MARKETING RESEARCH

The impact of branding on the computer market- A case study of Apple Computers

Table of Contents

Analysis1

Research objective 11

Research Objective 22

Research objective 33

Research objective 45

Conclusion and Recommendations6

Research objective 17

Research objective 27

Research objective 37

Research objective 48

Conclusions8

Research objective 18

Research objective 29

Research objective 310

Research objective 411

Recommendations12

Reflection13

Direction of future research14

References15

Appendix17

The impact of branding on the computer market- A case study of Apple Computers

Analysis

Research objective 1

For a technology product such as computers, the importance of branding increases two fold as consumers are not aware of all the software and hardware that make part of the product. Hence, it is essential that consumers know exactly how one brand differentiates from the other. Apple, Dell, Sony and HP are all established brands but the question arises what is it that differentiates one brand from another and how exactly the customers place these brands. Literature suggests that one of the factors that can contribute in creating a brand image for a company or a product is culture. Culture is one of the ways the company can knock off imposter brands (Hatten, 2007, p. 329). The value of any product is essentially the value of the brand that it belongs to.

But since, a computer is a technology product; the consumers heavily on the opinion of their friends and other opinion leaders who have purchased the same brand. Their experience with the product is an important determinant of decision in favour or against the brand. In addition, it is important to note that any negative opinion holds more weight than the positive opinion in this context. Since, the buyer may not be always aware of technology related aspects of the computer, they rely on the suggestion given by the retailer. Hence, their visits to shop and their retailer opinion matters a lot in this regard (Linzmayer, 1999, p. 25).

Moreover, in this age of information technology everything can be found on the internet. Hence, for many of the respondents search on the internet is another way that helps them in deciding which is the best technology product. There are many blogs on the internet and other platforms where anyone can easily look for pros and cons of the product and know which one will be a good decision to buy.

Research Objective 2

In order to find out the impact of different marketing strategies adopted by Apple, we found that the small differences in appearance offered by different brands are a symbolic language people use to distinguish them and to make them appear more individuated. All brands have personalities. The personality of the brand is built over the years, and it should be something that the target audience can relate to. In creating a brand image for the product, the marketers should work in collaboration with the customers (Fournier, 2008, p. 343). This collaboration is possible through research such as this one that gives the marketers an insight into the consumer's needs and wants as well as their expectations from the brand, whether the brand is the company or ...