Branding issues are of extreme importance to manufacturers, traditional retailers, and customers. The growth of the internet has increased the importance of a strong brand name, especially due to trust and security issues. The brand name is used to differentiate products in both traditional and online retail situations.
The Apple Brand and Website
Apple Company has very high Brand equity for its products, especially among established customers. Advanced market changes on technology especially the use of the internet as a marketing tool, are forcing companies such as Apple to focus more on products’ authenticity. The company has to ensure that trademarks and trade names are genuine. Various imitations are causing unfavorable customer reactions and forcing the company’s authorities to abandon the internet marketing plans prematurely.
The Apple website has various advertisements on the home page, with clear identification of products on offer, either through the stated trade name (Apple) or through the trademark (logo) on the products. It is an apparent indication that the prospects of the company depend on its branding strategies and sale of the brand. For decades, Apple Company has been among other competing companies at the top of the hardware manufacturers’ list, and its prospects have a high dependence on the company’s branding approaches, which are currently integrated on the online offers seen on the site today.
The strength of a brand name is an attraction for potential malicious attackers as well as a better tool for enforcing the integrity and security of products. The firm website however lacks proper guidelines for clients on ways of analyzing products qualitatively and quantitatively, to determine product viability and worthiness. Qualitative analysis of the strength of a brand name is equally a determinant of any prospects of a firm due to consumer trust.
Apple’s website indicates that the company marketing strategy focuses more on future endeavors. The company relies on the existing market demands for technologically advancing products such as iPhones, iPods, iPad TV, or MacBooks as a possible long-term strategic plan. There is however little focus on the security of the brand name, guidance for the clients, or identification of originals and marketing strategies to enforce clients’ trust in the Apple products over other potential competitors.