Martin Roll: Apple, Best of Global Brands

If there is any brand that personifies the advances of the digital age, the seamless integration of technology and the ability to constantly innovate to excite customers, it is Apple. Most iconic brands get complacent and rest on their laurels. Apple has proved the exception by continuously innovating and creating pioneering products that have changed the rules of the game.

Given such stupendous success, it is no wonder that Apple has consistently been ranked as one of the most valuable brands among the annual ranking of the world’s top 100 brands by Business Week and Interbrand.

The origins of the Apple brand date to when the PC ruled the roost in the early days of the personal computer. With its Macintosh computers, Apple began to be seen as a young rebel trying to compete against the market leader. Macintosh’s distinct identity, its design, unique operating system, applications and appeal as an outsider attracted a strong and loyal following, making Apple a cult brand early on.

But Apple did not rest on its laurels. Macintosh computers were reinvented as the trendy Mac Books. Apple’s iPod, the MP3 music player, along with iTunes, the online Apple music store, have recast the entire digital music landscape. The stupendous success of the iPod changed the face of Apple overnight — from a rebel computer company to the ultra-chic and trendy digital electronics company.

By combining the best music player, a touchscreen mobile phone, a built-in GPS system and powerful wireless capabilities in the iPhone, Apple not only managed to challenge traditional mobile phone makers such as Samsung, Nokia and Motorola but also advanced smart phone manufacturers such as Research in Motion, makers of the BlackBerry.

Apple’s operating profit jumped an impressive 20 percent in the second quarter of 2009. It managed to sell 2.29 million computers last year. Since being released in June 2007, the iPhone has sold more than 7.4 million units – with 6 million units sold last year.

Apple’s branding strategy can be analyzed from four dimensions:

Constant innovation: Apple has emerged as one of the pioneers in the consumer electronics industry. What started as an innovative computer company to challenge the dominant PC has spawned a whole range of products in music and mobile telecommunications. Innovation and efficient commercialization of those new products have helped Apple to constantly excite customers and to enhance their loyalty.

Collaboration as competitive strategy: As the number of fronts in which any company has to fight competitors increases, conventional strategies of market competition may not serve the best purposes. Collaboration has been found to be much better than all-out competition. Apple has led the way in collaborating with potential competitors and customers. For a long time, Apple had Google’s chief executive on its board of directors.

Consistent communication: One of the fundamental aspects of a strong brand is its CEO being the staunchest brand ambassador. Steve Jobs of Apple has carried out the role of the chief brand ambassador of Apple with panache and finesse. Every year, Apple anticipates the coming year of technology with its annual worldwide developers conference.

Jobs always represents the brand at these conferences, conveying a strong commitment to that brand in the eyes of customers, collaborators and competitors.

Connecting with customer touch points: Apple has established a seamless experience for customers across online, mobile and personal touch points. The Apple Store is the physical and digital manifestation of the brand. In addition to displaying all Apple products in a sleek environment, the stores offer training workshops to potential customers, conduct gatherings for existing customers and generally offer engaging and exciting experiences for customers who want to interact with the Apple brand.

These four pillars of Apple’s brand might seem simple enough for any other company to implement. But not many brands in the marketplace command as much loyalty and brand equity as Apple does.

Implementing branding as an organization-wide discipline led by the CEO and the top management is one of the toughest challenges for any company. Apple proves yet again that by investing in the brand, it is able to stay ahead of its competitors and define the industry it plays in.