iPad, the new star product of Apple's strategy to reach China's market

Thèmes abordés

International Marketing Apple & I-Pad in China: "I-Pad, the new star product of Apple's strategy to reach China's market"

Résumé du document

This is a study about the international marketing of Apple for the product I Pad in China.

This analysis is divided into three parts. The first one deals with the environmental scanning of the brand. We initially propose a presentation of the company, and then present a strategic diagnosis with a preview of the mission, and success key factors. The main tool used in this segment is the SWOT analysis. It allows us to see what the strengths and key opportunities of the company are.

The second part aims to analyze the opportunities of the market through a SLEPT, and an analysis of the competition.

The main goal of the third and last part is to implement the strategy through the marketing mix. Therefore, we developed the strategies we suggested, with an overview of the new plan of the Chanel of distribution.

Introduction

The market of new technology is one of the most significant since the beginning of the century. It is the market that has known the highest growth. Apple is very interesting as a subject, because it is a brand which has made a big impact on our life. This company has created very impressive innovations that have change the way of consumption, such as the I Pad.

It would be interesting to analyze why Apple is so important. We find that Apple would not be one of the most important companies in the world if its co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs were not in command. He is at the origin of each innovation of the company, and controls all aspects in the process of manufacturing and marketing it.

Apple is focusing on a strategic country with China. Apple succeeded in establishing itself with the IPhones or IPod, but it always faces the same issue. Apple has to face many competitors due to counterfeiting. In fact, a product similar to the I Pod exists in China already, and is causing trouble to Apple because of the difference in price.

In this document, we will first present the company with an external and internal diagnosis, analyze the Chinese market with the opportunities to catch thanks to an analysis of the competition, and finally establish the marketing mix of I Pad in China.

Apple, a company in constant innovation
This first step is to analyze the external and internal environment. The main objective is to extract strategic elements from this analysis. After presenting the company Apple, we are going to conduct a SWOT analysis.

Apple is an American multinational company dealing with the new technologies of information and communication. It was created in 1976 by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. The company is based in California in Cupertino.

The adventure of Apple began with the first models (Apple 1) which had the main objective of being the first individual computer built to make all informatics applications accessible to everyone. It was a success, and Apple did not have the capability to fulfill all the orders.

Tags: Apple in China; Ipad; International marketing of Apple

Extraits

[...] - Books: Thanks to its iBooks app, I Pad can benefit from this advantage to compete also the sector of books. - Netbooks: This is also a recent innovation with the small laptops for low cost and Apple has directly reacted to face these types of computers. The Chinese huge threat: The main competitor for the I Pad is the its Chinese copy. The china's market has no more proof to give in terms of counterfeiting. They are the best in this sector. The main problem is the price. The price is uncompetitive for Apple. [...]

[...] This is the criteria Apple has to focus on. I Ped competitor is sold only for $150 and Apple has to insist on the differentiation factor and they can trust their image. The price which has to be applied is the same as everywhere $499 for the basic model. Place: I Pad have to be sold in the same places than the other products. It means in official Apple stores. But in China it is not possible so they have also to be present in the biggest retail stores of the market. [...]

[...] We are not sure that Apple will continue to have good results without him. We have seen that Steve Jobs is everything for Apple. This business plan is answered by three. These three parts allowed concluding on the main strategies via a marketing mix to apply. Apple is positioned also on a Blue Ocean Strategy with its Itunes program and its first concept of computer changing the market of PC's and now by reaching the tablet market place. We can wonder if these strategies will be successful in order to reach the objectives. [...]

[...] I-Pad is maybe the most decisive product in the strategy of Apple. Apple had planned a strategy on the long term. Each product completing one sense, I-Pad was the product which will bring all senses in only one product. That is why it is also important that the product has to be present in all countries and mainly in China which just became the second biggest economy of the world and which brings a huge potential. The issue is to find a way to market such a product face to the strong competition and counterfeiting problem present in China. [...]

[...] The reason is that all the products are created already in the country. They have a lower level of quality but are doing the same functions. It is the case for all the products of Apple. It can be for the I-Phone or the I-Pod. Same products are present in China. There are counterfeiting of course but not only, there are products representing the same uses with the same design. The only difference is the quality and the “brand quality”. [...]