WELCOME TO APPLE Terrence McLaughlin Tutor: Ms. Felicity Burns ID#: 1089658
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Table of Contents // 2 Introduction // 3 Client Background // 3 Product Offering // 4 Direct and Indirect Competition // 4 Positioning Against Competition // 5 Unique Selling Proposition // 6 Target Audience // 6 Conclusion // 7 References // 8 2
INTRODUCTION Since the 1980s, Apple Inc. has been known for producing notable advertisements. Campaign after campaign is recognized for its creativity and ingenuity, helping shape Apple’s image into the revolutionary company consumers have seen grow immensely over the past several decades. The defining characteristics of Apple’s products and advertising efforts, simplicity and innovation, have led to a transformation in the company’s approach towards marketing strategies. In the case of the recent “Shot on iPhone 6” campaign, the use consumer generated content has proved to be a successful tool. Though this new resource has added value to the advertising industry as a whole (Moriarty 2014), Apple has specifically been praised for its use in the creative campaign by consumers and critics alike. “It’s not just a great idea, it’s a game changer. It’s really opening a new way of doing things and changing behavior,” said Juan Carlos Ortiz, the Cannes Lions Jury President, of the newest Apple advertising campaign (Cassidy 2015).
CLIENT BACKGROUND Apple Inc. designs, manufactures and markets a diverse product line that includes mobile communication and media devices, personal computers and tablets, and software interfaces. Founded in 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne, the multinational technology company, is headquartered in Cupertino, CA. With an operating income of $53 billion, and a value of $700 billion, Apple has become one of the worlds most valuable publicly traded companies (Huguet 2014). One of Apple’s greatest assets is its corporate identity. The overall design of Apples product line, its brand loyalty, and its notable advertising campaigns, have all sparked a high level of interest amongst consumers, other businesses, and academics. CDO, Jonathan Ive explained that explained in 2014 that “People have an incredibly personal relationship” with Apple’s products (Arlidge 2014).
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PRODUCT OFFERING On June 29, 2007, Steve Jobs, the late co-founder and CEO of Apple Inc. introduced the first-generation iPhone, a product so revolutionary that it would reshape the telecommunications industry. Since its initial debut, the iPhone has helped shape the continually evolving face of Apple. Specifically featured in this advertisement is the iPhone 6, the most recent generation of the iPhone series developed by Apple. It is a multi-touch screen smartphone that was released by Apple on September 19, 2014. Most notably, the device has a 4.7 inch retina display, an A8 processing chip, fingerprint touch identification and an 8 megapixel rear camera. The iPhone 6 is available for purchase in three different colors (silver, gold, and space gray) and three different storage options (16 GB, 64 GB, and 124 GB). Prices range from $299-$499 USD when purchased in conjunction with a cell phone plan (Beavis 2014). Secondary to the iPhone, the advertisement also features Vodafone telecommunications services. The company, which owns a majority of the mobile networks in Australia, partnered with Apple to provide the iPhone 6 as one of its mobile phone options. The inclusion of the Vodafone logo on the lower right corner of the advertisement suggests that the product offering is not specific to the iPhone, but rather the iPhone and Vodafone.
DIRECT & INDIRECT COMPETITION The direct competitors of the iPhone 6 are smartphone products developed primarily by Samsung. The South Korean conglomerate, which controls Samsung Electronics, earned revenue that was equal to 17% of South Korea’s $1.082 trillion GDP (Daniel 2013). The subsidiary of Samsung Electronics produces the Samsung Galaxy S5, and the Samsung Galaxy Alpha, both of which greatly rival the iPhone 6 in terms of hardware features such as size, display resolution, and processing quality (Beavis 2014). Consumer data suggests that Samsung Galaxy S5 users are slightly more pleased than Apple iPhone 6 users (Apple iPhone 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S5).
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DIRECT & INDIRECT COMPETITION (CONT.) Separate from Samsung products, smartphones produced by HTC and Sony, specifically the HTC One M8 and the Sony Xperia Z3 are also direct competitors of the iPhone 6 (Beavis 2014). Both phones feature very similar hardware qualities to the iPhone 6, and are, in regards to a few features, more advanced than those featured in the iPhone 6. The indirect competitors of the iPhone 6 include telecommunication products, as well as as imaging and optical products. All primary phones (non-smartphone products) with cameras are considered indirect competitors due to the basic commonalities that the iPhone shares with other mobile phone devices. The most popular primary phones are the Nokia 130 and the Nokia Asha 503 (Finding Room in your Pocket: Which Non Smartphone is Right for You? 2014). Additionally, the iPhone 6 is an indirect competitor of imagery products such as nonDSLR digital cameras. The iPhone 6’s 8 megapixel rear-facing camera includes a 1.5 micron pixel sensor, an f/2.2 aperture lens, and has the ability to shoot 1080p video at either 30 or 60 frames per second (Molen 2014). With the iPhone 6’s advanced image capabilities, consumers might opt to purchase the iPhone 6 over a digital camera of similar value. These include Nikon Coolpix products, Canon Powershot products, and Sony Cybershot products.
