news from the intersection of branding & technology


Target to open 25 Apple-branded store-within-a-store locations

In Apple, brand-building, mobile & tablets, Shopper Marketing on March 8, 2012 at 11:16 pm

by Robert Liljenwall

Apple fruit

Apple fruit (Photo credit: @Doug88888)

Target Brands, Inc. isn’t stupid.  They intend to take advantage of Apple’s powerful brand to attract customers by creating “Apple Shops” similar to what they have done with Best Buy.  Currently Best Buy has 600 locations with Apple Shops.  Some of these locations are actually staffed with Apple Solutions Consultants, and have limited brand identity.

I’ve been to several of the Best Buy Apple Shops, and frankly, am not impressed.  Yes, they allocate space to Apple products but there appears to be modest differentiation between Apple and the rest of the retail area’s other computer, tablet, and phone options.

I would have expected more of from Best Buy and Apple to create a “store-within-a-store” feel.  We’ll see what Target does.  At the end of the day, the fact that Apple is increasing its reach reflects their growing need to bolster retail sales.  The sleek, new Apple stores across the US reflect the company’s commitment to quality retail environments – the fixtures, displays, and furniture just reek with a total dedication to a superior customer treatment.    — RJL

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Chicken soup ain’t good for the Apple soul

In Apple, Healthcare, Shopper Marketing on March 8, 2012 at 11:07 pm

by Robert Liljenwall

Samgyetang, a Korean chicken soup

Image via Wikipedia

Well, excitement filled the air again last week when I accidentally spilled chicken soup on my MacBook Pro while recovering from the flu.  A late 2009 model, my MacBook Pro was toast.  Gone.  Dead.  Logic board destroyed.  No matter how good chicken soup is for your soul, it’s absolutely not good for your laptop, Apple or not.

I had little time to decide – heading out for a 10-day trip back East in two days, it was now or never. And I soon discovered that sending my computer to the Apple hospital would take almost a week, and $1,240.  Soup cost me $1.99, laptop repair would be about the cost of a new computer.

Disgusted with my own stupidity and lack of dexterity, I looked around.  Surely in SteroidLand, there was a solution waiting for me.  Ah, ha, the MacBook Pro Air – sleeker, slicker, lighter, sexier, and actually, younger (a 2012 model vs. 2009).  And it only cost $9 more than my rehabbed three-year old sister.  After confirming that this was the right decision with two very helpful Apple customer service reps, it was a done deal.  And since I had recently put iCloud (via Lion) on my iPhone 4s, the migration was instantaneous:  I transferred my contact list, calendar, and over 20,000 emails instantly onto my new Air.

I was such a happy camper, and as I was walking out the store with my new Air under my arm, a young man was walking with me as we approached the front door.  I stopped and asked him:  ”Did you buy anything?”  He answered, “No.”  ”Well, you know, the alarm goes off if you don’t buy anything.”

For just a second I knew he thought I was serious.  He gave me a quizzical look, which quickly faded to relief and a broad grin as I was smiling, too.  ”Naw, just kidding.”  He seemed relieved.  And I was relieved, too.  I was a very happy Apple camper, on steroids, again!

Let me see? A new iPhone 4s, a new Air in the past two months.  Yup, I’ve done my job of helping Apple this past quarter – along with millions of others around the Planet.  I just can’t leave an Apple store without buying something.    — RJL

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Apple brand on steroids as sales explode

In Apple, brand-building, mobile & tablets, Shopper Marketing on March 8, 2012 at 11:00 pm

by Robert Liljenwall

HONG KONG - NOVEMBER 11: Apple fans stand in...

Image by Getty Images via @daylife

All one has to do is visit an Apple store to feel like you’re in the middle of a retail brand steroid injection – customers injecting cash directly into Apple’s veins, already bursting with success of the iPad and the iPhone 4s.  To give you an example of how powerful the Apple brand has become, their retail stores revenues soared 59% over the previous 2011 first quarter to $6.1 billion for first quarter of 2012. Average revenue per store increased from $12 million to $17.1 million, a 43% increase.  Apple currently operates 358 stores, opening four new stores during the last quarter.

I was recently in the newly refurbished Pasadena (CA) Apple store to check it out.  Incredibly more spacious, classier, and functional, the store was brimming with wall-to-wall customers trying everything out.  The wall graphics were spectacular as always.  If you could ever “feel” a brand on steroids, this was it.

I’m convinced that the re-modeled Apple stores have – by themselves – become tourist attractions – they’re that neat. Even if you’re not in the market to buy a new Apple product, you just have fun walking into the place….excitement fills the air.  — RJL

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