Marketing Communications: Expanding Apple’s Loyal Customer Base

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Abstract

This study aims to identify specific marketing communication activities that Apple could implement to retain its loyal consumers. The analysis is designed to evaluate marketing communication activities that appeal to behaviors and preferences that promote this vision. This goal was supported by three research objectives, which sought to analyze past and present marketing communication activities used by Apple to maintain consumer loyalty, develop a framework for implementing future marketing communications plans that enhance product orientation strategies, and develop practical recommendations that suggest how the company can utilize its marketing communications frameworks to significantly increase customer loyalty.

Data was collected from three sources – surveys, interviews, and published literature. Broadly, the materials obtained from these sources gathered were categorized into two formats: primary and secondary data. Primary data was obtained from survey questionnaires and interviews. Seventy-two respondents completed the survey questionnaires, while the interviews involved one-on-one discussions with five Apple users. The findings were analyzed using the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) software, version 24. The findings showed a high degree of congruence in findings between both sources of primary data. This statement means that the surveys and interview responses complemented each other. In both instances, respondents had a generally favorable view of Apple’s marketing communication strategies, thereby signifying their efficacy in influencing customer loyalty. The secondary research findings helped to contextualize these behaviors by showing that they fit within a wider body of marketing literature, highlighting the evolution of marketing communication tools from traditional methods, such as television and print media advertising, to contemporary forms, such as digital communications.

Introduction

Background of Study

Companies need to maximize their marketing potential by adopting the most effective communication styles to reach their target audiences. Doing so gives customers an opportunity to better relate with product features and understand how they will add value to their lives before making a purchase (Balaziova and Spalova, 2020). Therefore, communication styles can affect a company’s overall performance by either giving, or denying, them the opportunity to communicate product or service values to customers to enable them to make a sale (Lyons and Brennan, 2019). Based on this influence, marketing communications allow companies to manage the perception of value that customers have towards their products or services. This practice allows them to build or enhance customer loyalty.

Marketing communications often allows a two-way information exchange channel where the company is on one side and consumers are on the other. This format involves two parties, but both ends of the interactive continuum may have multiple stakeholders, such as employees, customers, distributors, and competitors, with converging interests (Martin, Javalgi and Ciravegna, 2020). Marketing communications gives them an opportunity to brainstorm on common issues, thereby giving them an opportunity to improve their decisions. At the same time, marketing communication tools allow companies to better adapt their businesses to the impact or influence of competitors on the market (Balaziova and Spalova, 2020). In this regard, managers can recalibrate their marketing messages to fill gaps or exploit opportunities created by competitors’ actions. This tool allows them to be agile and more responsive to both consumer needs and market changes.

The advent of digital marketing communication tools has created multiple channels of communication that companies could exploit to realize the aforementioned benefits of marketing communications (Rohm, Stefl and Saint Clair, 2019). However, consumers are often bombarded with various kinds of information; some of them misleading, while others are factual, about various brands in the market (Bourne, 2020). In the background, the market is increasingly being saturated by multiple brands – all seeking the attention of the same customer (Luxton, Reid and Mavondo, 2017). Consequently, there is a need for companies to develop clear and succinct marketing communication messages using the most appropriate digital marketing techniques, to reach the target market.

Based on the above example, the importance of adopting the right marketing communication tools is more apparent in the information communication and technology (ICT) age, and more specifically in the smartphone sector, where American and Asian brands are competing fiercely for global dominance (Kim, Lee and Lee, 2020). In both companies, there is an incentive to optimize marketing communications as a self-promotional tool. However, organization-specific factors influence the efficacy of marketing communication tools. Consequently, it is important to understand how individual companies use these techniques to add value to customers and businesses alike. Apple, which is among the world’s most valuable brands is used as a case study to delve deeper into this discussion.

Research Problem

Apple is among the world’s most valuable and recognizable brands in the smartphone market. For a long time, it has maintained a market leadership position but, recently, it was replaced by Samsung as the leader, in terms of market share. According to StatCounter (2021), Samsung has a global market share of 27.84% in the global smartphone industry, while Apple commands a 26.46% market share in the same industry. Apple’s leadership position is threatened by the growth and development of its rivals, including Xiaomi and Huawei, which have a 10.63% and 8.84% market shares, respectively (StatCounter, 2021). These figures suggest that Samsung is not the only company that threatens Apple’s dominance.

Apple’s waning influence in the global smartphone industry is a cause of concern to investors and shareholders alike because it may negatively affect its loyal customers who are responsible for the company’s success (Iancu and Iancu, 2017). Relative to this assertion, the important role played by Apple’s loyal customers in promoting the company’s success cannot be understated. For example, in the smartphone industry alone, iPhone users are deemed the most loyal mobile phone customers in the world (Richter, 2016). This observation is supported by facts showing that about 90% of iPhone users will purchase the same smartphone brand on their next purchase (Richter, 2016). Therefore, given the importance of Apple’s loyal fan base in sustaining the company’s growth, there is uncertainty regarding the company’s future if it keeps losing its market share. Consequently, the company should be concerned if this group of customers diminishes due to economic or market-related failures.

Another point of concern for the company’s sustainability is the small customer pool that drives Apple’s success because it operates in the premium market category. This marketing strategy has seen the company’s promotion and communication strategies exclusively promote product quality and the exclusivity of its products at the expense of all other considerations (Iancu and Iancu, 2017). The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its associated political, social, and economic uncertainties have further exacerbated concerns about the ability of Apple to meet the needs of its loyal customers because they may be affected by other interests besides sticking to the company’s brand. These issues show that there are several extraneous market and company-specific issues that could affect Apple’s customer base and, by extension, its performance. Hence, it is important to understand risks posed to the loyal customer group and find ways of addressing them to maintain or improve the company’s position in the smartphone market. These insights highlight the importance of investigating the potential use of marketing communication tools to protect the company’s core customer base and maintaining a positive corporate image that would guarantee future success.

Research Aim

The aim of the study is to identify specific marketing communication activities that Apple could implement to retain its loyal consumers by appealing to behaviors and preferences that promote this goal

Research Objectives

1. To identify opportunities for increasing customer loyalty by comparing Apple’s past and present marketing communication activities
2. To develop a framework for implementing Apple’s future marketing communication campaigns
3. To develop practical recommendations that Apple can use to increase its customer loyalty index using emerging marketing communications platforms

Importance of Study

Apple’s loyal customer base has been a key driving force for its good performance because it provides a ready market for the launch and sale of its products. The findings of this study will be important in understanding the direction of marketing activities that the company should take to maintain this level of customer interest in the company’s products. This analysis will be essential for the future survival of the business and brand because it was largely formed from the belief in the company’s founder Steve Jobs who is deceased. Understanding how to maintain its critical audience of customers after such a loss would be crucial for Apple as it navigates the current battle for the minds of smartphone users around the world. Therefore, the findings of this analysis will be important in advancing this goal.

Structure of the Paper

This paper is divided into five main chapters. The first one is the introduction section, which provides a background to the study and highlights research gaps that need to be filled through the current investigation. The second chapter describes what scholars have written about the research topic and the relevance of existing theories and models of marketing communications in understanding the research phenomenon. The third chapter is the methodology section, which explains techniques used by the researcher to answer the study questions. This part of the investigation will highlight key issues relating to data collection, analysis, and interpretation. The philosophical and conceptual underpinnings of the techniques used will also be detailed in this chapter, as well as strategies employed by the researcher to safeguard the reliability, credibility, and validity of the findings. The fourth chapter will report findings that emerged from the implementation of the above-mentioned techniques. It will also contain an analysis of the findings, subject to how they fit within the existing body of literature and contribute towards the realization of the research aim. Overall, this analysis will pave the way for the last section of this study, which is the conclusion and recommendations chapter. In this part, a summary of the main findings will be outlined and recommendations that Apple could adopt to improve its customer loyalty standards highlighted.

Literature Review

Introduction

This chapter highlights the current state of literature that is relevant to the research area of interest. Key concepts, which are relevant to the area of analysis, will also be reviewed and the focus will be on how they can be applied within the wider framework of business-customer relationships to enhance customer loyalty in the smartphone market. Other aspects of analysis that will be similarly highlighted in the literature review include an analysis of relevant theories and models that explain the relationship between consumer behavior and loyalty in the context of the global smartphone industry. These insights will be further compared with the current state of literature on marketing communications to understand how firms reap the benefits of employing targeted marketing communication techniques to enhance brand appeal. At the end of the literature review, the need for a contextual understanding of the research topic, using Apple as a case study, will be mentioned.

