Marketing

Integrated marketing communication involves a company using a combination of marketing strategies to ensure that more people are reached. It guarantees that the modern and traditional marketing strategies are incorporated. Integrated marketing communication appreciates the fact that some customers do not use modern channels of interaction where many people get adverts. Some of them do not afford certain items that are used for intercourse. The integrated marketing communication identifies all the potential customers and then uses all the promotional strategies to reach a large number of the potential customers. When more clients get the marketing information, they are likely to buy the products and this increase the sales of the company. With this purpose Apple Inc. uses integrated marketing communication, and this is discussed in this paper.

The marketing managers have a duty to carry out research and identify the potential customers, who have to be reached by the various marketing strategies. The managers cannot plan an appropriate marketing mix if they are not aware of the people they intend to attract. They are also expected to evaluate the advantages and costs of each strategy that is adapted in reaching the customers. A proper choice has to be done to ensure that the chosen method attracts the maximum number of customers (Gitman, 2009). This helps reduce costs of marketing and avoid promotional methods that have no value for the company.

The branding strategy of Apple Inc. has been effective in the marketing process. The company has an image that is associated with it. The Apple image is such that one can find it in all the products that the company makes. Many customers wish to be associated with Apple brands and as they use the products, more people recognize them, and they may be interested in the goods.

There are several elements of promotional mix that companies have to choose in reaching the clients. The companies can choose to advertise their products, engage in personal selling, publicity activities, and direct marketing. There promotional mix methods have advantages and disadvantages. In this part, the elements of promotional mix used by Apple Inc., as well as their advantages and disadvantages are discussed. They are viewed under the 4Ps: promotion, price, place and product. Each of them is well applied by the company.

In terms of promotion, Apple is known to spend a lot of budgeted revenues in various advertising activities. Different media are used with this purpose. When Apple launches a new product, the media are informed, and more people get to know of innovations. An example of a media that is important for promotion of goods is the television. It is expensive for the company, and this is one of its disadvantages (O'Grady, 2009). However, the television is advantageous for the Apple Inc. promotional activities because it shows the pictures of the products that the company has produced. It also reaches many people, and this means that the company gets the value for the funds that it uses in the media.

Internet use has been key in the promotional activities of Apple Inc. The company uses blogs to inform the customers of Apple products in the market. The social media is also another media that is important for promotion. The company has Facebook pages that it uses to reach the customers. This is a cheap way of marketing the products (Gitman, 2009). However, the disadvantage lies in fact that only a few people use Internet, especially in the developing countries, hence they may not see the adverts made through the this type of media.

The company also uses billboards to display its products. They are expensive ways of reaching the customers but in populated areas, they can attract many clients each day. The challenge is that if customers fail to go near the billboard, they may never see the message on it. The company also has brochures that are displayed by the retailers everywhere (Schneiders, 2011). This is a free marketing strategy that also benefits the company, though the number of customers who get the message is very few.

In terms of place, Apple Inc. has opened new outlets in many parts of the world that act as retail shops. In these shops, the company offers any assistance to the customers. It also has partners with the network providers in various companies, who help reach more customers. This is done because of the opinion that the network providers are more trusted in many countries. The company also has partners with known retailers to avail their products in various states. The limited suppliers of the company mean that the prices of the products are controlled, and the consumers are also limited. The company targets high-income earners where it can generate huge profits.

Apple Inc. has differentiated its products and has convinced the customers that Apple goods are of very high quality. It has diversified the range of wares that it produces so that people can buy various products from the same company. The different applications that support the products are also important in terms of the customers’ satisfaction (Goldfayn, 2011).

The price of Apple products has remained high. Though there have been efforts to lower the cost, the company targets the high-income earners and this is why the price charged is high. This ensures that the profits generated from the sales are huge. The high price makes the customer perceive the products to be of top quality, hence are attracted by the goods. However, the company loses a lot of revenues by failing to reach all markets (Kurtz, 2009).

In conclusion, Apple Inc. has successfully applied integrated marketing communications with the aim of reaching the targeted audience effectively. This is why the company has been considered to be the best in terms of marketing. However, as it was discussed, some of its marketing strategies have negative effects.