Apples Doctrine of Marketing Report

Apple’s Doctrineof Marketing

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INSTRUCTOR: BENJAMIN UNTERMANTEACHING ASSISTANT: TERRY LAVENDERDATE OF SUBMISSION: NOV. 29, 2011

The film, “Rip! A Remix Manifesto” is an effective tool for teaching undergraduate

students about critical thinking because the film evaluates complex concepts using

critical thinking, communicates persuasion through storytelling and is engaging for a

student audience.

Brett Gaylor, the author of this film, teaches his viewers to apply critical thinking

through investigation, interpretation and judgment. Gaylor presents sufficient evidence

concerning trade agreements, imposing laws, open source music and the historical

development of music sharing in the USA. The film reasonably interprets the evidence to

their audience of young music listeners and allowed them to start making their own

judgments. The movie posts judgment that copyrights are out of control, are limiting

creativity and go against the natural, technological development of our open source

society. He also “regards problems and controversial issues as challenging, is open-

minded and takes time to reflect on ideas…[he also attempts to] recognize extreme views

are seldom correct” (Ruggiero, p. 20) when it comes to the government having control of

the music industry. The flow of the film creatively embraces the act of evaluating com-

plex, controversial subjects and demonstrates it in such a way it helps stimulates an

intentional emotion in students watching.

This film teaches the writing process effectively to “all levels of college

composition” (Clause, intro) because it “creates interest and engagement in a topic”

(Clause, p. 72) which shapes students emotions. The film effectively uses persuasion by

making sure the message tells a story, explains why the topic is relevant, presents some

interesting images [and footage], raises provocative questions, gives opposing viewpoints

and establishes a common bond with their audience. (Clause, p. 74). In order to grab

students’ attention and play on our emotions such as fear, Gaylor showed clips of young

people who downloaded music, were heavily fined and had been made criminals by the

government. He also shapes influences students’ interests by using various logical fallacies.

He uses the bandwagon approach when speaking about open source music. His persuasive

argument recruited the stacking of the deck approach when he used a poor, unarticulate,

Metallic music artist to support the opposing view to open source music. Due to Gaylor’s

persuasive and logical argument, his film was more engaging than a text reading for the

average student.

Entertaining video footage makes this film unique and enhances the student’s

experience of learning. The film uses familiar party and music scenes to hold the students

attention. As a consequence, this film makes for a memorable experience and a unique way to

learn and understand key ideas and concepts. It is generally preferable over a text reading

from a student’s perspective. Judging by the majority of students displaying “interested” body

language such as leaning in, having most laptops and cell phones put away and that there

was a good amount of participation afterwards, it would appear that this is an effective

teaching tool.

Rip! A Remix Manifesto film is highly effective as a teaching tool for post-secondary

students because it critically evaluates information through investigation, interpretation and

judgment. It also shows how storytelling and various logical fallacies can be applied to shape

an audience’s emotions. As a result, the film provides more of an appealing learning

experience that a text reading to an entertainment-hungry student audience.

Apple’s design and marketing of products are defined by consumers’ behaviour and personal values of beauty, type of decision-making and preference for automation.

RESEARCH PAPER ASSIGNMENTAUTHOR: TINK NEWMANCOURSE & SECTION: IAT 309W - D100STUDENT NUMBER: 301116260

Apple’s Doctrine of Marketing

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In my university design and technology classes I am surrounded by many different types

of computers, as well as young students, professors and university staff using those computers.

While these computers are for different activities, I do observe a pattern with the preferences of

the design, engineering and business students.

I found subtle differences in the personalities of each individual person influenced their

choice in buying and using certain types of computers. Given the small sample size, it is not

accurate to generalize my findings to all university design schools countrywide. Nor is a simple

statement of all design students preferred Apple products or all engineering students avoided

Apple products accurate either. Certain preferences and choice of computer equipment became

apparent when I questioned people who had either a Mac or PC as to their reasons for choosing

that computer. I discovered thematic patterns of common decision-making styles and an

importance of common values in individuals who used Macs and those who did not. I followed

up this initial questioning by referencing external sources.

Although Apple produces attractive products, a number of consumers choose to avoid

anything “Apple” due its negative influence on society’s dependence on their products and their

closed approach to software. However, negative criticism is generally dwarfed by the allure of

Apple’s design and marketing of products that are defined by the users’ behaviour and personal

values of beauty, type of decision-making and preference for automation.

