Constructionist Model in Apple Inc - Essay Example

?Marketing Part B Executive summary The report throws lights on the Public Relation (PR) activities that are carried out by the companies to spread the information regarding their products. Through the public relation theories the report highlights the importance of communication of the information to the mass. Through communication, details of the products are corresponded to the prospect customers who become aware and interested regarding the products. The PR theories explain that it depends on the individual whether to respond to any communication process of the organisation and make a buy. Individuals are driven by some forces which make them confident to buy a product after gaining full knowledge about it or the drives can often be negative which does not lead to the purchase of the product. The famous multinationals like Apple Inc. gives a lot of effort on their PR activities so that they are successful in communicating their message regarding the new products to the mass. The public relation activities by the companies involve communication of the useful ideas and the message regarding the changes and modification of the products. It also includes the launch of new products. The communication process is executed through various technologies which are mediated by the Public Medias some of which are also face to face communications. Background Brief about Apple Inc Apple Inc. which is formerly known as the Apple Computer, Inc. is a multinational corporation that is headquartered in California. It develops designs and sells, computer software, consumer electronics and personal computers. The best product line of the company is the Mac line of computers, iPhone Smartphone, iPod music player and iPad tablet computers. Its consumer software comprises the iOS and OS X operating systems, Safari web browser, iWork creativity iTunes media browser and iLife and productivity suites. The company was inaugurated on April 1, 1976 and was incorporated as Apple Computer, Inc. on January 3, 197. Apple is the second largest information technology company in the world after the famous Samsung Electronics and the third largest mobile phone makers after the established companies like Nokia and Samsung. Apple Inc. belongs to the computer hardware and software industry which have experienced incessant changes for the past five years. The changes are due to the advancement in technology and invention of new computer designs. The introduction of the new tablet computers has created huge demand for the retailers. In spite of the demand for the new technologies, sales have faced erosion because of price deflation. Methodology and findings In the Part A-Portfolio-Media Analysis, the study has used multiple tasks in order to understand dimensions of advertising promotion of iPad of Apple Inc such as Placement of the advertisement, Audience Reach, Length of the advertisement, Tone and pertinent stakeholders for the advertisement. Is the study used mentioned task purely in Ad Hoc basis? Not really, because certain well defined public relation theories have guided the researcher to select the mentioned tasks. The researcher has taken help of traditional public relation theories in order to highlight role of each task within the communication cycle. Therefore, it can be said that In the Part A-Portfolio-Media Analysis, the study covered application of PR theories while key objective of this section is to make direct reference to academic text that are being the theoretical concept behind the tasks mentioned in Part A. In such backdrop, next sections of the study will dig deep into the theoretical context of public relation and communication cycle. Public Relation (PR) Public relations (PR) can be defined as the practice of administration of the wide spread information between the organization and an individual or public. It may comprise of individual or organization which gains exposure by communicating with the audience using their interest and this activity does not require direct payment. The main goal of public relations by the organization is to influence the investors, partners, employees and the different stakeholders of the organization. It maintains its reputation through the different public relation activities and a takes into account the political decisions. The common activities comprise of the winning industry awards, speaking at the conference and working with press and communicating with the employees (L'Etang, 2008). Constructionist Model The model is the progression of the Lasswell’s model, which have attempted to define human communication and have revolutionized the constructionist model. Constructionists have the belief that the communication process is itself the message which forms a package and cannot be separated from the historical and social context from where it has aroused. Richard Lanham has analyzed communication as rival to increased usage of the CBS model. The model had argued that brevity, clarity and sincerity are the main reason for posing the discourse. Lanham has exclaimed that words matter when the whole series of human motives is viewed as the discourse of animating prose. Thus the rhetoric analyses finally guide to the important question regarding the style of the prose. It is known that style and rhetoric are very important. They are not the errors which are transmitted by the senders. The communication process which is constructed and deconstructed deserves an analysis so as to see whether the procedure is successful in extracting the actual meaning of what is transmitted. Erving Goffman has seen self performance as the important structure