M RahmanMarketing mix of Apple (7Ps of Apple)
This detailed analysis of the marketing mix of Apple aims to examine the 7Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, and Physical Evidence) of Apple Inc. and explain its marketing strategies. Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. It is the largest tech giant in the world.
Products in the marketing mix of Apple
Apple has a number of excellent products in its portfolio. MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, Mac mini, iPad, iPod, iPad mini 4, iPad Pro, iPhone SE, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 13, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 7, iPhone 6s, iPhone SE, Apple Watch Series 3, Apple Watch Edition, Apple Watch Series 1, Apple TV, Apple TV 4k, Apple Music, and iTunes are some of the top Apple products. It also has accessories for many of its products (Apple, 2023).
One of the reasons why Apple has been so successful is its capabilities of designing brilliant products. It maintains extreme secrecy in the design of its products and carries out a lot of research in pursuit of creative designs.
In addition to the design aspect, all of the Apple products have some outstanding features. For example, iPhone 14 Pro has ground-breaking safety features and an innovative 48MP camera (Apple, 2023).
Users can track their activities, measure their workouts, and monitor their health with Apple Watch Series 1. Let’s take another example. The new iPad has far more power than most PC laptops and is simple to use. It is also very light to carry. These few examples demonstrate excellent features and functionality of Apple products, some of which have market leader positions.
Price in the marketing mix of Apple
Apple has adopted a premium pricing policy. For example, the price of iPhone 14 Pro in the UK is £1099. In the USA, its price starts from $999 or $41.62 per month for a 24 month contract (Apple, 2023).
Apple offers innovative products which are often different from those offered by the competitors. In addition to high profits, this premium pricing helps it maintain its high-end image of the company.
Apple offers big retailers a minimal wholesale discount. However, according to some analysts, this discount is not enough for retailers to offer final customers any big discount on its products.
Therefore, customers buy Apple products with a price which is thought to be very close to the manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP). However, retailers may decide to reduce their profit margin a bit and offer a particular product at a discount with a view to attracting new customers.
Place in the marketing mix of Apple
Apple has adopted a selective place/distribution strategy. Its products are available in Apple stores, authorized premium retailers, telecommunications companies, and some selected online platforms.
The total number of Apple stores in the USA is over 270, and 28 in Canada (Tankovska, 2022). These are exclusive stores from where Apple sells its products directly to the customers.
Customers can order apple products form online Apple store (www.apple.com) and get them delivered direct to their doors. In the UK, customers can also buy iPhone from the shops and stores of telecommunications companies such as BT, 3, EE, Vodafone and O2. Retailers such as Carphone Warehouse, Curry’s PC World and Argos also sell Apple products.
To ensure that products are available on time, and in right place, Apple works with many suppliers. In 2022, it spent over $50 billion with more than 9,000 U.S. suppliers and manufacturers (Apple, 2023).
Promotion in the marketing mix of Apple
There are a number of promotional mix elements available to business marketers. Advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, public relations, word of mouth, sponsorship, and social media are the most talked about ones. Let’s now look at how Apple uses some of them.
Apple carries out some absolutely smart and elegant promotional campaigns. It invests a huge amount of money in advertising. For example, it spends around $100 million for advertising on Twitter alone annually (Bhaimiya, 2022).
Apple has moved into sports sponsorship as well. Famous German football club Bayern Munich has signed an exclusive partnership with Apple Music. Apple also uses public relations techniques to optimise its corporate image.
People in the marketing mix of Apple
Apple has invested heavily in its people strategy to ensure that customers have a positive and engaging experience. It has a team of highly trained and experienced professionals who provide excellent customer service and support.
Apple is one of the biggest job creators in the United States. It is in fact responsible for two million jobs in all 50 states (Apple, 2023).
However, it is worth mentioning that Apple’s people strategies were criticised in the past. For instance, it has recently settled a $30.5 million lawsuit for its failure to pay retail workers for the time spent for mandatory security checks after work (Hearing, 2022).
Process in the marketing mix of Apple
Apple has developed a process strategy to ensure that customers have a seamless and efficient experience. It has invested in automated processes, such as order processing, delivery, and returns. This has enabled it to provide customers with a fast and efficient service.
Physical environment in the marketing mix of Apple
Apple has also invested heavily in its physical environment strategy. It has created a physical environment that is designed to be inviting and appealing to customers. This includes its website, stores, product designs, logo, and others which are designed to be modern and aesthetically pleasing.
Summary of marketing mix of Apple (7Ps of Apple)
To conclude, Apple is one of the most successful companies in the world, and its marketing strategies have been instrumental in helping it achieve success. By implementing these strategies, it has been able to build a loyal customer base and increase its market share. Its customers generally have a positive, seamless, efficient, and engaging experience.
We hope the article has helped you explore the marketing mix of Apple (7Ps of Apple). Please share the article link on social networking sites to enable to continue our free education services that have been benefitting many around the world for a long time.
You may also like reading SWOT analysis of Apple. Other relevant articles for you are:
5C analysis of Apple (5Cs of Apple)
Last update: 28 February 2023
References:
Apple Inc (2023) iPhone X, available from https://www.apple.com/uk/ (Accessed 28 February 2023)
Bhaimiya, S. (2022) Apple spends over $100 million advertising on Twitter annually, report says, available at: https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-spends-100-million-per-year-on-twitter-ads-report-2022-11?r=US&IR=T (accessed 25 February 2023)
Hearing, A. (2022) Apple didn’t want to pay hourly workers for the time….., available at: https://fortune.com/2022/08/18/apple-employee-bag-check-lawsuit-settles-california-court/ (accessed 26 February 2023)
Tankovska, H. (2022) Number of Apple stores in U.S. and Canada 2020, available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/1041565/number-of-apple-stores-north-america/ (accessed 28 February 2023)
Author: M Rahman
M Rahman writes extensively online and offline with an emphasis on business management, marketing, and tourism. He is a lecturer in Management and Marketing. He holds an MSc in Tourism & Hospitality from the University of Sunderland. Also, graduated from Leeds Metropolitan University with a BA in Business & Management Studies and completed a DTLLS (Diploma in Teaching in the Life-Long Learning Sector) from London South Bank University.