Theoretical Background

Successful marketing communication techniques are often dependent on continuous improvement processes that add value to customers and businesses alike (Pääkkönen, Laaksonen and Jauho, 2020; Paek and Hove, 2021; Nguyen et al., 2020; Langan, Cowley and Nguyen, 2019). The most effective marketing communication techniques allow companies to translate their capabilities into competitive strategies that improve brand profiles among customers (Manser, Peltier and Barger, 2017). Marketing communication tools could be designed to produce complex information processing strategies of an organization, optimizing its ability to share information across multiple communication channels, and integrating consumer feedback. This latter part of the analysis depends on the deployment of digital marketing information tools, such as social media applications, to interact with customers (Duffett, 2017; Hastings, 2021). Nonetheless, these tools are founded on an organization’s key internal processes and organizational practices, which can then be configured according to existing market dynamics to identify the best communication strategy.

The elements of customer loyalty identified above share a close relationship with studies that have focused on understanding relationship marketing (Güntürkün, Haumann and Mikolon, 2020). More importantly, it draws attention to specific models used to describe these types of relationships. Fords’ five-stage model is one such example, which describes the main tenets of relationship marketing lifecycles (Costabile, 2020). Information gathering and the analysis of value that the relationship brings to both buyers and sellers characterize the first stage. The second stage in the lifecycle is the experimentation phase where value is changed between buyers and sellers in an experimental context of review (University of Edinburgh, 2021; Pääkkönen, Laaksonen and Jauho, 2020; Paek and Hove, 2021; Nguyen et al., 2020; Langan, Cowley and Nguyen, 2019). This goal paves the way for the third stage in development, which is characterized by reciprocity between the buyer and seller in a broader and more elaborate learning process (Costabile, 2020). The fourth stage of the lifecycle is associated with maintaining the stability of this relationship, while the last one is focused on the institutionalization of routine processes that support the general relationship described above (Costabile, 2020). This last stage is designed to minimize uncertainty and surprises that may undermine the long-term stability of the relationship between buyers and sellers.

Costabile (2020) has proposed a similar five-stage model of understanding the lifecycle of the relationship between buyers and sellers. He opined that these types of relationships follow five steps, which include awareness, exploration, expansion, commitment and dissolution (Costabile, 2020). The main distinction between this model and the aforementioned one is found in the last stage of the lifecycle – dissolution. In this phase of development, decisions are often made unilaterally, unlike the other four stages where consultations happen and decisions are made jointly among partners (Costabile, 2020). These insights suggest that various relationship networks thrive when buyers and sellers have a common understanding of shared values and goals supporting customer loyalty (Pääkkönen, Laaksonen and Jauho, 2020; Paek and Hove, 2021; Nguyen et al., 2020; Langan, Cowley and Nguyen, 2019). Elements that may destabilize this relationship are often suppressed for its long-term viability.

Marketing Communication

Marketing communications activities stem from the implementation of a firm’s overall marketing strategy (Perdana, Gaffoor and Lee, 2020; Soriano-Vargas, Hamann and de Oliveira, 2020; Banerjee and Banerjee, 2017; Ivanov et al., 2020). It refers to the deployment of all forms of media to reach target customers. In this regard, the discipline includes the use of different forms of media, including direct marketing, branding, digital communications, print media, and such forms of marketing platforms (Manser, Peltier and Barger, 2017). Given the importance of marketing communication in improving business-customer relationships, it provides the foundation for the implementation of all other forms of marketing planning activities, including positioning, developing the marketing message, and the successful integration of marketing messages across various value chain processes.

Broadly, the objectives of marketing communication are twofold. The first one is centered on the reduction of the sales cycle time and the second one is creating preferences for products and services that would prompt customers to seek certain brands over others. According to Breuer et al. (2018), the process of developing product preferences takes time and may involve various elements of brand positioning and product pricing and distribution strategies to realize the best outcomes. This activity also takes time, in the sense that it requires a certain level of consistency in the application of marketing strategies to improve trust among the players involved (Williams and Baláž, 2020). In this regard, developing a strong brand positioning strategy is an effective component of marketing communication plan because it positively influences market share and profitability.

The goal of shortening the sales cycle is also an important derivative of effective marketing communication plans because it improves profitability and turnover, which are crucial processes in realizing business process sustainability and the maximization of shareholder value (Perdana, Gaffoor and Lee, 2020; Soriano-Vargas, Hamann and de Oliveira, 2020; Banerjee and Banerjee, 2017; Ivanov et al., 2020). Kitchen (2017) says that marketing communication strategies help companies to shorten their sales cycle by allowing them to tweak elements that influence the customer buying process. For example, some studies have pointed to the need to educate customers, as a critical part of the customer buying process, if companies are to truly reduce their sales cycles (Kamboj and Rahman, 201; Manser, Peltier and Barger, 2017). This advice has been given to tech entrepreneurs because they have to meet the educational needs of their customers before a purchase is made (Manser, Peltier and Barger, 2017). Based on these insights, marketing communication planning appears to encourage marketers to strike a balance between the need to reduce their sales cycles and create preferences for their products or services.

For purposes of this investigation, the second objective will be more relevant to the current study because customer loyalty is strongly associated with the creation of brand preferences, as opposed to the reduction of sales time (Hwang and Choi, 2020). Therefore, although marketing communication literature supports the need to balance these objectives when implementing marketing plans, the current investigation will be more focused on the creation of brand preferences, as opposed to increasing sales.

Marketing Communication Tools

The process of identifying the right marketing communication tool depends on several factors that may be specific to an organization, industry or market (Perdana, Gaffoor and Lee, 2020; Soriano-Vargas, Hamann and de Oliveira, 2020; Banerjee and Banerjee, 2017; Ivanov et al., 2020). Optimizing outcomes in this context is more complex than balancing brand sales and creating brand preferences because other intangible factors, such as corporate culture, could influence their efficacy (Kumar, Keller and Lemon, 2016). Nonetheless, firms use a few common marketing communication tools to fulfill their marketing communication objectives. They include direct selling, public relations, advertising, sales promotion, and digital marketing methods described below.

Direct Selling: The process of direct selling involves making sales outside of a company’s physical store through business-to-customer relationships. These kinds of purchases ordinarily occur in a non-retail setting, such as a person’s home, office or in a virtual environment (Perdana, Gaffoor and Lee, 2020; Soriano-Vargas, Hamann and de Oliveira, 2020; Banerjee and Banerjee, 2017; Ivanov et al., 2020). Marketing communication activities that are practiced in this kind of setup bypass intermediaries to communicate directly to sellers (Kaur et al., 2020). Therefore, unlike other forms of marketing communication that may involve a third party, such as a media outlet, direct selling allows firms to communicate directly to their customers. This type of marketing tool is commonly adopted by small and medium-sized organizations, which cater to a small customer base (Kaur et al., 2020). Big multinational companies may find difficulties implementing such as strategy because they tend to a broad customer base that may not be accessible directly.

Public Relations: Public relations exercises are pivotal to the long-term management of business relationships with customers (Perdana, Gaffoor and Lee, 2020; Soriano-Vargas, Hamann and de Oliveira, 2020; Banerjee and Banerjee, 2017; Ivanov et al., 2020). It forms the foundation for the development and nurturing of social relationships. At the center of these conversations is a need to be honest to customers about an organization’s activities and a drive to uphold its secrets to protect its market interests at the same time. Cronin (2020) advances this view by saying there is a need to balance transparency and secrecy in a broader interface of public relations exercises evident in marketing activities.

Advertising: Advertising is a process centered on using promotional strategies to attract the attention of a specific demographic for varied purposes, including brand engagement, increasing sales and brand visibility/awareness. This type of marketing communication may involve several players, including marketing agencies, media companies, or even event planners (Kaur et al., 2020). It differs from the direct selling strategy highlighted above because of the involvement of these groups of people. Various marketing communication channels can be used in an advertising context, including radio, television, and print media. Some types of advertisements may involve billboards and sponsorships, depending on the type of companies or industry involved.

The main objectives they strive to accomplish are to persuade, inform, or remind customers about specific products or services (Cronin, 2020). For example, informative advertisements are designed to build awareness about a brand and educate people about product attributes that may be useful to them (Perdana, Gaffoor and Lee, 2020; Soriano-Vargas, Hamann and de Oliveira, 2020; Banerjee and Banerjee, 2017; Ivanov et al., 2020). Most of the communications done on this platform are designed to appeal to a specific group of identifiable customers. By targeting them, companies may benefit from stimulated sales or improved levels of customer loyalty. Others may generate enthusiasm about their products or services and build customer confidence around their brand positioning strategies (Haenel, Wetzel and Hammerschmidt, 2019). Overall, advertising is essential in improving a company’s profitability and is instrumental in building or maintaining a loyal customer pool.

