A Review of Michael Krauss’s Article Apple Takes Branding Cue from Bob Dylan

Michael Krauss, in "apple takes branding cue from Bob Dylan", describes the marketing strategies of Apple computer corp. to increase the market share of its products and make the brand name "apple" known by more and more people. Krauss lists and explains many strategies that the Apple computer corp. adopts to meet the marketing goals of the company in this article. This article helps me to have a better understanding of the marketing practices learned in the class and the author illustrates clearly how this company innovates to obtain more success in the competitive market.

In this article, Krauss explains several marketing strategies that Apple computer corp. uses to innovate itself to a more competitive company and to strive for more market shares, such as the leading-edge design of the products, more compatible products with other technologies and its widespread retail stores. First of all, the author uses a hook of Bob Dylan who was a popular folk musician in the 1960's. However, Dylan wanted to write songs that are far beyond the niche folk music market and shock the music world. Although his innovative performance with his electric guitar at the Newport Folk Festival was not welcomed and accepted by the audience, he made a big step from his folk music market to the rest of the music market. From the story of Bob Dylan, Krauss educes the case Apple computer corp. which wants to broaden its market to have a larger target audience without losing the company's values or traditions. Besides that the company keeps the novel design of its products and improves the compatibility of the products, Apple computer corp. founder and CEO Steve Jobs has a try of opening retail stores in many big cities. Then, the author quotes the speech of the Apple spokeswoman, Jane Rauckhorst. Readers can know that the purposes of the company to open retail stores are to reach and attract more audience, and the company has gained great achievements during these two years. The author goes on to introduce Ron Johnson as senior vice president of retail, who is now in charge of the entire store program. With the efforts of him and Steve Jobs, the display and staff in the company's retail stores are very consistent with the image of apples, which is the result of the company's experiment with different sales concept. The retail stores' focus is education and service; therefore, the leaders divide the retail stores into several sections with different kinds of products and set a Mac Genius Bar in every store which offers training program for new computer users. At last, Krauss describes his experience in the Chicago store where he saw the professional skills and kindness of the sales staff.

In this article "apple takes branding cue from Bob Dylan," Krauss focuses on the several ways that Apple computer corp. uses to increase its sales and market share, including popular design, fabulous retail stores in high-traffic locations and well-trained staff. These strategies are very consistent with the factors that drive customer satisfaction I learned in class. A company cannot succeed in the market with only one factor, so does Apple. The author analyzes clearly and in detail about every factor that helps Apple reach the further market, so I have deeper impression on the knowledge learned in class. In class, I learned that there are five levels of factors that drive customer satisfaction: core, support services and systems, technical performance, interaction with the firm and its employees and emotional elements of the interaction. First, customers will be impressed by the several sections with different kinds of products in the Apple retail stores so that so many choices of products is the core of Apple. Second, Apple provides good support services and systems because Apple retail stores are located in high-traffic locations in big cities; people can easily get there and can be known by more people. In addition, there are many kinds of products for customers to choose, and the well-trained, kind staff would very like to help customers choose products. Third, Apple also has excellent technical performance. For example, the company makes its products more compatible with other technologies, so customers can find the Apple products that meet their needs much easier and Apple can attract more new customers. Moreover, new computer users can learn instructions about the computer use for free, which for sure attracts customers to consider buying Apple computers. Fourth, Apple deals well with the customer's interaction with its employees.

For instance, the staff in its retail stores is helpful and pleasant to do the business, and every customer is treated with respect. Finally, Apple sends positive message to its customers because the display in the retail stores represents the images of Apple and customers can receive satisfactory services and products. From this analysis of the author, I remember the Boston consulting group matrix leaned in class. The author emphasizes on how Apple strives to increase the market share. The main point is how to change the question products to star products. The products of Apple are usually involved with high technology, and they have same high industry growth rate with other products of other brand names, but Apple does not have the leader's share. Now Apple spends much money improving its products, making new design and opening 62 retail stores in most big cities so that more and more customers know "Apple" and buy its products. Apple reaches the other 95% of the people who weren't purchasing Apple products.

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