Global Media Business Practice

This individual project was developed as part of a unit exploring the increasingly pivotal role of the cultural and creative media communications industries in both economic and cultural life. While the theme of our group presentation "Brands and Culture" was decided collectively, each of us selected our own business to research and analyse independently. For this project, I chose Apple as my case study.

Introduction
My presentation explores the various relationships between brands and culture, comprehending
different organizations’ operations with issues such as feminism, environmentalism, race and gender.
For my individual contribution, I examined Apple’s marketing strategy, a global tech giant with a
significant cultural impact. Apple, despite its global reach, tailors its operations to suit different cultural
contexts. For example, in China, Apple stores offer unique product bundles, such as requiring the
purchase of an AirPods case alongside the AirPods themselves, reflecting cultural norms and
consumer expectations (Sekar, 2024). The report will explore Apple's marketing strategies, innovative
product development and how these aspects influence the cultural contexts in which they operate,
with a focus on race and gender dynamics. This examines the processes taken to build on further
understanding of Apple’s role within marketing strategy, innovation, race and gender covered in my
presentation.
My Contribution
Our group explored how brands like Apple, Dove, H&M and Always influence culture by selling values
and lifestyles. With the group’s diverse interests in our theme, I focused on Apple, whilst others
examined Dove, H&M, and Always. These brands demonstrate how businesses are influential cultural
drivers. (Hollenbeck, and Kaikati, 2012 p.395–405). Each brand reflects and influences societal
values.
My particular contribution centred on analyzing Apple's marketing strategies targeting diverse
audiences, with a focus on their use of simplicity and finesse in design. I researched and presented
how Apple has incorporated emotions in their adverts to appeal to a wider audience (Duggal, 2023). I
examined how their product design and marketing strategies have been adapted to address the
needs through flows and preferences by listening to customers and renewing products and services.
By analysing Apple, I helped the group understand how Apple has strategically integrated innovation,
race and gender into their marketing approach to achieve greater market share and build a more
inclusive brand image. Consequently, this has led to their marketing strategy being successful,
making it one of the most valuable brands and holding a huge customer base that has been loyal to
the company.
Research Process
Examining Apple’s marketing strategy, I visited a store and analyzed the layout regarding their brand
identity and marketing strategy, as store design helps tell the story of Apple’s products and their
impact on consumers’ lives. I focused my research on topics around race and gender, marketing
strategies, alongside innovation. I researched many case studies and struggled to discover a specific
case study that covered all three topics. This was because there was little information on the issues
being reported. I overcame this by finding a case study that was suitable for my research focusing on
two of my key areas of interest and elaborating it with relevant academic articles and industry reports.
This process allowed me to better understand how Apple’s marketing strategy is successful given a
combination of well-designed products, promotional campaigns, distribution and pricing; while
focusing on simplicity, minimal design and high-quality products (Duggal,2023). Often their marketing
strategy involves partnerships with celebrities and influencers or other brands enabling a broader
audience to reach (Jain, 2024). Therefore, this has successfully developed Apple’s brand image,
positioning Apple as a trendsetter in both technology and culture, enabling products to connect with
consumers on an emotional level which allows Apple to increase brand loyalty (Jain, 2024).
I studied academic sources and other sources such as videos and articles about my topics to have a
better understanding and evaluated Apple’s unique techniques in their marketing campaigns. I
actively participated in group discussions, sharing my perspectives while respectfully listening to
others’ viewpoints. I listened to the concerns and suggestions of the group and worked together to
find agreeable solutions to challenges we encountered. For example, when someone left our group
because they did not come to class, as a group it felt best to email her to discuss her work

commitments. I worked well with peers, with open communication which ensured that the process
went smoothly.
Additional Context
My presentation on Apple’s marketing strategy considered flows, innovation, race and gender. Apple
sustains mystery to retain customers by focusing on value and captivating visuals with minimal
designs (Study Smarter, 2023).
The flows of their marketing strategy utilize the 4Ps (price, promotion, place and products). Prices are
based on providing a unique user experience, targeting middle-class and upper-class users who
value simplicity and high-quality products for which they pay a higher premium. Their products aim to
be user-friendly, stylish, straightforward and luxurious items. Apple’s target market illustrated in Figure
1, comprise of mostly young people 18-24 years old for education purposes and 25-34 years old for
business reasons (Vyshnavi and Hawelia, 2024).

