Be good to your Partners
The world was taken by storm this week when Apple announced the launch of its red iPhone, the PRODUCT (RED) brand. The launch, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, was to commemorate the ten-year partnership that the company had had with an AIDS-fighting charity foundation called RED. The organization’s mission is to eradicate AIDS, especially in sub-saharan Africa, in one generation.
RED CEO Deb Dugan said that the launch of this red brand is ‘the biggest day in our partnership.’ What he meant is that actions such as these are not forgotten, so treat your partners well to foster healthy working relationships.
Always Innovate
Apple is one company that is never on one project for long. Though most people know Apple for their high-end cell phone, the iPhone, Apple has been responsible for creating numerous gadgets over the years including headphones as well as smart batteries. The argument behind innovation is to ‘always create something that the buyers want,’ a product with an added feature or two that makes each customer feel unique. Apple embodies this principle. That is why every year consumers will flock to their stalls to see what is new and end up purchasing gadgets they will recommend to their friends and family.
The iPhone 7 is old news, but the new ruby tint Apple has added to the phone to celebrate its ten-year partnership with RED is not. And nothing tells customers to buy something like the words ‘limited edition’!
It’s not always about money
Companies are formed to make money, and that fact can never change. However, there is a segment of every company’s design model that is linked to society- it is called corporate social responsibility. Most people felt touched that Apple is so invested in society when Cook revealed that the company had invested over 130 million in RED over the past decade. It demonstrated to consumers that at Apple, it’s not always about the money.
Customers are loyal to companies they know are invested in them and improve their lives. An Apple product fan probably went out today to buy the new PRODUCT (RED) when it hit the stores. The lesson of corporate social responsibility: when you invest in people, they, in return, invest in you.
Do your Market Research
Two days ago customers began asking on social media ‘Why did Apple’s red phones not show up as the same product in China?’ The reason is that Apple did its market research.
If one follows current global events, he or she will realize that in China, AIDS is a particularly controversial issue. The new Apple product had been released as an AIDS-prevention-show-of-support measure. Apple marketers probably realized that the phone might not be well received in China if they testified to that fact, so they decided to change the look to suit the market. The iPhone designers possibly kept the red color because red is a lucky color among the Chinese. Apple definitely knew its market when it launched the PRODUCT (RED), and so should every other company.