for understanding the communication. Goffman has written “What does seem to be required of the individual is that he learn enough pieces of expression to be able to ‘fill in’ and manage, more or less, any part that he is likely to be given” (Henslowe, 2003). Communication has been rotted deeply in the behaviour of the human and also in the society structures. Thus the scholars find it difficult to exclude the behavioural or social events. The communication theory had remained relatively young in the fields of inquiry and has integrated itself with the disciplines such as the psychology, philosophy and sociology. Individuals cannot expect agreement of conceptualization of the communication process across different disciplines (Toth, 2007; Sriramesh and Vercic, 2008). Consideration of research work of Johnston and Zawawi (2009) reveals the fact that public relation activities and communication activities cover large array of promotional activities such as above the line advertisement (TV commercial, radio jingles, print advertisement, road shows, PR blog, news paper editorial and other non-personal communication activities) and above the line advertisement (sales promotion, telemarketing, social media marketing, digital marketing other personal communication activities). According to Butterick (2011), effectiveness and characteristics of offline or online advertising model is being measured through variables like Placement of the advertisement, Audience Reach, Length of the advertisement, Tone and pertinent stakeholders. Academic Theory behind the Tasks in Part A Butterick (2011) used Laswell’s Communication Models in order to understand why placement and tone of the advertisement (both in online and offline medium) are so important for advertisers to decide successful advertising strategy. Why placement of advertisement is so important? To answer the question, the researcher will use cognitive theory of public relation activities and advertisement proposed by McGuire (1969). According to McGuire (1969), consumers and people perceive advertising as the communication from companies regarding different product/services. According to public relation theories, source credibility and attractiveness are being used as parameter by consumers and audience to judge the advertisement (McGuire, 1969). Therefore, public relation practitioners try to use most accepted and credible source among consumers to place their advertisement. Therefore, PR Publics theory stresses on importance of placement of advertisement while doing media analysis. In such context, in the Part A, analyzing placement of advertisement for mini iPad of Apple has revealed the fact that the company believes that credibility and popularity of online medium among target customer of Apple is much higher than any other sources and this is the reason why Apple used digital marketing to place advertisement in online space. In simple words, McGuire (1969) cognitive theory has been used behind task related to analysing placement of advertisement and it has the significant role in ensuring maximum reach of advertisement in the communication cycle. Again, McGuire (1969) theory can be used to understand the reasons behind doing audience reach analysis in Part A regarding advertisement for mini iPad of Apple. According to McGuire (1969), people tend to forget easily the previous phenomenon due to continuous flow of occurrence of incidents in present time. Therefore, one has to remind them the previous occurrences in continuous manner. Repetitive circulation of the newspaper or television or radio advertisements reminds the product among consumers in continuous manner. In such context, Heath and Vasquez (2001) used Lazarsfeld’s Two- Step Communication Model in order to understand potential of advertisements that can reach maximum numbers of audience. In Lazarsfeld’s Two- Step Communication Model, flow of information move from mass media to the opinion leaders of the community and the message is then communicated to the people who are affected by the information thus received from the leaders. These two layers cover maximum reach of advertisement or the total numbers of audience who can view the advertisement. In simple words, McGuire (1969) cognitive theory and Lazarsfeld’s Two- Step Communication Model have been used behind task related to analysing Audience reach of advertisement in part A- Portfolio-Media Analysis. Considering such theoretical background, it can be said that analysing Audience reach of advertisement helps advertisers to measure maximum plausible viewer or audience frequency of the advertisement that directly or indirectly influences the budgeting/revenue generation aspects of communication cycle. Zajonc’s (1968) “mere exposure” condition or “mere exposure” is the major theoretical rationale behind Length, Context, Content and Tone analysis of advertisement that is being done in Part A- Portfolio-Media Analysis. According to “mere exposure” effect, target stimulus being made accessible to target audience’s individual perception. According to Zajonc (1968), “?uency” or the easiness in processing the information in advertisement and “misattribution” or generate inferences and metacognitions from the “?uency” are the core theme in “mere exposure” effect. From PR Publics theory perspective, “?uency” refers to optimal duration of advertisement and engaging context and content which can help audience to process the advertisement easily in their mind. On the other hand, “misattribution” refers to positive, negative or neutral theme of the advertisement which can synchronize with cognitive state of audience. According to Zajonc’s (1968) mere exposure” effect, “?uency” of