Figure 1. Apple’s Target audience (Vyshnavi and Hawelia, 2024).

From a promotion aspect, their marketing content is published via social media, the App Store and
Apple News. Their product launches and advertisements capture the audience’s imagination, with
commercials known for emotional impact and storytelling, with widely relatable themes like love and
empowerment (Jain, 2024).

Figure 2. Apple, offline adverts (Jain, 2024).

Utilising exclusive deals with other brands and collaborations with high-profile figures, Apple is able to
reach a broader audience, through anticipation and excitement (SmartOSC, 2023).

Figure 3. Apple’s Business organisational structure
(Podolny and Hansen, 2020).

When Jobs returned to Apple in 1997, he restructured the company from a decentralised to a
centralised model, consolidating power and eliminating departmental conflicts that hindered
innovation and profitability (Podolny & Hansen, 2020). This shift in organisational structure proved
crucial to Apple's success, fostering a more streamlined and efficient environment for innovation.
Product launches focus on showcasing the innovative features of new products, ensuring they
capture the attention of both the tech community and the public. These innovative product launches
are essential, creating anticipation, driving consumer interest and increasing sales (SmartOSC, 2023).
The effect of changing the structure allowed Apple to increase their employees to 137,000
employees and $260 billion in revenue in 2019 (Podolny and Hansen, 2020).
Race and Gender
Considering race and gender Apple improved diversity among its employees, with black and Hispanic
workers making up 23% of the workforce and women holding 32% of global positions (figure 4)
(Peterson, 2021).

Figure 4 Apple’s diversity statistics (Peterson 2021).

Inclusion and diversity are essential for Apple’s global community. The company’s workforce consists
of retail employees that Google and Facebook do not have (Reuters, 2016). The methods used to
achieve the objectives include analysing salaries, bonuses, and annual grants to close pay gaps
(Reuters, 2016).
My analysis of Apple's advertising strategies reveals how the company leverages aspirational
messaging and carefully crafted narratives to cultivate a strong brand identity. This aligns with our
group's theme of brands and cultures, as it highlights how brands can use their platforms to promote
specific lifestyles. Apple's focus on innovation, creativity, and user empowerment resonates with a
target audience seeking to express their individuality and achieve their goals. However, it does not
reveal potential pitfalls, as adverts may convey certain social norms or exclude ethnic groups, through
the emphasis on technology and high-achieving lifestyles. Additionally, the company's marketing
practices have been criticised for their environmental impact and labour practices, raising questions
about the ethical implications of brand image (SmartOSC,2023). Therefore, we can gain valuable
insights into the power of branding and understand how brands shape perceptions and consumer
behaviours.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Apple's success lies in its ability to leverage innovation, create a strong brand identity,
and address culture in its marketing strategies. Their innovative technology and design, paired with a
strong emphasis on user experience, have positioned Apple as a cultural symbol. Apple's marketing
strategies effectively address diverse audiences, fostering a strong brand identity and cultivating
customer loyalty. The company's marketing practices have been criticised for their environmental
impact and labour practices, raising questions about the ethical implications of brand image (Duggal,
2023). By understanding Apple's strategies, we can gain valuable insights into the evolving
relationship between brands and culture.
Reflective review:
Our goal was to investigate how brands address diversity, inclusion, and culture issues through
marketing and operations.
We expected to find much information about our case studies on how global brands navigate culture
However, it was challenging to find information that covered all three chosen topics. It was assumed
that most global brands have well-defined strategies for addressing cultural diversity in marketing and
operations. Yet, there was limited information, particularly on race and gender, surprising for a big
corporation like Apple operating across several countries.

