Mobile phones are a product that are easy to sell as they are intrinsic to our modern lives, however at the same time it is increasingly difficult to sell one particular handset due to the complete and utter saturation of handsets already on the market. For any kind of handset to procure a foothold, let alone a decent market share, is an enormous challenge for any manufacturer. Apple’s campaign to introduce the iPhone, which is a device that combines a mobile phone, iPod, email and internet browsing capabilities, may be the most successful marketing effort ever (Koeppel, 2007). The ongoing campaign to market the iPhone may be measured by theoretical marketing tools such as AIDA and Maslow’s model of Human Motivation to observe and understand its varying successes. The real success however, lies in Apple’s customer knowledge and manipulation of social media to allow others to do the work for them.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. AIDA
3. MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS
4. THE LAUNCH
5. USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO CREATE ANTICIPATION
6. SUCCESS = SALES?
7. MONITORING, FEEDBACK AND SERENDIPITY
8. CONCLUSION
Objectives and Topics
This work examines the marketing strategy employed by Apple for the launch and ongoing promotion of the iPhone, specifically analyzing how the company leveraged social media and psychological frameworks to generate market demand and maintain consumer interest.
- The application of the AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) model in marketing.
- The alignment of product features with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
- The strategic role of social media in creating pre-launch anticipation and "buzz."
- The transition from a closed web-based model to the open ecosystem of the App Store.
Excerpt from the book
USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO CREATE ANTICIPATION
Wikipedia (2010) defines social media as ‘presenting a fresh direction for marketing by allowing companies to talk with consumers, as opposed to talking at them.’ It is also a ‘media that is designed for the widespread dissemination of information, transforming broadcast monologues into social dialogues’ (Wikipedia, 2010). Apple ignited social dialogues by launching the iPhone with minimum information. Six months previous to the launch, ‘loyalists have flooded Apple-oriented blogs such as AppleInsider, The Unofficial Apple Weblog or MacRumors.com, searching for any scrap of information related to Apple and the iPhone’ (Krazit, 2007). The marketing campaign for the iPhone was designed to tease, to tantalise and shroud the product in mystery. This created desire almost as immediately as it did interest. The desire to know more lead to the eventual desire to purchase, or action the product itself.
Having an already enthusiastic current customer base also benefited the campaign. In fact, the campaign would not have worked nearly as well throughout the social media without it, as ‘a passionate, almost evangelical base of supporters makes any marketing campaign easier. Apple's reliance on a horde of loyal fans thirsty for information is the catalyst for its marketing.’ (Krazit, 2007). Leading up to and after the launch of the iPhone, creating buzz was exponential in the social media. ‘Larger Web sites and media outlets see intense demand for iPhone-related traffic heading to other sites, and are compelled to follow suit.’ (Krazit, 2007). Before the product had even hit the shelves, ‘90 percent of mobile users said they believe the forthcoming iPhone will be better than the mobile they currently have’ (Best, 2007). It seemed that the iPhone had been positioned very favourably to generate record sales and become one of Apple’s major products.
Chapter Summary
INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of the saturated mobile market and identifies Apple's iPhone as a successful marketing case study using social media.
AIDA: Explains the mnemonic AIDA as a foundational communication framework for driving consumer behavior from attention to action.
MASLOW'S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS: Discusses how the iPhone aligns with human motivational levels, particularly focusing on social and esteem needs.
THE LAUNCH: Details Apple's strategy of using "teasers" and high-impact media events to generate product buzz rather than focusing on technical specifications.
USING SOCIAL MEDIA TO CREATE ANTICIPATION: Examines how Apple fueled online dialogue and mystery to drive pre-launch interest among its loyal fan base.
SUCCESS = SALES?: Reviews the quantitative success of the iPhone, citing growth percentages and market share in the smartphone sector.
MONITORING, FEEDBACK AND SERENDIPITY: Analyzes Apple's reactive marketing approach, including the evolution of the App Store in response to user feedback.
CONCLUSION: Summarizes how Apple successfully blended psychological marketing with social media interaction to create a lasting, influential success story.
Keywords
iPhone, Apple, Marketing, Social Media, AIDA, Maslow's Hierarchy, Smartphone, Consumer Behavior, Brand Loyalty, App Store, Market Share, Teaser Campaign, User Experience, Digital Marketing, Consumer Trends.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper explores the marketing strategies used by Apple to launch and sustain the popularity of the iPhone, focusing on the intersection of social media utilization and traditional marketing psychological models.
What are the central themes of this study?
The central themes include the effectiveness of the AIDA model, the alignment of technology products with human needs, and the power of social media to foster an organic, community-led marketing environment.
What is the core research objective?
The objective is to understand how Apple moved beyond traditional advertising to manipulate social media effectively, allowing the product to "sell itself" through consumer-led buzz.
Which scientific methods are applied?
The work applies theoretical marketing tools, specifically the AIDA model and Maslow’s Model of Human Motivation, as a lens to observe and measure the success of the iPhone's marketing campaign.
What is covered in the main section of the paper?
The main sections cover the product launch, the impact of the App Store, the role of social media in generating anticipation, and the analysis of sales data relative to competing smartphone manufacturers.
Which keywords characterize this work?
Key terms include iPhone, Apple, Marketing, Social Media, AIDA, Maslow's Hierarchy, Brand Loyalty, and Smartphone Market.
Why did Apple initially choose a closed ecosystem for the iPhone?
Apple initially prioritized application security and reliability, believing a controlled environment was necessary for the device to function seamlessly as a phone rather than just a PC.
How did user feedback impact the development of the iPhone?
Apple monitored feedback regarding functionality gaps, such as the initial lack of native third-party apps, which ultimately influenced the company to launch the App Store and shift to a native-based model.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Nick Birch (Autor:in), 2009, The iPhone and the social media campaign, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/269672
