Apple was the first company to reach a 1 trillion valuation. Superior products helped achieve this feat, but the apple fan base was also a significant part.
Apple’s fans are amongst the most loyal customers of any brand. They will tent outside the whole night to be the first ones to get their hands on the latest iPhone/apple product. They will go as far as attacking Android users in comment streams. However, why does Apple have the most dedicated fans among all tech companies?
Let us look at the reasons responsible for this:
1. Charismatic leader — Steve Jobs was, without doubt, one of the most charismatic leaders of all time. His ability to attract top talent (especially poaching John Sculley from Pepsi for marketing) and his ability to sell his ideas set him apart from other leaders. Apple fans love him. Most companies with a cult following usually have a charismatic leader. E.g. of charismatic leaders from other companies include — Carl Pei(Former CEO of OnePlus), Peter Thiel (Co-founder of PayPal), Naval Ravikant (Co-founder of AngelList)
2. Futuristic Company — People love apple because Apple is always creating the most high-tech technology possible and implementing them in their products. It creates a futuristic image of Apple in people’s minds. This is also why people love Google because the general public views it as a company dedicated to improving our future.
3. Social-identity — Apple, in particular, has done a very good job of creating a brand that allows its customers to identify with those who “think different.” Being part of groups is a critical aspect of being human and is part of what guarantees our survival as a species. It is not surprising then that it plays an important role in everything we do, including the “brand groups” we may belong to.
4. Luxury Products — Apple is known for launching expensive products. This is how Apple creates an image of a luxury brand in the general public’s mind, and who does not want to be associated with a luxury brand?
5. Being a Cool Brand — Ever wondered why Microsoft or Oracle doesn’t have enough fan following? This is because people don’t view them as cool companies. Even though they are also working on high-tech products, the general population views them as big boring companies. To have a tribe/fan, a company needs to be cool, and it needs to convey this to its customers, and Apple does it through slick marketing.
How Apple connect with its customers during the pandemic
Apple connected with its fans during the pandemic through the Virtual
Launching of its products. The other way it kept connected to its fans was through increasing its digital marketing. Apple also collaborated with multiple social media figures to boost the presence of its products.