I felt excitement and apprehension. I was excited to begin and learn new skills but was apprehensive
about potential challenges. As the weeks progressed, my confidence grew in overcoming challenges
and understanding the report and presentation structure. We encountered difficulties in members
leaving due to personal reasons or non-attendance. This delayed completion of certain tasks and
caused some friction within the group. We had to reassign roles and tasks, which delayed progress.
A positive aspect was the work ethic of members who were determined to get the assignment
completed. We had strong communication via social media, voicing opinions and views on questions.
A negative was time management when choosing a presentation date. I asked everyone which day
they wanted to present and initially, Tuesday 21st January, was chosen. However, some expressed
their concern with a presentation the day before and they felt that the presentation dates were not
spread out which led to some group members feeling unprepared.
My role within the group was significant as the main coordinator, overseeing communicating with
everyone about a presentation timeline and creating an Excel spreadsheet to organise deadlines.
Firstly, our group discussion regarding theme choices provided a foundation, ensuring research was
grounded in theory. Secondly, identifying key topics and brands allowed us to narrow down case
studies. My contributions to group discussions ensured that the project stayed on track and that all
were well-informed about the latest topics.
References
Cătălin, M.C. and Andreea, P. (2014). Brands as a Mean of Consumer Self-expression and Desired
Personal Lifestyle. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, [online] 109(1), pp.103–107. doi:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.12.427.
Hollenbeck, C.R. and Kaikati, A.M. (2012). Consumers’ use of brands to reflect their actual and ideal
selves on Facebook. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 29(4), pp.395–405. doi:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2012.06.002.

Isaacson, W. and Jobs, S. (2015). Steve Jobs. London Abacus. https://www.books1.co.uk/pdf-
read/BA/Steve-Jobs---Steve-Jobs.pdf

Jain, G. (2024). Apple Marketing Strategy: 8 Essential Principles to Understand. [online] MageComp
Magento Blog. Available at: https://magecomp.com/blog/apple-marketing-strategy/.
Leith, S. (2011). Steve Jobs: The Exclusive Biography by Walter Isaacson – review. [online] the

Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/oct/25/steve-jobs-biography-walter-
isaacson-review.

McCormick, K. (2023). Social Media Advertising 101 (+Examples, Costs, Tips & Types). [online]
WordStream. Available at: https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2022/07/18/social-media-advertising.
Nikita Duggal (2023). A Case Study on Apple Marketing Strategy | Simplilearn. [online]

Simplilearn.com. Available at: https://www.simplilearn.com/tutorials/marketing-case-studies-
tutorial/apple-marketing-strategy.

Peterson, M. (2021). Apple hiring data shows increasingly diverse workforce. [online] AppleInsider.

Available at: https://appleinsider.com/articles/21/03/18/apple-hiring-data-shows-increasingly-diverse-
workforce.

Podolny, J.M. and Hansen, M.T. (2020). How Apple Is Organized for Innovation. [online] Harvard
Business Review. Available at: https://hbr.org/2020/11/how-apple-is-organized-for-innovation.
Reuters (2016). Apple reports improving racial and gender diversity among employees. [online] the

Guardian. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/aug/03/apple-diversity-report-
race-gender-facebook-google.

SmartOSC (2023). Apple Marketing Strategy: 8 Secret Key Strategies From Tech Giant. [online]
SmartOSC. Available at: https://www.smartosc.com/apple-marketing-strategy/.
StudySmarter (2023). Apple Marketing Strategy: Analysis & Importance | StudySmarter. [online]

StudySmarter UK. Available at: https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/business-
studies/business-case-studies/apple-marketing-strategy/.

Vyshnavi, P. and Hawelia, A. (2024). The Secret Behind Apple’s Successful Marketing Strategy.
[online] StartupTalky. Available at: https://startuptalky.com/apples-marketing-strategy/.
Youtu.be. (2024). Available at: https://youtu.be/Hz3RWxJck68 .