Sales Promotion: A sale is defined by the receipt of a tangible value from the purchase of a good or service using money as the value of exchange (Panda, Upadhyay and Khandelwal, 2019). Based on this definition, a sale, when analyzed in the context of the current investigation, is made when counting the number of units of smartphones sold and estimating their corresponding monetary value (Perdana, Gaffoor and Lee, 2020; Soriano-Vargas, Hamann and de Oliveira, 2020; Banerjee and Banerjee, 2017; Ivanov et al., 2020). In this regard, sales promotion is one of the techniques used in marketing communications to boost sales. Programs aimed at supporting sales promotion activities may be targeted at customers, intermediaries, or employees, depending on a company’s key stakeholders (Najam et al., 2020). Companies that use this form of marketing communication tool may engage in short-term oriented activities to boost sales, such as introducing money-off coupons, discounted vouchers, gift cards, and loyalty cards to generate interest in a brand (Kim, Lee and Lee, 2020). However, the short-term nature of sales promotion activities make it an inappropriate fit for employing marketing communication tools that can build or enhance customer loyalty.

Digital Marketing: Digital marketing encompasses different forms of virtual marketing techniques, including the application of artificial intelligence (AI), in brand promotion. For example, in a study completed after sampling the views of 39 professionals using the interview method, Panda, Upadhyay and Khandelwal (2019) found that digital marketing tools, including the use of AI helps marketers to complete various mundane tasks, such as responding to clients’ email inquiries and scheduling meetings, thereby saving time and creating efficiency. This approach to marketing gives them adequate time and room to concentrate on other important aspects of their marketing plan (Darmody and Zwick, 2020). Based on these developments, marketing communication specialists around the world are under increased pressure to unlearn traditional marketing techniques and adopt newer methods, especially as the demographic shift of customers moves from older to younger groups of customers who are conversant in social media use and digital marketing (Panda, Upadhyay, and Khandelwal, 2019). Therefore, digital marketing is a broad term used to refer to a host of internet-based communication tools.

Role of Marketing Communications in Delivering Value to Businesses

As its name suggests, marketing communication involves multiple stakeholder engagements through various channels to create value. These engagements are often confined within institutionalized modes of communication, which could be extended further to integrate different stakeholder groups outside of the business and customer circles, to complement their relationship (Di Domenico and Visentin, 2020). This is why some scholars point to the improvement of customer relationships as one of the primary benefits of marketing communications planning (Huang and Rust, 2018; Russo-Spena, Mele and Marzullo, 2019; Bhandari and Bansal, 2019; Balaziova and Spalova, 2020; Di Domenico and Visentin, 2020). They opine that integrated marketing communication techniques encourage companies to adopt inter-departmental collaboration initiatives aimed at realizing a common vision (Huang and Rust, 2018; Russo-Spena, Mele and Marzullo, 2019; Bhandari and Bansal, 2019; Balaziova and Spalova, 2020; Di Domenico and Visentin, 2020). The process involves the unification of message contents through multiple communication channels to create or maximize value for all. This statement shows that integrated marketing communication techniques create value for businesses and customers alike because it creates synchrony of purpose across various levels of engagement (Balaziova and Spalova, 2020; Di Domenico and Visentin, 2020; Iancu and Iancu, 2017). Therefore, it is not only important for businesses to appreciate the importance of integrated marketing communications but also for clients to do the same because they benefit from improved services and product innovations, while businesses thrive on increased patronage.

Although researchers have highlighted the important role played by integrated marketing communications in improving business-customer relationships, some studies have highlighted challenges that marketers are facing in understanding how cross-channel communication works (Luxton, Reid and Mavondo, 2017; Huang and Rust, 2018; Russo-Spena, Mele and Marzullo, 2019; Bhandari and Bansal, 2019). Particularly, few researchers understand how integrated marketing communication tools help to decluster advertisement campaigns to be more effective in communicating core messages to audiences. Consequently, there are concerns that integrated marketing communication processes could fail to change customer behavior (Bhatiasevi and Naglis, 2020). This is why there is a need for businesses to understand how to use integrated marketing communication tools to have a stronger impact on target audiences.

The evolution of integrated marketing communication tools has also helped companies to minimize their marketing costs by exploiting cost-saving opportunities created through enhanced innovation capabilities (Perdana, Gaffoor and Lee, 2020; Soriano-Vargas, Hamann and de Oliveira, 2020; Banerjee and Banerjee, 2017; Ivanov et al., 2020). For example, digital marketing communication tools have made it affordable for companies to reach a wide pool of customers in a relatively inexpensive way (Balaziova and Spalova, 2020; Di Domenico and Visentin, 2020). Firms are also able to get reliable feedback and manage customer expectations in real-time, through social media and other platforms, thereby increasing opportunities for companies to save money that would have otherwise been spent on hiring a marketing agency to complete the same tasks (Sheth, 2020). Therefore, integrated marketing communications help to minimize business costs of operations.

Marketing communications may also help companies to target specific groups of people that are difficult to find using other means of marketing communications (Balaziova and Spalova, 2020; Di Domenico and Visentin, 2020). This ability is important to smartphone manufacturers because consumers are becoming increasingly segmented as their tastes, preferences, and liking for communication channels evolve (Nam and Kannan, 2020). It is difficult to keep track of such changes without a robust marketing communication tool, such as social media marketing, which allows businesses to reap the benefits of targeted advertisements campaigns and focused engagements, which are synonymous with digital marketing techniques (Bhandari and Bansal, 2019). From a business standpoint, firms are able to use the same marketing communication tools to identify targeted markets based on an analysis of customer preferences, needs, and interests.

The same process can be used to segment markets based on various differentiating criteria, including demographic characteristics, psychographic profiles, generational differences, and even geographical regions (Balaziova and Spalova, 2020; Di Domenico and Visentin, 2020). These various modes of classification help businesses to develop products and services that appeal to the unique needs of each customer market segment. Subject to these efforts, customers are likely to feel appreciated and valued – a process they will demonstrate through increased sales and heightened levels of brand loyalty. Integrated marketing communication tools are also valuable to companies because they help them to retain their customers (Balaziova and Spalova, 2020; Di Domenico and Visentin, 2020). Relative to this assertion, researchers have pointed out that linked communication techniques are useful in improving customer acquisition rates and retention costs (Breuer et al., 2018 Berger et al., 2020). In the same vein of analysis, they propose that it increases customer loyalty (Breuer et al., 2018).

The increased level of customer retention has been linked to the power of personalized messages, which are communicated through various digital channels. For example, when a customer logs into a company’s website and it welcomes them back using their real name, they will feel appreciated and valued (Perdana, Gaffoor and Lee, 2020; Soriano-Vargas, Hamann and de Oliveira, 2020; Banerjee and Banerjee, 2017; Ivanov et al., 2020). This personalized approach to implementing business processes makes it possible to improve customer loyalty standards.

Elements of Customer Loyalty

The field of relationship marketing is essential in understanding how companies develop loyal consumers. In other words, it defines the main elements underpinning trust and security that exists between customers and their preferred brands. The literature that has explored this area of interest stems from studies that have focused on relationship marketing (Hasan, Shams and Rahman, 2020). These investigations have tried to explain the social, rational, and emotional aspects of brand development and how they are intertwined with customer loyalty. Most scholars who have contributed to the development of this literature have based their studies on business-to-business markets – a process that morphed into focused developments in the field of channel marketing (Najafi, Sharifi and Najafi, 2016). Comparatively, factors that lead to the development of long-term relationships between customers and their preferred companies has been studied under the influence of models and methodologies generated in part through research on psychology, human behavioral studies, and interpersonal relationship building in marketing.

The investigation on relationship marketing started in the 1970s when scholars wanted to investigate the link between buyers and sellers in the market place using dyadic and network relationships (Hasan, Shams and Rahman, 2020). Most of these investigations highlighted the important role of trust in building customer loyalty. Particularly, researchers found a strong correlation between it and the development of stable relationships involving buyers and sellers (Najafi, Sharifi and Najafi, 2016). These investigations have further pointed out that trust is built through experiences when customers derive patterns of behavior of expectations from making repeated purchases (Siebert et al., 2020).

