Apple Global Strategy: Marketing & Branding (2024)

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. It takes a lot of hard work to make something simple, to truly understand the underlying challenges and come up with elegant solutions. It's not just minimalism or the absence of clutter. It involves digging through the depth of complexity. To be truly simple, you have to go really deep. You have to deeply understand the essence of a product in order to be able to get rid of the parts that are not essential. "

- Steve Jobs

By narrowing the potential benefits of the Apple brand to three key functional benefit zones: life, sensory appeal, and the experience, Apple aims to make technology more accessible and help people feel more connected.

1993 - Apple's world headquarters is in Silicon Valley. The company's campus has six buildings with a total area of 850,000 square feet.

1997 - Steve Jobs launched the company's online store. The stores were incredibly successful, and within three years, Apple had reached annual sales of over US $ 1 billion. Over the years, Apple has expanded its geographical reach and opened more stores globally. The company's robust product sales have helped it become one of the top-tier retailers globally.

2001 - Apple launched its first retail stores in California and Virginia. In October, the company debuted the iPod, which was a phenomenally successful product and has sold over 100 million units.

2015 - Apple opened its third headquarters in Israel, which is in Herzliya. The facility has a total of around 800 employees.

2017 - Apple introduced the HomePod, a smart speaker that competed against the Amazon Echo and other similar devices. In 2018, the company acquired Shazam, a company that specialises in music, TV, and advertising recognition. The acquisition was reportedly worth $ 400 million.

2018 - Apple was the world's largest publicly traded corporation. On August 2, 2018, it became the first US company to reach a $ 1 trillion market value.

1. The company's values are rooted in its belief that people should be able to rely on technology to solve their problems.

2. The company has a unique visual style and vocabulary, which is reflected in its product design and advertising.

3. The company's goal is to create a connection with its customers that is deep and meaningful. This can be done through the creation of trust and the introduction of new products.

• Wide acceptance of the products introduced by Apple globally reflects the company's major international strategy ie, iPod, iPad, iPhone, iTunes etc.

• Brand value is gained by being able to establish a strong presence in the overseas market.

• The competitive advantage that Apple Inc enjoys through its differentiation strategy allows it to take on the challenges posed by its rival firms in the overseas market.

• Low imitation, as through its differentiated strategy, Apple Inc has been able to create products that are not only superior to those of its competitors but that also require the company's employees to develop innovative ideas.

China is a lucrative market for many multinational companies. However, it is not easy to penetrate the Chinese market due to the high level of competition.

Despite initial setbacks, Apple's marketing strategy proved successful. Its success has been driven by a mix of pricing strategies, a deep understanding of local customers, and a focus on middle-class consumers.

As for market penetration, Apple distributes its products via both direct and indirect channels:

• Direct distribution channels include Apple's own retail stores, set up in various locations to display the company's products and provide customer support.
• Indirect distribution channels include intermediary organisations, suppliers, retailers.

A large number of Apple suppliers are also located in China. Out of 809 Apple production facilities worldwide, China accounted for 380, or more than one third. Goertek and Luxshare are the two biggest China-based Apple suppliers.

Apple also formed joint ventures in China to make its products and services more accessible to customers. For example, in 2017, the company opened a new centre to support iCloud users there. Apple also entered a partnership with Luxshare to produce Airpods.

Through extensive marketing, Apple was able to successfully penetrate the Indian market by targeting two companies, Vodafone and Bharti Airtel.

Due to the immense popularity of the iPhone in India, Apple decided to lower the prices to gain more traction in the country. This was also beneficial for them as they were able to create a first class retail experience in various cities.

The company's goal was to expand its market share globally by developing a strategy that would allow it to gain access to various international markets. For its global operations, Apple focused on three key business drivers: creativity, innovation, and added value. The company's goal is to gain a competitive advantage over its main competitors. Through innovation, Apple can provide consumers with unique products that are aligned with their changing needs.

Sources:

Kenyie Shofner, Thinking Differently: Why Apple's Brand Succeeds Worldwide, United Language Group, n.d.

Apple Globalization & Global Strategic Planning, Assignment Help Experts, n.d.

Graham Robertson, Apple case study: How Apple builds everything around simplicity, Beloved Brands, n.d.

Apple Inc., Popular Timelines.

Apple uses a standardisation strategy to create a consistent brand experience across the globe. This ensures that all its core values apply well across regions and languages.

Yes, Apple uses a global standardisation strategy for its branding. With standardised global branding, Apple treats the whole world as one market and provides the same kind of products and services to everyone. This strategy allows them to get the most out of their technology and can meet the varying needs of people in different countries.

Apple's competitive advantages include differentiation and simplicity. Differentiation is used by Apple to create offerings tailored to specific markets overseas and to stand out from the competition internationally. Additionally, the Apple brand has done a great job in taking the concept of simplicityand stretching it across its entire story.

Differentiation is used by Apple to create offerings tailored to specific markets overseas and to stand out from the competition internationally. Through this strategy, the company has been able to establish a strong presence around the world.

Apple outsources parts of their production to decrease its costs. The company also benefits from certain tax advantages as Apple has set up a subsidiary company abroad.