Creating buzz around its products or its brand is one of the notable strengths of Apple. Buzz marketing has become an important element of its promotion strategy. It also has become as essential as its advertising campaigns and public relations strategy. The company banks on its established brand equity and loyal customers to generate the needed energy and excitement to stir public discussions. Nevertheless, considering the coverage and mileage it gets with each product launch or other related announcement, Apple can be considered one of the companies that have maximized the full advantages of buzz marketing.
How Apple Generates Buzz and How It Benefits from Buzz Marketing
Principles and Purposes of Buzz Generation
Apple is a master of buzz marketing. It uses this specific promotional tactic to promote its products in different mediums of communication and complement its entire promotion mix. It is important to note that its buzz marketing campaigns are guided by several principles. These principles also correspond to the purpose and specific goals and objectives of its buzz marketing tactics. Take note of the following:
• Give People Something to Talk About: Apple has a knack for giving people something to talk about. It creates a sense of anticipation and excitement among its customers and the public with product launch dates and product teasers or whenever it takes a swipe at its competitors. Even its product strategy takes into account media receptibility, favorable public perception, and customer engagement.
• Complement Promotional Activities: The company believes that buzz marketing should complement its entire promotion strategy or support specific promotional activities. It generates buzz before and after product events and announcements to drum up and sustain interest. The buzz marketing campaigns or activities of Apple are intended to push further its marketing messages and promote its products.
• Maximize Media Coverage and Mileage: Each buzz marketing campaign should maximize media coverage and mileage. This is another principle of its buzz generation efforts. Apple has earned a reputation for promoting its products with minimal advertising costs. It generates buzz to ensure that its product launches or announcements get maximum media attention and target market reach.
• Encourage Online Discussions and Interest: Apple also uses buzz marketing both to attract attention from media organizations and content creators. Media coverage allows its marketing messages and corporate communications messages to reach the established audiences of media organizations, tech reporters, and digital influencers. This can help in stirring online discussion and drumming up or sustaining interest.
• Promote Brand and Product Perception: Remember that Apple has an established brand equity and loyal customers. The company essentially taps into its popularity to generate buzz. It also uses buzz marketing to communicate the idea that owning or using its products is a status symbol and a source of pride for its customers or that these products are innovative and stand out from the crowd.
Tactics and Activities for Generating Buzz
It is important to highlight the fact that buzz marketing is a marketing tactic that is dependent on other promotional tactics and activities. This means that companies generate buzz using tactics within their respective promotion mix. Apple also does the same. Most of its promotional activities are carried out with the intent to generate buzz to reinforce its marketing messages and corporate communication messages. Take note of the following tactics:
• Events and Trade Shows: The company uses event marketing for product launches, relevant announcements, and public relations. However, aside from these specific purposes, it holds events with the intention of capturing media attention and stirring public interest to maximize media coverage and audience reach. It designs events in a manner that would excite people and give them something to talk about.
• Online Influencer Marketing: Apple also utilizes influencer marketing through direct relations and indirect engagement with various media organizations and content creators or indirect engagement. The company encourages these reporters and creators to create and publish relevant content by sending out review units for product reviews, giving access to exclusive information, and inviting them to its events.
• Advertising Campaigns: It also launches advertisements in consideration of buzz generation. For example, in 2007, it launched a series of teaser ads for the iPhone, and in 2015, it also launched a series of ads for the Apple Watch featuring personalities like Serena Williams and Jay-Z. These ad helps in generating excitement and public interest, attracting media attention, and encouraging online discussions.
• Public Relations Strategy: Some elements and activities within its PR strategy also help in generating buzz. Specific CSR programs like the Apple Recycling Program attract media attention because of their stakeholder-oriented and specific consumer-oriented dimensions. Remember that the company also builds and maintains relationships with media organizations and content creators or influencers.
• Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Events marketing, influencer marketing, advertising campaigns, and public relations influence and foster online discussions and public perception. These are essential in word-of-mouth marketing in which consumers and the general audience themselves share their experiences with and perception of Apple and its products through various social media platforms.