Apart from trust, researchers have also pointed out other elements present in business-customer relationships that define customer loyalty (Lemon and Verhoef, 2016). They include commitment, power relationships, culture, reciprocity, and cooperation (Taghiporian and Bakhsh, 2017). The most relevant aspects of these influences to the current investigation include commitment and cooperation because they are central in building customer loyalty (Hasan, Shams and Rahman, 2020). Comparatively, the concept of commitment is used to denote consumer desire to maintain a good relationship with a company. Besides being an antecedent to customer loyalty, trust has also been mentioned as a determinant of customer commitment because it defines value congruence that binds the relationship between companies and their customers (Schmitz et al., 2020). In addition to shared values, customers also have similar goals with their sellers, hence highlighting the role of goal congruence in market planning. The value of the relationship to both buyers and sellers, as well as the cost of interrupting such relationships, are also often weighed when building trust and loyalty among buyers and sellers.

Trust and commitment needed in maintaining business-customer relationships are also linked with the concepts of reciprocity and cooperation binding both parties, subject to the natural balance of power between both of them (Taghiporian and Bakhsh, 2017). For example, an oligopolistic or monopolistic market would give companies undue power and influence over their customers thereby creating a false perception of loyalty. Associated with these arguments is the close relationship that cooperation and trust play in building customer loyalty (Taghiporian and Bakhsh, 2017). This area of study has been linked with investigations that have assessed the efficacy of partnerships and alliances in improving organizational and market productivity (Kim, Lee and Lee, 2020; Álvarez-González et al., 2017). These inquiries have shown that heightened levels of cooperation among partners helps to minimize the probability of either of the parties exhibiting opportunistic behaviors that could jeopardize the stability of the relationship (Taghiporian and Bakhsh, 2017). In other words, this type of relationship forces parties to protect their long-term interests, while acknowledging that the pursuit of short-term gains for personal or individualistic benefits could affect the realization of the aforementioned long-term goals.

The last aspect of customer loyalty is brand love and authenticity that have been associated with the degree of passion or emotional attachment customers have towards a product or service. This statement is supported in a journal article authored by Mody and Hanks (2020), which claims that brand love refers to the presence of unique types of responses among customers, including positive emotions, evaluations, and a declaration of love for a brand that encourages people to remain loyal to it. This love can equally be linked with the concept of brand authenticity, meaning the genuineness of a company towards meeting the interests of its core customer group (Mody and Hanks, 2020). Stated differently, the brand value given by the company should address issues that are of fundamental importance to the customers. Stated differently, brands should be integrated into a customer’s identity makeup and the desire for a long-term relationship.

Customer Engagement and Value Co-creation

The participation of customers in the development of global brands has been a key topic of interest in studies that investigate how companies nurture a loyal pool of customers (Panda, Upadhyay, and Khandelwal, 2019). In line with this area of focus, most of the attention on brand development has been focused on value co-creation, especially in today’s digitized world where customers play an active role in product development through social media engagements (Kim, Lee and Lee, 2020). To have a deeper insight into how companies engage their customers, scholars have explained how firms use specific plans, such as loyalty programs, to increase interest in products or services (Panda, Upadhyay and Khandelwal, 2019). Relative to these developments, the broader analysis on customer engagement falls within the purview of customer relationship studies that have characterized much of the marketing literature from the 1990s to date (Aluri, Price and McIntyre, 2019). The authors dissect this relationship by saying that it is moderated by the level of customer engagement available through emotive, cognitive and physical involvement in brand development (Aluri, Price and McIntyre, 2019). In other words, brand engagement is focused on highlighting an individual’s physiological willingness to be involved in brand development beyond the point of making a purchase.

Realizing the real value of customer engagement and value co-creation requires a remodeling or reexamination of the messages delivered to customers through marketing communication tools. A journal article authored by Hongcharu (2019) highlights the importance of this statement in influencing the types of responses consumers would have towards various marketing campaigns. For example, in a study involving 198 responses, Hongcharu (2019) says that most customers are drawn towards marketing messages that supply them with information regarding a product or services and that improves the quality of their purchasing decisions. This analysis is important when developing or designing marketing communication messages that appeal to a specific group of customers.

The real focus on customer engagement, as applied in the context of this study, relates to its effects on customers and business productivity. For example, Aluri, Price and McIntyre (2019) say that heightened levels of customer engagement are associated with increased levels of employee trust and loyalty. At the same time, the same researchers say that some of the consequences of increased engagement include high levels of commitment among firms to deliver product or service value to their customers (Aluri, Price and McIntyre, 2019). Particularly, after undertaking a literature review of articles published between 2011 and 2020, Audy (2021) proposed that customer engagement indices can best be examined through social media marketing platforms because they have data analytical tools attached to their development. Here, the concept of product value has been redefined to not only mean the process of exchanging value but also a step in the management of organizational resources to create the highest form of significance for the buyers and sellers involved, as well as the sale of industry development and innovation advancement (Aluri, Price and McIntyre, 2019). Collectively, they indicate that heightened levels of engagement create the most value for businesses and customers alike.

Summary

The findings highlighted above show that there is sufficient evidence linking marketing communications and brand loyalty. However, brand loyalty is a broad concept that appeals to groups of customers with varying attitudes, tastes, preferences, and priorities. Therefore, it cannot be assumed that the marketing communication techniques analyzed in this paper could increase customer loyalty among all groups of buyers. Particularly, it cannot be assumed that the marketing communication strategies analyzed in this literature review are effective in increasing customer loyalty for consumers in the ICT industry and Apple in particular. Therefore, there is a gap in the literature, which is highlighted by the lack of a context-specific analysis of the relationship between customer loyalty and marketing communications in the ICT sector.

The current investigation provides the contextualized understanding needed to comprehend the relationship between marketing communications and increased levels of customer loyalty in an organizational setting, using Apple as a case study. Therefore, the findings of the investigation could be applicable to other firms in the industry. Notably, they would be instrumental in understanding the behaviors of smartphone users. By obtaining such information, it will be easier to develop future marketing campaigns using new and more effective marketing communication tools. This review will not only be instrumental in understanding the contents of marketing campaigns but also critical in selecting the appropriate medium for disseminating messages.

Methodology

Introduction

This chapter highlights techniques used by the researcher to investigate the topic of study. Key elements of the methodology that will be explained in the study include the main research philosophy, approach, strategy, and choices made by the researcher when undertaking the investigation. These elements of the research process are borrowed from the work of AESA (2020), which explain different stages for dissertation writing. Details associated with the respective areas of assessment are highlighted below.

Research Philosophy

A research philosophy represents the worldview adopted by a researcher in undertaking the study. There are four main philosophies in research – pragmatism, positivism, realism and interpretivism (Icarbord, Stefano and Memory, 2020). Positivism assumes that the knowledge generated from a research process is independent of the subjects involved. Such investigations are highly structured and are associated with large populations of respondents with a bias towards the use of the quantitative research approach in collecting data (Icarbord, Stefano and Memory, 2020). Comparatively, the interpretivism research philosophy argues that knowledge is subjective, based on who is asked, thereby relying on small samples of respondents to get information (Cazeaux, 2017). Alternatively, the realism research approach encourages investigators to select research methods based on their appropriateness and fit to a research topic, thereby creating an opportunity to use both qualitative and quantitative techniques. Based on the merits and demerits of the above techniques, the pragmatism research philosophy was applicable to the present investigation because data was collected using interviews and surveys. It emerged as the best fit for the study because it allowed for the adoption of a mixed or multiple research design involving the collection of both quantitative and qualitative data.

Research Approach

A research approach defines the style used by a researcher to make sense of data. There are two main types of research approaches in academic studies: inductive and deductive (Anandarajan, Hill and Nolan, 2018). The main difference between the two techniques is their treatment of research theories. Inductive reasoning aims to develop a theory based on an assessment of the study’s findings, while the deductive reasoning approach seeks to test the same theories because they are developed before the onset of the research investigation (Ruane, 2016). Stemming from this classification, the inductive approach allows the researcher to move from one common observation to another and generalize the findings.

The current investigation uses multiple sources of data to develop the findings. The inductive approach was used because it fits with this characteristic of the data collection process (Icarbord, Stefano and Memory, 2020). This approach means that the researcher made several observations from the multiple sources of information gathered to create a coherent and broad understanding of the research topic. Unlike inductive reasoning, the deductive approach analyzes variables by moving from generalizing a research issue to focusing on one of its subsections (Anandarajan, Hill and Nolan, 2018). Given that the current investigation is multilayered, the inductive style emerges as the most appropriate approach to use in the investigation. Additionally, this research approach was applicable to the investigation because it describes the nexus between the research findings and the extant literature.

