Abstract

The following synopsis discuss how Apple is influencing the buzzing in various communities to use this form of viral marketing to brand their products. This synopsis was an exam project for the class “Researching Aspects of Business” at Aarhus School of Business, University of Aarhus (Handelshøjskolen i Århus, Århus Universitet) and was awarded the grade 10 on the danish note scale.

1       Introduction

Unlike any other company Apple Inc[1] has a history of keeping information about new products to themselves until the official announcement of a product. In connection to this they do not advertise or in any other way announce that they have new and upcoming products. However, this does not keep the Apple followers from buzzing greatly about the next upcoming product from AI, especially around the time of a MacWorld Expo[2]. This buzzing about their products is free marketing for AI and the buzzing is so powerful that it even affects the stock value of AI (McCoy, 1995, s. 8). This synopsis focuses on the following problem statement; “How does Apple Inc create buzzing to be used in viral marketing to brand products?” This synopsis claims that Apple users are comparable to religious followers and that AI uses this subculture in their viral marketing to start the buzzing about new products. The goal of this synopsis is to either accept or refute the claim.

To achieve the goal this synopsis will start out by reviewing evidence of how AI has cultivated ‘religious’ followers and then use this evidence to show how that has made buzzing possible in connection with the iPhone. The evidence will be used in a discussion about the impact of viral marketing as means to brand a product. This will be combined with Russell W. Belk and Gülnur Tumbat’s study on Brand Cult to put the reviewed evidence and discussion into perspective. Finally, the synopsis will accept or refute the claim. Continue reading →