Michael BattistaEnglish 151
Ms. Mudd
May 18, 2010
IPad marketing a Life Style
Apple inc., the company behind the highly successful IPod mp3 players and Macintosh computers, has always set the bar when it comes to marketing. Their unique advertising has helped them to corner the technology market; with the creation of these ads Apple began to not only market their products but started to market a way of life. On April 3, 2010 Apple launched the long awaited iPad. Sales on the first day exceeded every expectation of the estimated sales numbers. Long before the launch date Apple began to advertise heavily for their new product. This ads has been displayed all over the web, in numerous magazines, and was even a still shot from one of the iPad TV commercials.As you look at the ad it is very easy to see the “Apple” way of marketing. Over the years Apple has marketed their products in way to make it the cool thing to own an Apple product. You see the original IPod ads showcasing people who are being original and setting trends from a marketing standpoint. It is a brilliant idea to try and create this sub culture of people who use items like the IPod and other apple products. Today the vast majority of college students use apple products like the IPod and Macintosh computers because it is seen as cool to own those products. The apple ads portray being an individual while at the same time creating a following.
The ad shows what appears to be a man in his mid to late twenties. You cannot see his face or upper arms, only his hands and knees. The angle that is photo is in taken makes it look like you are looking from the person’s shoulder. At the center of the photo you can see the IPad it is tilted slightly to one side. The man is holding the iPad in his lap like a notebook. The man in the ads is interacting whit what appears to be an online bookstore. There are close to a dozen books on the screen and the man appears to be selecting one. Some of the books are popular books that are read by people in their early teens to people in there thirties. Some of the books that appear to be featured in the ad is a book by Michael Crichton, and a book by Edward Kennedy. The man appears as though he could be sitting in a coffee shop or possibly in his own living room. He has their feet propped up on a center table. Off to the right of the person’s legs is a white coffee mug sitting on the center table. There is a light brown hardwood floor in the background. He appears to be wearing a pair of dark blue jeans and a grey long sleeved shirt. There is a moderate amount of light coming in from the top right of the image. The image has a calm feeling to it, and looks like it might be staged in the early part of the day.
Upon analysis the first thing I notice is the person browsing an online bookstore on the iPad. I find this to be great advertising due to the fact that the iPad is meant to replace the need for printed books and the need for bookstores all together. It gives people a way to transition from their old habits of reading printed books and visiting bookstores, to using the IPad for books. The use of the various notable book covers on the iPad screen to help tie together all different types to people with iPad use. Three books in particular are very useful at targeting different demographics. The first book True Compass by Edward M. Kennedy helps to draw people who have interest in politics as well as people who are democrats. Also a Michael Crichton novel helps to draw science fiction fans. One book is one of the, newest highly successful Twilight books. This is one of the best books that they could have used in their ad because the Twilight series has a very large enthusiastic fan base as well as fans that follow the books and movies as intently as fans of the Harry Potter series. It only makes sense that Apple would try and include one of the most recent cultural phenomenons. Another book used in the ad is titled Nanny Returns, which are a New York Time’s bestseller as well as a book that is associated with successful middle-aged women. Targeting this demographic is good due to the amount of expendable income that is associated with this demographic. Even tough Apple markets their product to almost everyone; they still use subtle touches in their ad to cater more towards the interests of certain demographics in different way.
In the ad the person using the iPad is wearing what looks like a gray long sleeve shirt and pair of dark blue jeans. I think that the use of these two articles of clothing together is interesting because they both symbolize different things. When it comes to a marketing stand point, the use of the color grey is very crucial in its meaning. The color it self suggests timelessness and practicality. It is also a favorite suit or formal color, and it is the most worn color of clothing in the world. When you see ads for Rolex or luxury cars the main color you see in all these ads is grey. Therefore, the use of grey in this ad connects the concept of the every day person with the concept of a device that is seen as a luxury item but is affordable. On the other hand, the person’s blue jeans are also great way to look into the types of people that apple is trying to market too. The color blue itself is shown to be the most popular “favorite” color of people in the United States. The color blue is seen as the trustworthy, dependable, and committed. It can also be seen as a relaxing color and goes great with the over relaxation theme of the ad. But more importantly blue jeans symbolize everything that America is supposed to be. Jeans show they standard for hard work, they are the chose clothing for people that do “dirty” jobs. At the same time jeans can carry a casual or relax sense.
The IPad itself is looks like an enlarged version of one of the widely popular iTouch MP3 players. The only visible colors of the iPad that you can see are silver and black. This color scheme is important because it can be seen on most of apple’s products and helps some one immediately identify it as an apple product due to this choice in color. The use of the color black is important because the color black shows power and authority. It can evoke strong emotions but is not used so much in the ad that it is overwhelming. It is a classic color and is meant to make the iPad look sleek and sophisticated.
When you look at the over all theme of the ad it is very easy to tell that the ad is supposed to shows relaxation and comfort. The man has his legs propped up on a table, he has his cup of coffee, and he’s getting ready to enjoy a book on his IPad. I felt this is a good move on Apple’s part because it helps to separate the IPad from the IPod and ITouch. Traditionally Apple has shown ads of people using the products in an active and entertainment theme. I like how Apple marketing the IPad in a way so that it appears to be than just toy or something to listen to music on. They are marketing their product almost as an all purpose tool, something that can make some ones everyday life easier while at the same time still providing their customers with a platform that can still provide entertainment, but on a whole new level.
The placement of the coffee cup in the top right hand of the photo is one of my favorite parts of the ad. It is one of the subtlest parts of the ad, but stands for so much. When I see the cup of coffee two things come to mind one is a coffee house the second is waking up in the morning. Every time you walk into coffee house there are always people reading books or working on their computers. During my last visit to the donkey coffee house one of the biggest things that caught my attention was the amount of people using Apple products. Almost every person there was using a Macintosh laptop, or listening to an IPod. I think that Apple’s use of the coffee cup helps to target the kind of people who frequent coffee shops, but at the same time they are marketing to people who are already fans of Apple and their products. The way that the cup up coffee gives off the impression of morning and comfort is great use of symbolism in the ad. It reminds people of getting out of bed and getting coffee to start their day. When Apple puts a cup of coffee in the ad it makes people think that the first thing you should do in the morning is wake up, grab your coffee and IPad. This is great marketing because it encourages IPad users to replace their morning paper or book with IPad. It shows that this product can become part of your daily routine that it makes life simpler.
The position of the camera for the ad is also very important. It creates a feel that you could be the person in the ad using the IPad or you could be looking on as someone else enjoys the IPad. This does a good job of creating a have and have not idea in the ad. It creates that feeling that you could be relaxing reading book, or you could not and miss out. This helps to create a mentally that the IPad is luxury or exclusive item much like the Macintosh computers that Apple makes.
Overall the ad shows what type of people Apple is trying to market the IPad to and why their ad appeals to so many different types of people. You can see direct advertising towards certain demographics in parts of the ad like the online bookstore, and you can see subtle advertising in things like the clothes the person is wearing and the coffee mug. More importantly Apple has re-introduced the idea of the viewer of the ad being able to relate to the ad in his or her own way. They showcase their ads so that people can see them selves in all the different situations that they show the IPad in. Whether its students, business professionals, moms, dads and, kids apple always advertises their products to please everyone.