Research Strategy

The nature and purpose of a study defines strategies that a researcher will use in coming up with the findings. According to Maxfield and Babbie (2017), seven main research strategies could be used to complete investigations and they include case studies, experiments, surveys, action research, grounded theory, ethnography and archival research. As highlighted in the first chapter of this paper, the case study approach was used in the present investigation because the focus of the study was on one company – Apple. It is associated with the availability of high quality data and the provision of in-depth information, which could be useful in analyzing a research phenomenon in greater depth (Sekaran and Bougie, 2016). This research strategy was adopted because of the need to have a context-specific understanding of the impact of marketing communication processes on a firm’s performance.

Research Choice

The choice a researcher makes in selecting the mode of data collection is informed by various factors, including the type of information to be collected and the intended objectives of undertaking the research in the first place (Kumar, 2017). According to Poth (2018), researchers have three choices to make when conducting research. They have to use the monolithic method, multi-method, and mixed method approaches to complete their research processes (Leavy, 2017). As its name suggests, the mono method uses only one type of data, such as quantitative data, in investigations, while the mixed methods research choices integrates both qualitative and quantitative techniques in the analysis (Leavy, 2017; Creswell and Creswell, 2017). The latter approach was used in the current investigation to find out the best marketing communication strategy Apple could use to expand its loyal customer base. This research method involves the use of both qualitative and quantitative techniques in collecting and analyzing data (Almeida, 2018). Therefore, there is a broadened understanding of data networks, which may be useful in answering the research questions.

Data Collection

The mixed methods research design was used in the study by obtaining the views of the respondents in statistical format. It works by sampling respondents’ views using numerical indices – denoting a specific level of emotional agreement or disagreement with a research issue (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). The questionnaires were issued to respondents using the random sampling method and members of a focus group discussion. The initial contact was an acquaintance of the researcher, but the rest of the respondents were recruited randomly after introduction to groups of employees stationed in the above-mentioned hotels. As highlighted in this study, the quantitative research design was used in the present study to answer the research questions. This statement means that the data obtained was in statistical format and available for analysis using software (Molinillo, Ekinci and Japutra, 2019). The quantitative nature of this information stems from the use of the research questionnaire, highlighted in appendix 1, to collect data. It was designed to collect quantitative information with responses categorized into measurable units that will be discussed in subsequent sections of this chapter.

Data collection happened in three phases. The first one involved the quantitative inquiry where the questionnaire survey technique was the main source of data for the study. Highlighted as appendix 1, the respondents gave their views about the research topic, using survey questionnaires, which is associated with the quantitative technique (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). The first one was centered on collecting demographic data, relating to the respondents, gender, income, occupation and education background. These measures of assessment were essential in understanding the main characteristics of the target market and how existing marketing communication channels may be used to meet their unique needs and requirements (Huang, Rundle-Thiele and Chen, 2019). The second part of the questionnaire survey sampled their views about the research objectives. In this section of the analysis, the researcher expected the informants to react to 20 statements, which were measured using the 5-Point Likert scale.

Measurement Scale

For purposes of this investigation, the properties of data mentioned in this study are definition-related, content-related, and multipurpose. This classification format means that the properties of data collected were evaluated based on their definition and content. Definition,-related properties of the data related to their relevance, clarity, and consistency (Huang, Rundle-Thiele and Chen, 2019). To satisfy these metrics of analysis, the researcher chose scale items that were relevant in estimating customer loyalty standards.

In statistical research studies, four types of measurement are used and they include ordinal, nominal, interval and ratio data. These four options of analysis refer to different scales of measuring statistical data. Interval scales are different from ordinal scales because the order and substance of the variables involved are often well known (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). These types of scales are rich in information because they not only help researchers to understand how variables occur but also the value of the difference between each one of them (Molinillo, Ekinci and Japutra, 2019). Comparatively, the nominal scale uses a naming system to categorize data with no significant meaning to data because it does not signify merit, but, rather, only acts as an identifying factor.

This type of measurement was used to assess the gender of the respondents, where male and female participants had different categorizations of data. Comparatively, the ordinal scale is focused on maintaining a specific order of variables without paying much attention to the substance of the variables (Molinillo, Ekinci and Japutra, 2019). This type of measurement was appropriately used in the current investigation because the researcher was investigating the relationship between marketing communications and customer loyalty. Research studies suggest that the ordinal leadership scale can be best used to measure non-numeric concepts, such as employee satisfaction, happiness, and loyalty (Creswell and Creswell, 2017; Molinillo, Ekinci and Japutra, 2019). Therefore, the above scales were appropriately used in the investigation.

The questionnaires were semi-structured, in the sense that part of their design involved the integration of open-ended questions that gave the respondents the freedom to answer them in whichever manner they wished. However, the closed ended questions had formatted responses, which required the participants to react to statements based on five levels of responses (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). The 5-point Likert scale was used to measure the respondents’’ reactions towards statements aimed at evaluating their level of customer loyalty. It assesses their degree of agreement or disagreement regarding various statements made in connection with the research objectives and questions (Molinillo, Ekinci and Japutra, 2019). The measurement instrument sampled the respondents’ views based on whether they “strongly agree,” “agree,” “neither agree nor disagree,” “disagree,” and “strongly disagree” with the statements posed. Data measured using this source instrument is said to be reliable when the items of measurement are below the above-stated five, meaning that the use of the full scale of measurement is likely to yield positive results for the researcher.

Additionally, this type of measurement is superior to traditional aspects of measuring leadership quality because it reduces the redundancy of line items. This characteristic means that the reliability of the survey items on the questionnaire was substantially high (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). The items borrowed from the texts created a larger number of unique variances that enriched the information to be collected about loyalty. This analysis means that most of the data collected from the respondents allowed the researcher to capture behaviors that would not have otherwise been observed in the traditional organizational setting. The sample items integrated in the questionnaire, highlighted in appendix 1, were integral in measuring the efficacy of Apple’s strategies in maintaining its loyal customer base. The main considerations assessed in this format, included understanding how often users used Apple products, effects of different advertisement methods on campaign efficacy, and their impact on brand engagement.

The survey questionnaire was developed online and distributed via “Google Form.” This type of measurement is based on the consumer-based brand performance model. It has been used to evaluate various elements of brand performance, including customer loyalty, satisfaction, trust and equity (Molinillo, Ekinci and Japutra, 2019). In this type of relationship, brand equity is linked with loyalty and it used to track brand performance in the market, relative to its competitors (Huang, Rundle-Thiele and Chen, 2019). This approach to brand management forms the basis for the type of measurement systems adopted in the study.

The second phase of data collection related to the qualitative inquiry. Preliminary interviews were conducted among the greater body of students enrolled in various educational programs at Derby university. However, before taking part in the investigation, the respondents were supplied with an information sheet, which contained important details relating to the study, including the topic, justification for participant selection, and relevance of the study among other factors, as recommended by Creswell and Creswell (2017). A copy of the interview schedule the researcher used when asking the questions is provided in appendix 2. The intended goal was to identify potential participants who would be willing to sit down with the researcher and give their views about the research topic. The interviews were designed and developed in accordance with the university’s ethical policies regarding the use of human participants in research.

The last phase of data collection involved the collection of secondary research materials. This form of data was retrieved from several journal databases, including Sage Journals, Emerald Insight, Springer, and Google Scholar. Books, journals, and websites published within the past five years formed the bulk of the materials sampled. They were used to compare the findings of the primary investigation with those from existing literature to find out areas of disparity or convergence (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). Coupled with quantitative and qualitative data described above, the three phases of data collection helped to triangulate data, which was instrumental in improving the quality of the findings.

Research Participants and Sampling Strategy

The present study contains descriptive data outlining the participants’ views regarding the research topic based on a sample of observed phenomena relating to the marketing of Apple’s smartphones to its loyal customers. The investigative nature of the research topic made it possible to derive meaning about a broader group of Apple customers from a select sample of a few people (Maylor, Blackmon and Huemann, 2016). Two types of participants took part in the investigation: remote and local participants. Remote participants comprised of those who took an online survey, while local participants were those who participated in the semi-structured interviews. The reason for interviewing the local participants was to acquire an in-depth insight of the research issues because Huang, Rundle-Thiele and Chen (2019) argue that interviews are good sources of rich data.

