Social Listening Blog

I was interested in Apple to research for a couple of different reasons. I chose them because they are a company that I personally use quite often, and I also know that they are gearing up to release a new product soon, which made me interested in seeing what peoples thoughts were. 

Apple has a unique value proposition stating that they believe a phone "should be more than a collection of features". Meaning that these "features" can be applicable tools to everyday life, and making the experience of the iPhone more of a tool than an entertainment device. 

Many people are commenting on the release of the new iPhone Se, and the rumors of the iPhone 12. Three specific comments are...

1. I like the idea of the new iPhone Se, because it is a lot cheaper than their other iPhones.
2. The new iPhone has a good price point, and appeals to many different consumers who are looking for good quality phones at a cheaper rate.
3. I don't think the new iPhone is a good deal, it seems like it is an older, lower quality phone which seems worse than the ones they currently sell.

I agree with the first two comments and the majority of comments that I saw while researching. I think that this iPhone is a good deal, although it does seem like a lower quality than the rest of their products. However, it does appeal to a wider audience and a different target market than their other products. While looking at these comments I did not see much response to the negative comments. On a couple posts, Apple's customer service team commented, but since the product has not been released for a long time, there is not a lot of comments from Apple. I believe this was a good decision for the company, because as of right now there is not much they can say or do to help the situation, considering their product has not been out for long.

To promote the launch of this specific product, Apple has used many different marketing techniques, such as Tv commercials, social media ads, and product testing/ reviews. However, at the same time, they have not promoted the release as much as they have for the other recent iPhone launches.

From this assignment, I have learned that marketing and social media is a big part of launching a new product. Promoting a product is obviously the biggest part, but consumer opinion and thoughts matter a lot, because one bad comment can deter someone away from buying a product.

Marketing in the News

The article I chose was about Apple advertising and creating a new cheaper iPhone and pre-selling to boost sales. I found this piece very interesting because of the attractive cost and simple formatting to create more sales and spike revenue in a time of global recession. The article is about the release of the new iPhone SE, the phone will be similar to the iPhone 8 which launched three years ago. Like many other iPhones, it comes in three different colors and a wide variety of storage options. The 128GB model costs $449, which is significantly less than the other newer models they have put out recently. This new launch reveals that Apple's manufacturer in China has reopened and returned to someplace of normalcy.



Apple's value proposition is that the experience is in the product, they state that they believe a phone "should be more than a collection of features". The sale of this new iPhone is meant to target a different market than Apple's previous sales tactics. This is done by lowering the price of this new model. Compared to the other recent launches and new models, this iPhone's price is very budget-friendly. The challenge that Apple is facing during this new launch is simply that they are releasing it in a global pandemic. Although the launch of this new iPhone has been in the works for months, they are continuing with the launch even in a weak global economy. Launching this iPhone in a time like this is very risky, because the amount of sales is unpredictable.

The marketing approach is new for Apple because it is a target market that veers away from their previous approach by now settling with a simpler and more affordable products for consumers. If I were the brand manager, I would start off by advertising more on social media and television because, many Americans are consuming more media right now than ever before. Personally, I would run ads on Android platforms because many Android users chose that route solely based on price. Therefore when providing that market with an affordable apple product they would be more inclined to buy the Apple product.

During this assignment, I learned that a company can change its target market and create a more affordable product for their consumers, to create a new market during a recession.

https://adage.com/article/digital/apple-launches-new-cheap-iphone-boost-sales-ahead-its-5g-model/2250271
https://www.apple.com

About Me

   Hello everyone, my name is Rylee Domagala. I am currently enrolled here at LBCC for spring term as part of a high school emersion program. I graduated a semester early from West Albany high school to get a head start on college. Right now in my life, I am trying to figure out who I am and who I want to be. The transition between high school and college can be confusing and I am just trying to figure out where I want to go with my life. I have enrolled in this class because I am starting out as a business major, and hope to someday own my own business, and marketing is a crucial part of having a successful business. I am most interested in learning the ways businesses “trick” their consumers and customers into buying more of their products. I feel like marketing a product to make a consumer think they need it is a key part of owning a business.  

   During my free time, I love to bake. I can and will bake just about anything, but I love to make and design cakes. Decorating cakes is so fun because you can do just about anything with them, and I love to get creative and see what I can do. I also love to spend time outdoors with my friends and family! I love Oregon and all the beautiful scenery and trails for hiking that it has. These are just a few of the things I love to do to help me unwind and de-stress!