advertisement is linked to aspiration, encouragement in target stimulus which has close relationship with positive tone in the advertisement. In simple words, Zajonc’s (1968) mere exposure” theory in context to public relation activities has been used behind task related to analysing Length, Context, Content and Tone of advertisement in part A- Portfolio-Media Analysis. Considering such theoretical background, it can be said that analysis of Length, Context, Content and Tone of advertisement helps advertisers on deciding optimal target stimulus that can be easily processed by target audience which directly or indirectly influences the effectiveness of communication cycle. Butterick (2011) pointed out that reputation of the company also plays vital role in message acceptance among audiences. McGuire (1969) also stated that audience always try to measure credibility of communication sources by analyzing reference points and in case of advertising, brand equity of the company, reputation, market leadership position of the company is being used by audience as reference points to measure credibility of public relation activities (Butterick, 2011). On the other hand, Fill and Jamieson (2011) pointed out that different stakeholders might need different messages and therefore, advertisers should design customize advertising messages that can satisfy requirements of stakeholders. In part A- Portfolio-Media Analysis, it has been found that major stakeholders for mini iPad of Apple are the customers, investors, employees of the company and the public as a whole (International Business Times, 2013a). Using Fill and Jamieson’s (2011) multi stakeholder PR Publics theory, it can be said that Apple faced the challenge to customizing the message as per stakeholder requirements. In such context, mix of above the line and below the line communication has been used by Apple to promote mini iPad among target young customer segment while annual report has been used for communicating the benefits of the strategic move to shareholders, board members and investors. Internal communication through seminars, company blogs are being used to communicate pertinent information regarding mini iPad launch by to Apple employees. In simple words, PR Publics theory regarding multiple stakeholder aspect has been used behind task related to analysing Stakeholders viewpoint in part A- Portfolio-Media Analysis. Conclusion It can be concluded that public relation activities are very important for the companies as it makes the public aware of their products. Communication of the information is needed to make the public knowledgeable regarding the features and the applications of the products that the companies are selling. It depends on the individual that how they will be reacting to the communicated messages. The psyche of the individual drives them to make a purchase or ignore it. Thus, it can be said that the public relation activities of the companies are successful if the mass responds positively. References AppleInsider.com, 2013. Live from Apple's 2013 iPad media event in San Fran. [online] Available at: < http://live.appleinsider.com/Event/Live_from_Apples_2013_iPad_media_event_in_San_Fran?Page=0 > [Accessed 3 December 2013]. Butterick, K., 2011. Introducing public relations: Theory and practice. London: Sage Publication. Fill, C. and Jamieson, B., 2011. Marketing communications. Edinburgh: Edinburgh Business School. Heath, R. and Vasquez, G., 2001. Handbook of public relation. London: Sage Publication. International Business Times, 2013a. Apple iPad Mini '2' Retina Release Date Nears: 3 Reasons Nov. 22 Makes The Most Sense As Its Launch Date. [online] Available at: < http://www.ibtimes.com/apple-ipad-mini-2-retina-release-date-nears-3-reasons-nov-22-makes-most-sense-its-launch-date > [Accessed 3 December 2013]. International Business Times, 2013b. iPhone 6 Concept Inspired By iPad Mini Retina Design Perfect For Apple’s Phablet. [online] Available at: < http://au.ibtimes.com/articles/525847/20131128/iphone-6-concept-image-release-date-features.htm#.Up2eqifTXFz > [Accessed 3 December 2013]. Johnston, J. and Zawawi, C., 2009. Public relations: Theory and practice. Australia: Allen & Unwin. L'Etang, J., 2008. Public relations: Concepts, practice and critique. London: Sage Publication. McGuire, W. J., 1969. The Nature of Attitudes and Attitude Change. In Lindzey, G. and Aronson, E. (Eds). The handbook of social psychology. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley. Vol. 3, pp. 136–314. Sriramesh, K. and Vercic, D., 2008. The global public relations handbook: Theory, research, and practice. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc., Publishers. Toth, E., 2007. The future of excellence in public relations and communication management. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Inc., Publishers. Zajonc, R., 1968. Attitudinal Effects of Mere Exposure. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Monographs, 9 (2), pp. 1–27. Appendix Part A Portfolio Media Analysis Every year, Apple launches fresh tablet line up which are loaded with new exciting features and the established hardware which are new and innovative to the market. The iPad collections have added faster, slimmer, lighter phones which have received different names that are according to their features like the iPad Air. The second-generation mini iPad is very much impressive than the others which includes the recent updates. The iPad which comes in a mini form have the Retina display. The iPad has the following features: high-resolution, 7.9-inch panel, whose resolution is on-par with the Air at 2048 x 1536, 326 pixels per inch. It has also the new A7 system installed in a chip which has a larger battery in a shell which the identical size to the original iPad mini. Some of the few aspects of device had remained the same such as the outlook of the camera and the connectivity options and there are many features which will satisfy the customers at its best. The Retina display in the second-generation iPad mini has an increased price of $329 to $399 with 16 GB Wi-Fi model. Thus it has made the iPad more expensive and exceptional from the other models (AppleInsider.com, 2013). Placement: Apple launched mini iPad with Retina display on 22nd November, 2013 which is the second generation iPad from the house of Apple. The release was not so much prominent as the other launches by Apple. It has limited videos and pictures and the release was marked by the online blog that is especially found in the website of the company. Audience Reach: The news of the release was displayed in the blogs of the website. The mass came to know regarding the new launch by searching the blogs and the price was also displayed in the website. There were YouTube videos too which showed the management launching the new invention from Apple with the special feature of retina display. Length: There were YouTube videos which are of 30 minutes length that showed the application of the iPad and the working of the features. Tone: The message that was conveyed to the audience was positive and they are also aware of the new invention. The new invention brought new features and more applications to the mass thus they are quite eager to use them for a change. Stakeholders: The stakeholders i.e. the customers, investors, employees of the company and the public as a whole are interested in the new invention and have a positive shopping experience (International Business Times, 2013a). Apple have desired for 100's of customers who will be arriving at the Apple Stores everyday with the hope of getting new and innovative technology and applications in their phones. They do not want their customers to be disappointed with the same old phone sets and also the applications which are present in almost every phone (International Business Times, 2013b). Reflective Essay From the report that I have prepared in Part B it is clear that response to any message depends upon the psychology of individual. It is quite clear that companies who have executed extensive public relation activities have not succeeded in attracting customers. Successful public relation activities are developed by the famous companies keeping in mind that they are the leaders in the market and thus they frame their own activity which are relevant for their products. The customers are more conscious about the first look of the product rather than any other elements that will attract them. The message which is communicated to them is highly beneficial for the organization as the revenue depends upon it. Thus I can infer that public relation is one of the important activities that should be executed by the organizations. However, there are loop holes too in these world public relations. These arise due to the misleading facts that the companies often communicates with the mass. The mass become aware of the facts which are shown in advertisements, video clips etc. When they go for the purchase they often find that the companies have not provided them with the full information and thus they become annoyed and disappointed with the organization. Sensationalism These is the affinity of the press play with the stories that are sensational to the audience like the car crashes, murders, kidnappings, sex scandals and many more. These are often done to increase the publicity of the products which are about to get launched by the companies. The media thus play a vital role in maintaining the reputation of a particular company. Often the news that is put forward by the press affect the image of the companies and they are highly affected. I feel that the individual communication process should be developed by the companies in order to get a better response from the customers and the mass. The traditional methods that are followed by the organizations to put forward their product information to the audience are marked obsolete now a days. In these days of advanced technology when internet has been the main source of information, every other process of message communication has become outdated. Through internet the companies spread information regarding their products and also welcome the buyers to purchase it. The companies through blogs and Facebook application have made it possible for every generation to get connected with their new products. Thus I believe that the companies like Apple have chosen the right platform for public relations and have made their products knowledgeable and available to everybody possible. Apple use blogs to connect their products to the customers and give them the opportunity to get the daily updates regarding the products. The features and the prices of the products are available in the blogs and the websites to make the customers knowledgably regarding the different aspects of the products. The difficulties that are faced by the customers during the purchase of the products depend on the right information that is available to them. Album of iPad mini with Retina display Mini iPad with Retina display Launch of Mini iPad with Retina display Launch of Mini iPad with Retina display Mini iPad with Retina display Features of Mini iPad with Retina display Applications of the iPad Available in two colours (black and white) Available in two sizes Available prices of the products New applications for the iPad Read More