Comparatively, the main reason for surveying remote participants was to get external perspectives of the research topic. The remote participants were located in England and were users of Apple’s smartphones. The simple random sampling method was used to gain access to a group of 100 Apple users for the quantitative inquiry and its use was associated with its objectivity in data collection (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). The qualitative part included the views of five participants who were ardent Apple users. They were sampled using purposeful sampling method because of their passion and love for the brand.

Ethical Considerations

Goes and Simon (2017) say that research studies involving human participants need to be evaluated for their ethical implications. Stemming from this statement, there were several ethical considerations in the study with the most important one emerging from primary research. Nonetheless, the main ethical issues addressed in the study revolved around issues to do with informed consent, deception, debriefing, withdrawal from research investigation, anonymity and rights of subjects in the investigation as described below.

Data Management: The researcher protected the information gathered from the respondents and stored it safely using a password until November 2021 after completion of the study. The researcher used non-standard software to manage the information collected from the respondents to safeguard the integrity of data, as implied by Goes and Simon (2017). The data management process was also developed in line with the university’s requirements on the same process.

Deception: Deception involves the presentation or falsification of data to make respondents act in a predetermined way. According to Maylor, Blackmon and Huemann (2016), this action amounts to an ethical breach because informants are supposed to take part in the investigation based on accurate assessment of facts. In line with this objective, no deceptive practices were employed to influence respondents’ behaviors. To support this objective, participants were provided with a debriefing letter, which is attached as appendix 5. It provided informants with sufficient details about the research process, thereby giving them a basis for making an informed decision regarding participation, as recommended by Maylor, Blackmon and Huemann (2016). The confidentiality of all answers provided by the participants will be protected by presenting them anonymously.

Withdrawal from the Investigation: The respondents signed an informed consent form before taking part in the study. Highlighted as appendix 3, this document describes the contents of the study as well as its purpose to enable participants to make an informed choice about their involvement in the investigation. The respondents were also required to inform the researcher of their intention to withdraw from the study at least three weeks before doing so, if they had such intentions. Additionally, the researcher did not give any advice to the participants on what to say in the study or provide reasons that would encourage them to leave. The goal was to maintain objectivity in the data collection process by refraining from asking “leading questions,” which could prompt the respondents to suffer confirmation bias (Goes and Simon, 2017).

Rights of Subjects: The respondents enjoyed several rights for participating in the study, including the right to access data, be informed, restrict processing, and the right to erasure, as recommended by Maylor, Blackmon and Huemann (2016). The latter right is aimed at protecting their privacy by failing to disclose private data that may be injurious to their reputation. The respondents also enjoyed the right to portability, object, and automated decision-making.

Reliability, Validity, and Limitations of Study

As highlighted above, quantitative and qualitative data were used to answer the research questions. Quantitative data came from England-based Apple users who gave their views using an online questionnaire. This tool is useful in gaining insight into consumer behavioral patterns, relative to the extent that marketing campaigns aim to keep them loyal to a brand (Icarbord, Stefano and Memory, 2020). The justification for gathering quantitative data this way is rooted in the need to test existing theories based on an assessment of empirical data linked to customer behavior. The quantitative data collected was later compared with qualitative findings that emerged from three interviews with Apple users at Derby University. Coupled with secondary information obtained from reviewing extant literature, the three main sources of data highlighted above gave the researcher an opportunity to triangulate data, thereby improving the validity and reliability of the findings (Molinillo, Ekinci and Japutra, 2019). Alternatively, the findings of this study relate to Apple’s smartphone business alone. Therefore, other sectors of its operations, including its cloud computing and research processes are omitted from this investigation.

Findings and Analysis

Survey Data Findings

As highlighted in chapter three of this study, survey data formed one group of findings sampled in this investigation. Initially, 100 respondents were invited to participate in the study but 18 of them failed to provide completed questionnaires on time, while five of them dropped out of the study without an explanation. A similar number of respondents agreed to participate in the study but were unreachable on the actual day of the research. Consequently, a total sample of 72 valid questionnaires were collected in the end and the findings are as described below.

Demographic Findings

The survey questionnaire had two parts: demographic characteristics of respondents and customer loyalty sections. The first part of the questionnaire sought to sample the demographic attributes of the respondents. Three criteria were used to assess this variable – gender, age, and occupation. The findings are as highlighted below.

Gender

The first demographic variable investigated in the research related to the respondents’ gender. The informants were provided three options to describe themselves: “male,” “female,” and “prefer not to say.” The results are depicted in table 4.1 below.

Table 4.1: Categorization of respondents according to gender

According to the findings highlighted above, a majority of the participants who took part in the investigation (37%) were male, while 45.8% of the sample was made up of females. Only two participants chose not to disclose their gender.

Age

The second demographic variable sampled in this study related to the respondents’ age. This demographic variable was divided into six categories, including “Below 20 years,”

“21-30 years,” “31-40 years,” “41-50 years,” “51 years and above,” and “prefer not to say.” Table 4.2 below summarizes the findings.

Table 4.2: Categorization of respondents according to age

According to the findings highlighted above, a majority of the respondents (40.3%) were below 20 years, signifying the average age of university-going students. The second largest group of students to participate in the study was made up of those between 21 and 30 years. They accounted for 20% of the total sample, while those who were aged 31-40 years encompassed 10% of the total sample of participants. Informants who were between 41-50 years, as well as those who did not want to disclose their ages, formed the smallest groups of participants because they accounted for 2% and 5% of the total number of people who took part in the study.

Occupation

The respondents’ occupations were the last demographic variable of interest in the study. The researcher segmented this variable into five categories, as outlined in table 4.3 below.

Table 4.3: Categorization of respondents according to occupation

According to the findings highlighted in table 4.3 above, most of the participants (55.6%) who took part in the investigation identified as “students,” while 19.4% of them said they were private company employees. Traders accounted for 18.1% of the total sample, while civil servants were 5.6% of the total number of people who provided the completed questionnaires. Only one respondent chose not to disclose their profession.

Customer Loyalty Findings

The second part of the questionnaire sampled the views of the respondents regarding their loyalty to the Apple brand. A total sample of 20 items, representing unique statements linked to customer loyalty standards, was posed to the respondents. They were encouraged to react to the statements honestly and candidly, based on whether they “strongly agreed,” ”agreed,” were “undecided,” “disagreed,” or “strongly disagreed,” with the statements posed. The descriptive statistics method was used to analyze their responses because it allowed the researcher to quantify and present the basic characteristics of data underpinning the investigation (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). Therefore, descriptive statistics acted as a starting point for presenting the main findings due to its ability to provide researchers with opportunities to sort, organize, and summarize data (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). The findings are presented in table 4.4 below.

Table 4.4: Descriptive Statistics relating to customer loyalty

According to the findings highlighted above, most of the item reactions presented in the questionnaire had a favorable response, meaning that the respondents held generally positive views regarding Apple’s communication strategies. These sentiments contributed to their customer loyalty. For example, out of the total number of loyalty items presented in the questionnaire, ten of them had a mean value of less than 2.0, signifying the strongest indicator of favorable views regarding customer loyalty standards. Stated differently, most of the respondents “strongly agreed” with 10 out of the 20 items appearing on the survey questionnaire indicating positive reactions towards Apple’s marketing mix strategy.

The weakest correlation between the company’s marketing communication activities and customer loyalty standards were observed in only two items out of the 20 sampled. The statements related to the company’s marketing communication programs modeled along its trade shows and email marketing platforms. These marketing communication activities had the weakest effect on the customer’s loyalty levels, thereby affirming the findings of Taghiporian and Bakhsh (2017), which suggest that these modes of communication are less convenient means of obtaining data. An explanation for the low effectiveness could be found in the weakening impact that email marketing is having on customers because of the uptake of more interactive communication tools, such as social media. Overall, the findings presented in this analysis indicate that Apple’s marketing communication activities have been largely effective in maintaining its customer loyalty standards. Given that most of the respondents identified themselves as loyal Apple customers, it could be assumed that the views presented above provide actual snapshots of the sentiments held by ardent Apple users.

Impact of Demographic Variables on Findings

Part of the data analysis process involved reviewing whether the demographic profiles of the participants had an effect on the views presented. The aim of doing so was to identify patterns in the data, if any, that could help the researcher to understand the respondents’ views in greater depth (Creswell and Creswell, 2017). To recap, three demographic variables were captured in the study and they included age, gender, and education levels of the participants. The impact of each of these variables was analyzed individually and the results presented below.

