Comparing the Marketing Techniques Used by Apple and Samsung - Term Paper Example

Comparing the Marketing Techniques Used by Apple and Samsung Comparing the Marketing Techniques Used by Apple and Samsung Introduction Technology has significantly altered the means through which man has had to execute most tasks. One of the most notable sectors is that of communication which has brought people closer than before. One of the giants in the sector, Nokia, uses the phrase Connecting People to assert its influence. There are other powerful players in the sector who use a different motto, but still fulfill the same goal. The sector is in that state because most people in the world own these gadgets, which is an indication of how it is vital in the society. Two giants that have of late been making headlines include Samsung and Apple. They are aggressively seeking to reign supreme with regards to market share, which has proved to be harder that most thought. Some of their discrepancies have had to be settled in court, but each seems to be winning from a different angle. It has received much publicity all across the globe that most people have started to take sides. Both parties are making massive steps forward with the introduction of new gadgets and incentives aimed at capturing the market (Tucker & Frey, 2012). This paper focuses on the marketing incentives taken by the two organizations and which seems to be more effective. There are many considerations to mull over as both have complex marketing strategies and may differ from one product to another. This research aims to identify the strengths that each holds over the other and how well they have been able to exploit it. Since both organizations have somewhat some rigid strategies to move their products, these strategies have also been assessed for efficacy. Hence, who among the two seems to be more dominant? Literature Review This literature is based on the article titled “In the Smartphone Race, Money Talks for Samsung” published in The Wall Street Journal on March 12, 2013. The article revolves around the issue of marketing through advertising, which Samsung seems to be spending more on. Marketing in Samsung As it currently stands, Samsung is the largest mobile production organization in the world. This is after it surpassed Nokia in doing so. The organization has been successful in capturing markets all across the globe and their presence can be felt in almost all countries. This is a great achievement for a company that started from humble beginnings in a region not well laid down to nurture success. Against all odds however, it has grown from there and overtaken all other giants in the same sector. The organization has also presented a very extensive product range in the market in the bid to capture the bigger portion (Rundh, 2011). In order to move its products, the organization uses many strategies although some like advertising and sponsorship deals stand out. Advertising is the key channel that the organization uses as it has very many products unlike apple and hence has to impart knowledge of its customers. For instance, the Samsung Galaxy Music is a new gadget in the market aimed at the young generation. The organization has to notify this market of the arrival of the product so as to move it in desired amounts. The issue is that Samsung avails many products into the market at a time and hence needs to pass this information to the people (Rundh, 2011). In contrast, Apple only avails a product at a time which people will eventually know about with ease. Samsung sponsors big names such as Chelsea Football Club that has a global following. This is a technique unique to Samsung as compared to Apple Inc. this gives them a global recognition which expedites their chances of success over Apple. Along with this, the organization has a global presence with offices in almost all countries of the world which is one of their most valuable assets it holds (Nickell & Cornwell, 2011). Customers need to feel guaranteed that the products they purchase will receive the best available form of support from the manufacturer. This is one of the most efficient marketing techniques people continually become aware of the technological gadgets around them and the vital need of getting support in case anything goes wrong. With the statistics available today, it is apparent that the organization is continually making positive strides and the marketing approaches in use today is effective. It is favorable to state that the organization is continually making advances to ensure that this trend is upheld and it keeps scaling the heights with all competitors striving to keep up with no success (Nickell & Cornwell, 2011). Apple Inc’s Case This has always been a success story with more to admire than to censure. The company brought a new means of running things and still reign supreme. The success can be attributed to the unique features and way of handling things that the organization brought into the market. With all the monotony and predictability that prevailed in the past, a new company with the ability to break these trends emerged. It has been very difficult to say no to most of their products since then. In fact, their uniqueness and ability to surprise the market with brainy products still remains only that other organizations are emerging with similar qualities (Reppel & Szmigin, 2008). Since inception, the organization has used its qualities of uniqueness and brainy products to market itself. It has not had to spend too much on marketing itself through expensive means such as advertising, promotions, and sponsorship. The masses seem to