Many consumers I interviewed choose not to buy Apple products because they view the

brand as a trap that will lure them in and prevent them from experimenting with competitor’s

products. Being drawn into an Apple purchasing cycle is commonly referred to as having an

“Apple addiction.” The perspective of the non-Apples consumers is that the Apple consumers

tend to buy the latest products on a whim with little consideration to cost. This group also

believes that Apple users buy the products due to a need to fit in a certain community. Rohit


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Bhargava, the Senior Vice President of Global Strategy & Marketing and Adjunct Professor at

Georgetown University states that the Apple Stores help create an environment that has “events,

features and resources that all reinforce this [Apple] community.” (Bhargava, 2008)

Some non-Apple consumers believe that Apple followers want to interact with the same

devices as most people in their community and have the same fashion accessories as the peers for

a greater acceptance and commonality. Apple Store’s marketing strategies make their products

very appealing, and build off of this need for a sense of technology fashion accessories. Apple

marks up the prices of products so in comparison to the big-ticket items, such as computers, the

high prices of accessories seem trivial. Apple’s control of pricing and distribution among

manufacturers and retail stores makes this inflation and the lack of discounts possible. Apple

controls distribution and cuts out much of the competition. A technology, news and culture

website called Owni.edu claims,

Many users who avoid buying Apple products are wary of these tactics and would

prefer to review the many options of competition’s product and prices. Apple’s

encourages their extreme users to upgrade to the latest expensive mobile phone,

laptop or MP3 player. (Lapoix, 2011)

Apple forms a closed system, meaning it’s also hard to switch the hard drive or

graphics card, or tweak the performance in any way. Apple manufacturing is the only one that

supplies the parts. Apple uses planned obsolescence. Frequent hardware and software upgrades

keep consumers constantly buying with Apple products and discourages them from

experimenting with their products. This plan forms a closed business approach.

In addition, Apple has separated themselves from the open source market by tightly

controlling app development and software control. The developers of applications for Apple

products must follow strict guidelines set by Apple to have their designs approved. These designs

are subject to intense critique that focuses on Steve Job’s goals, simplicity, beauty and a clearly


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defined purpose. Steve Job’s sister, Mona Simpson (2011), confirms “[Steve’s] will, that work

ethic, that strength, there was also sweet Steve’s capacity for wonderment, the artist’s belief in the

ideal, [and] the still more beautiful later.” One can see this ethic even in Apple’s operating system

instructions, the iOS Human Interface Guidelines, when pointing out that the aspect of familiarity

is important for consumers because “people expect to find iOS technologies in the Apps they

use.” (Apple, 2011) Apple writes “a great user experience is rooted in [the developer’s] attention

to detail”. (Apple, 2011)

However, this strategy of filtering dissent is critiqued by businesses for suppressing

developer’s creativity. One example is the case of Phone Story (2011) a game based application

that highlights the ethics of mining the mineral Colton in the Republic of Congo and “attempts to

provoke a critical reflection on its own technological platform…Behind [electronic gadget’s]

polished interface[s], hides the product of a troubling supply chain that stretches across the

globe.” (Phone Story, 2011) Due to the App’s ethical nature, the developer did not follow the

design rules and displayed Apple in a negative light, resulting in Apple refusing to approve the

Phone Story application. Applications that do not follow the strict guidelines of Apple’s core

philosophies are not released. Through this detail-oriented, consistency of messaging, Apple

attempts to standardize product experiences for their consumer. This tends to cause backlash with

the socially focused individuals, software and app developers and humanitarian companies who

want to generate social awareness regarding technology.

Loyal Apple consumers value the interface’s ease of using the design software, the

emotional experience, beautiful hardware, and packaging. Apple’s philosophy is rooted in

industrial and graphic design software. Their detailed-oriented and visual-based corporation has

created a user following that enjoys software that works with photography, industrial, interactive

and graphic design, video production, music and social media. As a result, Apple’s consumer

base tends to be more focused on the visual and emotional experience of interacting with devices.

NPR reporter, Brian Cooley (2011) states that


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What [Apple does] is they packaged together the use case [smartphone, MP3

players, podcasts] and present[s] that to you and you say, oh, I get it. That's how I

use it. Don't sell me a product, sell me an experience. (Cooley, 2011)

Apple increases the experience of using their products by insuring that users do not have

to sort through low-quality Apple products. This helps to weed out potential negative

experiences. The simple, high gloss and smooth industrial design of their products combined with

the elegant interaction of their software affords consumers the opportunity to incorporate the

beauty into their daily experience. Senior Interactive Design student at Simon Fraser University,

Michael Farrell (personal communication, November 19, 2011) points out that “The hardware is

the same” between Apple’s Mac computers and other PCs but “the OS can be changed without

changing the Mac experience”. This leaves the Mac experience defined mostly by the design of

the hardware.