Impact of Gender on Findings

As the first demographic variable investigated in the study, the impact of gender on the respondents’ views was analyzed using the one-way ANOVA method, which analyzes differences in means between different sets of data (McCormick and Salcedo, 2017). This technique was appropriate for this section of the data analysis process because of its robust design and high statistical power. The results are depicted in table 4.5 below.

Table 4.5: Impact of gender on findings

The statistics presented in table 4.5 above show that gender did not have a significant impact on the findings. This statement is true because none of the survey questionnaire items presented above had a p value below 0.05, which is the significance level (McCormick and Salcedo, 2017). Therefore, it can be assumed that the views presented by the respondents regarding Apple’s marketing communication standards were not influenced by their gender.

Impact of Age on Findings

The second demographic variable sampled in the study was the age of the respondents. Its impact on their views was also analyzed using the one-way ANOVA method and the findings presented in appendix 7. The findings highlighted in appendix 7 suggest that the respondents’ ages had an insignificant impact on the views presented in the study. This statement is factual because the significance value for all the items sampled in the questionnaires were greater than p<0.05, denoting insignificance (McCormick and Salcedo, 2017). Therefore, it can be assumed that the views presented in this report was shared across different generations of respondents.

Impact of Occupation on Findings

The last demographic variable investigated in this study was occupation and its impact on the respondents’ views. The data outlined in appendix 6 indicates that this variable did not have a significant impact on the views presented by the respondents because the significance level p<0.05 was not met on any of the line items characterizing the survey questionnaire. Overall, the findings presented in appendix 6 show a consistent pattern of non-significance after analyzing the impact of the respondents’ demographic characteristics on their views. This outcome means that most of the informants shared a common understanding of the customer loyalty issues affecting their brand experiences with Apple. It is consistent with the concept of consumption authenticity, highlighted by Mody and Hanks (2020), which was developed from studies that focused on the tourism and hospitality industry. Stated differently, the company’s marketing communication programs seemed to have the same impact on the respondents, regardless of age, gender, or occupation. Coupled with the favorable views shared by the respondents regarding the company’s marketing communication strategy, it can be assumed that its overall impact has been positive and effective in cutting across, gender, age, and occupation differences of the respondents.

Interview Data Findings

The second set of findings obtained in this investigation related to the qualitative segment of the data collection process. It was performed as interviews involving five respondents. According to the interview protocol highlighted in appendix 2, the interviewees were asked to give their views on the research topic based on six thematic areas. They explored their understanding of marketing communication channels used in getting data, perceptions about the Apple brand, considerations for making purchases, awareness of company’s marketing communication programs, and the general level of satisfaction regarding Apple’s marketing products. These six thematic areas are further summarized into three data strata representing the respondents’ understanding of marketing communication activities/channels, their perceptions of the brand/considerations when making purchases, and an awareness of Apple’s marketing communication plans, including their levels of satisfaction with the company’s products.

Definition of Marketing Communication and Modalities for Getting Information

The first two questions posed to the respondents sought to sample their understanding of marketing communication activities and channels relied on to get information about Apple’s products. These two questions formed the body of the first stratum of interview data, as described in the title above. All the five respondents said they mostly consumed Apple’s marketing information using social media. However, they had varied conceptions of what marketing communication entails with three of them suggesting that it refers to strategies used by companies to reach their target audience, while two of them believed it described the “manner of engagement” between customers and company representatives. Most of their responses were brief as none of the participants were willing to give further explanations about their understanding of the concept beyond what is described above.

Brand Perception and Considerations when Making Purchases

The third question posed to the respondents in in the interview process sought to find out their perception about Apple products. All the informants who took part in the interview had a positive perception of the brand. One of them was exceptionally passionate and said,

I believe it is the best brand in the technology space so far. It differentiates itself from the rest, in the sense that it is stylish and functional at the same time. It is difficult to find any other brand like it

The fourth question posed to the respondents was “What makes you consider Apple products among many others in the market?” To answer this question, the respondents mentioned quality as their top priority. Particularly, four of them held this view and one of them was adamant that price considerations should be the top consideration for consumers. His views were fixated on the understanding that technology gadgets are often delicate and one should not invest too much money buying them because they are easily damaged and replaceable. The rest did not share this view and believed quality was a topic concern for them.

Awareness of Apple’s Marketing communication Programs and Customer Satisfaction

The fifth question posed to the respondents sought to find out their awareness of marketing communication activities that Apple engages in. Four of the respondents claimed that Apple relies on word-of-mouth communication as the main mode of data dissemination. When asked why this was so, three of them said they mostly knew about the brand through their friends’ recommendations, while one other informant said she could not remember how she knew of the brand. This respondent was adamant that her inability to recollect such information should not be misconstrued to mean she was not a loyal customer. Relative to this assertion, one of her colleagues joked that their inability to know such information was an indicator of their trust in the brand. The one interviewee who claimed to be aware of Apple’s marketing communication activities mentioned technology trade fairs as one of the marketing communication platforms he had attended. When probed further, he said,

You see….I was not even aware the company sells its products there but I was intrigued one summer to buy the latest iPhone and I popped into one of their stands to have a look at the prototype. It is that simple…I learnt a lot of information though…

Broadly, the above views indicated that the respondents were largely unaware of the company’s marketing communication strategies beyond word-of-mouth communications and trade fairs.

The last question posed to the informants sought to sample their customer satisfaction rates. Consistent with the findings of Richter (2016), all of them said they were satisfied with the company’s products and brand positioning strategy. Overall, the interview findings highlighted above were consistent with the quantitative survey findings because both sets of respondents had a favorable view of the brand. Nonetheless, of interest to this analysis were the interview findings, which showed that most of the participants were unassuming of the Apple brand and seemed to be driven by “blind trust” when talking about the company’s products. According to Bhat, Darzi, and Parrey (2018), consumers who exhibit such behaviors are reliably loyal. The impact of word-of-mouth communication cannot be ignored in this analysis as well because it appeared to be the main channel of communication influencing customers’ views about the brand. Given that word-of-mouth communication adopts a bottom-up model of information flow, it is difficult to capture it in a survey unless a deeper analysis has been done, as is the case in this review. Nonetheless, the broader set of information sampled in the interview section corroborates those of the survey part.

Secondary Research Data Findings

The last part of the data collection process involved a sample of existing scholarly research on Apple’s marketing communication strategy to understand the context of the primary research data highlighted in sections 4.1 and 4.2 above. Information relating to this area of investigation was captured from industry reports, company websites, research journals, and books. Sourced from various databases, the keywords used in the search plan were “Apple,” “marketing,” “communication,” “strategy.” The initial search process yielded 62,000 documents for review but this number was scaled down to 2,367 after excluding research materials that were published more than five years ago. The remainder of the articles were further analyzed for their relevance to the thematic areas identified in the interview data highlighted above. Stated differently, they were reviewed based on their relevance to the researchers’ quest to understand customer loyalty, as it related to Apple’s marketing communications plan. Those that did not focus on this key area of analysis were omitted from the sample and 1,238 articles remained for further analysis. These articles were further scrutinized for redundancy and 563 were equally excluded. In the end, 100 articles, out of this sample of materials, were included in the current review because they did not require permission from the original authors for use. Some of their findings are presented below.

Past and Present Marketing Communication Activities

It was crucial to understand Apple’s past and present marketing communication activities to understand the evolution of its marketing communication tools and their relevance in influencing customer loyalty today. Most of the scholarly literature sampled in this investigation indicated the dominance of television advertisements in the company’s traditional advertising campaigns. This marketing plan was not only unique to Apple but many of its peers as well (Matthes and Prieler, 2020; Sama, 2019; Singh and Chahal, 2020; Sobande, 2021). For example, some literatures highlighted similarities between this advertisement plan and those of Microsoft and IBM, which aired in the same period (Lawrence, Furnham and McClelland, 2021; Kjeldsen and Hess, 2021). Collectively, these marketing campaigns show that most of these companies used television and print media advertisements in the 1990s as part of their marketing communication strategies (Abolhasani, Oakes and Oakes, 2017; Sobande, 2021). Today, this type of media is rarely used because there are more interactive forms of engagement available.

In modern literature, the television marketing strategy appears to have evolved into digital advertising and word- of mouth communications. Particularly, word-of-mouth communications have been extensively linked with Apple’s brand loyalty (Painter, 2020). This statement explains why some of the participants interviewed said they were blindly loyal to the brand due to the sureties they received from their colleagues about the brand. Therefore, past and present marketing communication activities appear to be characterized by an evolution of marketing communication tools from traditional methods, such as television and print media, to digital marketing campaigns, which characterize most contemporary marketing communication strategies.

