have a lot of product information in their website and it makes it easier for the customer to explore more of their products. The website is easy to navigate through and has animations that show you their product images in high quality.
Unexpected touch points are references or information that the customer receives, for example from family members, friends and other people, that the company doesn’t have any control. There are a lot of website that have great reviews about Apple products and this helps other people read comments about the quality of the product and helps them decide whether to buy that product or not. Worth-of-mouth is one of the most influential between consumers, because when you receive good feedback from a friend or family member about a product you immediately start to questions if you should buy that product too. Apple has done a lot to make the people talk about their products and this helps the sales of their products tremendously. I am a happy Apple customer and although I still have the iPhone 4 I am looking to get the new version of the 5S just because I have had good experiences with the brand and would recommend it to anyone.
Customer-initiated touch points happens when a customer contacts the company through their customer service or inquiries of their product. Some people like to call a company and ask for their product information before they purchase it and it is then when the company needs to have a good organization and should attract the customer even more to make the purchase. Some companies are even promoting their good customer services through their advertisements and this helps people to know that after they buy the product they will rest assure that the company will be there to help them. Apple has a great way to set up an appointment for you to go and take your defective product to the store. I haven’t heard so far of any other company that does this. Yes you can take your phone back to T-Mobile or ATT but Apple does it directly in their store and you can arrange an appointment online, which is very convenient. Anytime that I had to take my Apple product to the store to be checked I was helped after a few minutes and all my concerns were always resolved. I believe they are doing a great job at customer service.
Examine the various IMC contact tools shown in Figure 1-5 and analyze the extent to which they are used in the IMC program. Which contact tools are being used the most in the IMC program for the company or brand?
Out of these various IMC contact tools I believe that Apple uses all of them to help them be at the top of the competition. They now recently launched their own radio, which competes against other apps like Pandora, or iHeart radio to stay on top. They have TV commercials and print media, they also do Public Relations and their website is really interactive. Apple does a great job at Point-of-purchase because its stores are always clean and look very modern and make you feel good about the brand. They use simple packaging but nevertheless it still feels like the box if made out of good material. Apple also holds events at their stores to help customers learn more about the benefits of their products. Word-of-mouth is a good tool that is in Apple’s side because many people are so happy with their products that they tell people around them and this helps spread the world about purchasing Apple products.
Are the various contact tools integrated and sending a consistent image and message for the company or brand?
The way that Apple integrates various contact tools and sends a consistent image and message to their customer is what keeps them at the top of the competition. I think they are doing a good job at differentiating themselves from the rest and having people talk about their products. The consistent image they transmit is that of a high quality product that people want and need to have. It is one of those brands that has a large share of the market and something drastically needs to happen in order for them to get to the second place. I believe that they will be at the top for a few more years even if their products seem to not always have the latest technology.
What is your overall assessment of the IMC program for this company or brand?