seek the information instead of the other way round. Everyone including the press is anticipating what the company will unveil next, which the organization exploits for its own advantage. This is facilitated by the fact that the corporation only unveils its products at a slow pace and mainly during their annual fairs. As a result, these events are eagerly anticipated and broadcasted all over the world by media houses (Mickalowski & Mickelson, 2008). This has become a trend that most people have become accustomed with. No media house wants to be left behind in this and hence all seem to publicize the event. It is not all overrated however, Apple products have significantly advanced how tasks are undertaken in the world. They are very intelligent products even when compared to competitors, and this is what all the fuss is all about. Many competitors, including Samsung, have struggled to keep up with the standards that have been set by Apple. In fact, Samsung Galaxy S3 was a product that Apple took to court for coping-or rather stealing- the Apple iPhone. The court found Samsung guilty of theft of ideas and obliged them to pay damages to Apple (Mickalowski & Mickelson, 2008). All these can be used to show the dominance that the organization has in the sector. Notably, the marketing approaches used in the same organization are genius. Very little is spent, yet much is received. This has won the organization titles such as the Most Admirable Organization as an illustration of the impact the considerable young organization has brought into the market. Successes in their Marketing Strategies Today From a general and relatively uninformed point of view, one may state that Samsung are more successful in their marketing strategies considering that they are the largest organization and still growing. This is partly true, but there is more to consider before making such a deduction such as the organizational goals, inputs, and market share. It is apparent that it is hard to spot a sole endeavor by Apple to market itself when compared to the case of Samsung which may mean that there may even have a higher of success when comparing input and output (Tucker & Frey, 2012). For instance, the iPhone 5 runs out of stock immediately after being put to sale. Compare that to the Galaxy S3 which seems to be in stores even after heavy marketing undertakings (Reppel & Szmigin, 2008). This does not mean that the S3 has not sold more than the iPhone 5, rather that the iPhone is rewarded more for less effort. Assessing the general statistics however, it is clear that Samsung is going to do more than Apple for the few forthcoming years. Samsung has fortified its stand in the market by using strategies such as proving support in almost all regions of the world, availing products in almost all sectors suited for everyone, along with using effective marketing strategies. Summary It is clear that the two organizations use very distinctive marketing strategies to achieve their goals. It is also apparent that they also achieve these goals. The ridge appears when one assesses the rate at which the two are growing and the extent to which they are capturing the market. In both these instances, Samsung seems to reign supreme as there are putting more effort. They have laid a platform through which they can assert their supremacy, with endeavors such as a wide range of products and offering support to their customers (Tucker & Frey, 2012). Apple Inc. can also be stated to be making massive strides with moves such as the introduction of the new iPhone 5 which is more advanced, but it faces some difficulties. To begin with, Steve Jobs has long been the face of Apple, the organization has to successfully change this and hope that the market does so too. The unique qualities that the manufacturer held are being challenged by giants such as Samsung who have relatively more resources (Tucker & Frey, 2012). This is causing problems for Apple since most people anticipated the launch of their products knowing that they will outdo any other in the market, this is all changing though. Conclusion The field of marketing requires ingenuity to be successful. Although Apple and Samsung produce substitutes, it is clear that they use different marketing approaches. It shows that every organization has to assess their position and adopt the apt techniques that would favor them. As time moves on, the markets are bound to change as well; the approaches used by different organizations should be continually assessed for efficiency. For instance, since Apple is being challenged by Samsung on matters of ingenuity, maybe their products will no longer sell themselves considering the fact that most Samsung products of the same standards are cheaper. Reference Mickalowski, Kyle., & Mickelson, Mark. (2008). Apples iPhone Launch: A Case Study in Effective Marketing. The Business Review, Cambridge, 9(2), 282-288. Nickell, David., & Cornwell, T Bettina. (2011). Sponsorship-linked marketing: a set of research propositions. The Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 26(6), 579-585. Reppel, Alexander E., & Szmigin, Isabelle. (2008). The iPod phenomenon: identifying a market leaders secrets through qualitative marketing research. The Journal of Product and Brand Management, 15(4), 240-249. Rundh, Bo. (2011). Development of customer value in a supply chain: managerial thinking about strategic marketing. The Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 26(4), 260-273. Tucker, Patrick., & Frey, Thomas. (2012). Futurists Review the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show. The Futurist, 46(3), 30-35. Read More