Most consumers spend a lot effort making decisions when purchasing new technological

products. The packaging and presentation of Apple devices is designed for the least amount of

visual distraction and decision-making. The packaging of Apple products is focused on the design

and emotional connection, using white space carefully and only listing the few, required hardware

specifications and compatibility. The Apple’s marketing combines maximal ease of purchasing

and enjoyment into what is considered by most standards to be a beautifully crafted computing

experience. This is reflected in Simpson’s observation that “novelty was not Steve [Jobs] highest

value. Beauty was.” (Simpson, 2011)

An additional reason why consumers identify with Apple experience of products is due to

the integration of Steve Job’s core values into the core of Apple’s design philosophy. Bhargava’s

believes

Much of the behavioural culture at the core of Apple is an example of a man who

showed the world how much one can achieve when they are inspired, Steve Jobs.


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His passion, purpose and simplicity translated into a user following. (Bhargava,

2011)

Blog posts, articles and explosive social media threads indicate that Apple followers have

priorities based on beauty, ease of use and confidence in the ideal. Cooley (2011) mentions that

“compared to its competitors, [Apple] sell[s] confidence, not just electronics.”

Easier decision-making, the presence of less stress and the prevalence of simplicity

contribute to the fascination of the Apple experience. Like Jobs, Apple users avoid complicated

systems, preferring simpler options, viewing troubleshooting as a waste of time, source of

unnecessary frustration and generally prefer handing it off to technical support to be fixed. Also,

Mac based accessories have a limited compatibility with other PCs whereby narrowing the user’s

choice of options to buy. According to Cooley (2011),

A lot of companies sell [users] a toolbox. They sell you a laptop that has

everything in there, and you have to kind of figure it out a little more than with an

Apple product that may have less… Apple absolutely tends to churn out products

that do less [with] their smartphones and their media players. (Cooley, 2011)

According to Scientific American (2004), individuals with a similar certain cognitive framework

use the decision-making process of “satisficing” to reduce choices and anxiety. From my

observations, Apple users tend to use satisficing techniques versus “maximizing”, a decision-

making method based broadening of choices. Barry Schwartz PhD, a Swarthmore College

psychologist and author of "The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less" writes in Scientific

American,

Naturally, no one can check out ever option, but maximizers strive toward that

goal, …, after making a selection they are nagged by the alternatives they have

not had time to investigate… [and] they are more prone to experiencing regret

after a purchase. (Schwartz, 2011)


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According to the April issue of Journal of Personality and Social Psychology published

by the American Psychological Association (2004) a technique called the “Paradox of Choice,” is

a theory based on ‘why more is less’. For example, Kathleen D. Vohs, PhD, a case study’s lead

author and a member of the University of Minnesota’s marketing department concluded, “making

choices apparently depletes a precious resource within the human mind…making a few enjoyable

decisions, such as spending four minutes selecting items for a gift registry, was shown to be less

mentally draining than when participants spent 12 minutes doing the same task”. (American

Psychological Association, 2004). This proves that Apple’s focus on simplicity, providing fewer

options, and reducing information resonates with their consumer base. According to Brian Cooley

(2011), Apple products “tend to be very satisfying for all…[except for] the most technically-

demanding users who may want greater flexibility, greater hack-ability, [and] more choice.”

Thematic patterns also show that Apple users have a preference for automation and

synchronization. Apple’s debut to the mass markets occurred when they came out with the

integration of the iPod and iTunes, a popular portal for synchronizing devices. Non-Apple users

in comparison tend to prefer researching their own music management and other portal type

software.

Apple’s marketing doctrine is made of the integration of passion, purpose and simplicity

that were Steve Job’s values. The user culture consequently shares these values and supports the

late Steve Job’s story of inspiration. The resulting design of Apple products reflects their extreme

users’ natural behaviour. These defined values help Apple maintain a close approach that is

unique among businesses and generates mixed feedback. Due to their focused strategies and

policies, Apple’s marketing team has increased their success by creating a perceived need and

demand for their beautiful products to generate corporate growth and profit.

ReferencesAmerican Psychological Association. (June, 2004). Monitor on Psychology: Too Many Choices?

American Psychological Association. Vol.35(6), 56. Retrieved from http://www.physorg.com

Apple Developer. (October 12, 2011). iOS Human Interface Guidelines. iOS Developer Library.

Retrieved from http://developer.apple.com/library

Bhargava, R. (August 27, 2008). The Real Secret to Apple’s Success. Influencial Marketing Blog.

Retrieved from http://www.rohitbhargava.com.

Cooley, B. (August 25, 2011). National Public Radio (NPR). Transcript- How Steve Jobs Ran Apple.

The Talk of the Nation [Radio show]. Retrieved from Nexis.com.

Lapoix, S. (May 9, 2011). Planned Obsolescense: How Companies Encourage Hyperconsumpsion. Owni.edu.

Retrieved from http://owni.eu.

Schwartz, B. (December, 2004). The Tyranny of Choice. Scientific American. [Magazine].

Retrieved from www.swarthmore.edu.

Simpson, M. (October 30, 2011). A Sister’s Eulogy for Steve Jobs.The New York Times.

Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com.

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