Abstract

This case is about Apple Inc., founded in 1977 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. The company is known for its innovative products like Macintosh computers, iPod music players, iPhone mobile phones, and iPad Tablet computers. Along with coming up with innovative products, the company invested heavily in marketing to build an emotional connect with the customers. The case describes the strategies Apple followed to create a brand, the different campaigns it used to introduce new products, the innovative products it created, and the way it built an emotional connect with its customers. It discusses in detail how Apple followed the concept of the ‘Consumer Based Brand Equity’ model to develop a cult following for its products among consumers.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Learn about the brand Apple and how the company was successful in creating a brand that developed a cult following among consumers and the steps taken by the company to communicate proper information about the brand and maintain its quality.
• Understand the Consumer Based Brand Equity model and steps taken by the company at various stages.
• Analyze the role of Steve Jobs in the company and in the branding of Apple.
• Discuss how innovation played a big role in branding of the company and how it defined the meaning of the brand in the long run.
• Critically analyze how far the company was successful in utilizing the CBBE model for branding itself.

Keywords

Apple, Consumer Based Brand Equity, Brand building, creating a brand, innovation, cult brand, emotional bonding, brand loyalty, brand equity, marketing