POSITIONING AGAINST COMPETITION In the advertisement, the iPhone 6 is presented as the elegant choice amongst its competitors. Between the black and white saturation of the photo, to the simplistic layout and language featured at the bottom of the page, the advertisement is portraying a much more sophisticated product without even showing a photo of what the product looks like. Though the quality of the camera is exhibited through the inclusion of the photo, the other features of the phone are not identified whatsoever. By focussing in on one of the impressive qualities of the iPhone 6, the consumer is able to equate the specific qualities of the camera to the overall qualities of the phone. The message of this advertisement then suggests that because the quality of the camera is great, then the product as a whole is great. The consumer perception of this advertisement is focussed around the awe and beauty of the photo featured in the advertisement. Because this is a photo taken by a “normal” iPhone 6 user, it will be easier for consumers to understand that they too can know what its like to take a beautiful photo on an iPhone 6.
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UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION In the advertisement, there are several unique selling propositions. The iPhone 6, while comparable to many other phones, is a product produced by Apple Inc. Fascination with Apple products is shaped in part by the creative identity displayed in company advertisements. The “Shot on iPhone 6” advertisement focuses on the camera quality of the product. However, while the camera quality is impressive, the truly unique selling proposition featured in this advertisement is based around its name. Simply put, its unique because it’s an Apple product. However, the creative elements of the advertisement suggest that there is more to the unique selling proposition than just its manufacturers name. Like all of Apple’s current products, the elegant design and layout of the advertisement stays true to Apple’s corporate identity. The language of “Shot on iPhone 6”, specifically the “Shot on” language, is arguably slang that is used by individuals who understand photography and are creative. Furthermore, the usage of consumer generated content in this advertisement is clearly identified by the photo credit. The mention of the photographers name suggests that he is a part of an exclusive “creative community.”
TARGET AUDIENCE The audience that this advertisement is trying to attract is broad and varied. Firstly, the social media obsessed members of millennial generation are a part of the advertisements target audience. Millennials are more exposed to creative content than any other generation before it, primarily because they are able to share and access media content online through applications like Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest. This audience is more likely to appreciate the creative values of the photograph than most other audiences. Secondly, the advertisement is clearly trying to appeal to creative professionals, as
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TARGET AUDIENCE (CONT.) well as those who wish to become more creative. More specifically, men and women ranging from 25-60 years old who work in creative industries such as communications, design, and the visual arts. Those who may not necessarily work in creative industries, but, similar to that of millennials, appreciate creativity, are also likely to appeal to this advertisement. Lastly, the advertisement is trying to appeal to current Apple customers. As a company that relies heavily on customer loyalty, Apple is trying to extend its appreciation for continued business through this advertisement. Though the advertisement may be surrounding the quality of the iPhone 6’s camera, customers that already have Apple products understand the quality of the product and thus, relate to the advertisement differently. The inclusion of consumer generated content suggests that Apple cares about showcasing the beautiful work of their customers.
CONCLUSION In conclusion, this award-winning campaign represents the defining ideals of Apple. Through the advertisement, the iPhone 6 is seen as a beautiful device with impressive hardware. The simplicity of the advertisement understates the power of the iPhone 6, and suggests that the product is more than just a phone. It shows that this product is relied upon by people who expect professional grade photography, and an equally impressive smartphone. While the iPhone 6 is already the phone choice for millions of customers around the globe, this advertisement encourages the continued growth of Apples “creative community.� With an advertisement as simple and clear as this, its easy to see how this has become known as one of Apples most iconic advertising campaigns.
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REFERENCES Anon, Apple iPhone 6 vs Samsung Galaxy S5. Phone Arena. Available from: http:// www.phonearena.com/phones/compare/apple-iphone-6,samsung-galaxy-s5/ phones/8346,8202. [Accessed 2015]. Arlidge, J., 2014. Jonathan Ive Designs Tomorrow. Time. Available from: http://time.com/ jonathan-ive-apple-interview/ [Accessed 2015]. Beavis, G., 2014. iPhone 6 review. TechRadar. Available from: http://www.techradar.com/ reviews/phones/mobile-phones/iphone-6-1264565/review/10 [Accessed 2015]. Cassidy, A., 2015. Apple’s “World Gallery” Campaign Wins Outdoor Lions Grand Prix At Cannes. Co.Create. Available from: http://www.fastcocreate.com/3047756/cannes/applesworld-gallery-campaign-wins-outdoor-lions-grand-prix-at-cannes [Accessed 2015]. Daniel, J., 2013. Shell, Glencore, and Other Multinationals Dominate Their Home Economies. Bloomberg.Com. Available from: http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/articles/2013-04-04/shell-glencore-and-other-multinationals-dominate-their-home-economies [Accessed 2015]. Anon, Finding Room in your Pocket: Which Non Smartphone is Right for You? BEST OF THINGS. Available from: http://bestofthings.weebly.com/best-non-smartphone.html [Accessed 2015]. Huguet, K., 2014. Apple Reports Fourth Quarter Results. Apple. Available from: http:// www.apple.com/pr/library/2014/10/20apple-reports-fourth-quarter-results.html [Accessed 2015]. Molen, B., 2014. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus review: bigger and better, but with stiffer competition. Engadget. Available from: http://www.engadget.com/2014/09/16/iphone-6-and-6plus-review/ [Accessed 2015]. Moriarty, S.E., 2014. Interactive and Digital Media. In Advertising: principles and practice. Sydney, New South Wales: Pearson Australia.
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