Framework for Future Marketing Communications

Most of the marketing literature sampled in the secondary data review process suggested that digital-based marketing communication platforms would dominate future marketing communication strategies in the smartphone industry and beyond (Bou and Satorra, 2019; Bolton, Chapman and Mills, 2019). Most of the articles sampled attributed this predicted transformation to the power that technology continues to wield in shaping the future of commerce (Weinstein, 2020; Salem, 2021; Nam and Kannan, 2020; Goldman et al., 2021). Some of the more recent literature have mentioned the role that the current global coronavirus pandemic will play in accelerating this change (Radwan and Mousa, 2020; Men, Qin and Jin, 2021). The authors bet on an increased rate of technology adoption in the marketing field, which will be facilitated by advancements in marketing communication and data analysis technology (Mahmud, Ding and Hasan, 2021; Park, 2021). Therefore, it is suggested that future marketing communication plans should be aligned with this change.

This finding captures the views of researchers who represented a niche body of literature that mentioned the dominance of social media marketing, as a new form of communication tool that would influence future communication processes (Pääkkönen, Laaksonen and Jauho, 2020; Paek and Hove, 2021; Nguyen et al., 2020; Langan, Cowley and Nguyen, 2019). They predict that most future marketing communication campaigns would be tailored along these lines with much of the marketing messages being designed to appeal to the unique functionalities of digital media marketing platforms, such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter (Gutiérrez-Cillán, Camarero-Izquierdo and José-Cabezudo, 2017). These views explain part of the primary research findings mentioned in this report, which highlighted the place of social media in influencing customers to remain loyal to a company’s brand. Figure 4.1 below summarizes key tenets for developing a future framework for implementing marketing communication activities.

The above-mentioned framework for future marketing communications is useful for implementing apple’s future branding strategies because most of the participants sampled said they followed its brand campaign via social media. The percentage of informants who mentioned digital marketing was significantly higher than those who acknowledged traditional marketing communication channels, such as print media or television, on their loyalty standards. Therefore, their views are consistent with the secondary research findings highlighted in this study because both of them predict the dominance of digital marketing communications as the framework for developing future marketing communication strategies.

Increasing Utility of Marketing Communications Frameworks

The last piece of information gathered from the secondary data analysis process related to modalities for increasing the utility of marketing communication frameworks. The scholarly interest on these areas of assessment pointed to data analytical techniques as the best tools for increasing the utility of marketing communication capabilities (Perdana, Gaffoor and Lee, 2020; Soriano-Vargas, Hamann and de Oliveira, 2020; Banerjee and Banerjee, 2017; Ivanov et al., 2020). Several researchers who mentioned its merits in helping organizations to increase the utility of their marketing communication plans supported this finding (Bates and Goodale, 2017; Huang, 2019; McShane, and Böckenholt, 2020; Goldman et al., 2021; Hastings, 2021). They mentioned better targeting, adoption of cost reduction measures, and improved mapping techniques through the integration of data analytics, as possible areas of improvement that could be exploited for improved productivity (Morales-Serazzi, González-Benito and Martos-Partal, 2021). Stated differently, the researchers indicated that increased utility of marketing communication frameworks could be best achieved when data is better utilized.

Notably, the use of artificial intelligence in designing and tailoring marketing campaigns on digital marketing platforms emerged as a core area of research worth mentioning. Its efficacy was mentioned as one of the inexpensive ways of improving the efficacy of targeted marketing campaigns because it could help companies to continuously improve messages to better resonate with buyers through the use of advanced data analytical techniques (Huang and Rust, 2018; Russo-Spena, Mele and Marzullo, 2019; Bhandari and Bansal, 2019). In other words, these tools use consumer behavior data obtained through cookies and other data repository platforms to learn about consumers and develop marketing messages that better respond to their needs (Cluley, 2020; Kerr, Barry and Kelleher, 2020; Bourne, 2020). These tools have been observed to have a high efficacy level in increasing the utility of marketing communication campaigns (Panda, Upadhyay and Khandelwal, 2019). Overall, the secondary data findings gathered in this study provided contextual data on key focus areas that could be useful in developing future recommendations for improving Apple’s marketing communication strategies. Particularly, they are integral in understanding the impact of digital marketing communication tools on consumer loyalty standard s and the effects that advances in data analytical methods could have in inspiring loyalty further.

Summary

Overall, this chapter highlighted the main findings developed from this investigation. Three sources of data were used – primary and secondary data. Primary data related to the survey questionnaires and the interview process, while secondary data involved a review of scholarly research on the main thematic areas of analysis. Broadly, these three sources of data completed the triangulation method of information gathering and analysis, which involves an interplay, or cross-examination of data across three points of information convergence: survey, interviews and secondary data. There was congruence in findings between the primary data sources while the secondary data helped to contextualize this information and provide direction, which could be used in completing the next phase of marketing communication development for Apple – digital marketing communications.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Conclusion

The aim of the study was to identify specific marketing communication activities that Apple could implement to retain its loyal consumers by appealing to behaviors and preferences that promote this goal. This goal was supported by three research objectives, which sought to analyze past and present marketing communication activities used by Apple to maintain consumer loyalty, develop a framework for implementing future marketing communications plans that enhance product orientation strategies, and develop practical recommendations that suggest how Apple can utilize its marketing communications frameworks to significantly increase customer loyalty.

Data was collected from three sources but were categorized into two formats: primary and secondary data. Primary data was gathered from survey questionnaires and interviews. Seventy-two respondents completed the survey questionnaires, while the interview data process involved one-on-one discussions with five Apple users. The findings generated from both engagements showed a high degree of congruence in findings between both sources of data. This statement means that the surveys and interview responses complemented each other. In both instances, respondents had a generally favorable view of Apple’s marketing communication strategies, thereby signifying their efficacy in influencing customer behaviors. The secondary research findings helped to contextualize these findings by showing that they fit within a wider body of marketing literature highlighting the evolution of marketing communication tools from traditional methods, such as television and print media advertising to contemporary forms, such as digital communications.

The differences between past and present marketing communication strategies helped to answer the first research objective, which investigated the evolution of the company’s marketing strategies to nurture the loyal customer base it enjoys today. The findings showed that Apple’s customers have become accustomed to the brand to the extent that its value is mostly shared through word-of-mouth communications and digital media strategies. The relevance and appropriateness of digital media communication strategies, which emerged in this study, helped to fulfill the second research objective, which sought to identify a framework for developing Apple’s future marketing communication campaigns. In other words, digital marketing communications emerged as the most effective framework for implementing such a plan. Particularly, the use of social media was poignant in the minds of the respondents.

The last objective of the study was fulfilled after identifying data analysis techniques as a tool for increasing Apple’s marketing capacity. This proposal was linked with social media marketing platforms because they share a seamless integrative framework of information flow. Therefore, for purposes of implementing future marketing communication campaigns, Apple may consider evaluating the merits and demerits of the digital marketing framework to increase customer loyalty. Particularly, understanding the value that social media marketing would bring to the business could help harness some of the unused capabilities of its current marketing communication strategies.

Recommendations

As highlighted in the first section of this study, the findings of this investigation are relevant in developing effective marketing strategies for Apple to increase the level of loyalty among its customers. Based on the findings highlighted above, Apple needs to exploit existing opportunities that underscore its internal and external operational environments. Some of these opportunities involve tweaking aspects of its corporate management strategy to accommodate processes, systems and procedures that will maximize customer value, perceived or otherwise. Subject to this recommendation, one way that Apple can increase customer loyalty is by exploiting some of the opportunities available in the implementation of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

This recommendation stems from the potential for maximizing the effectiveness of marketing communication plans by merging its CSR initiatives with corporate activities to improve customer trust. Its stems from recommendations made by Sharma and Jain (2019), which links high levels of customer trust to loyalty and perceived levels of CSR engagement. In other words, the researchers pointed out to the existence of a positive relationship between perceived levels of trust and increased participation or engagement in CSR initiatives (Ivanov et al., 2020). Therefore, companies that seem to be engaged in CSR appear to benefit from heightened levels of customer trust. Given that the relationship between trust and loyalty has been elucidated in this study, Apple could increase the level of customer loyalty by engaging in more CSR initiatives.

Another recommendation that Apple needs to consider is being involved in social or political issues that are of interest to its customers. This strategy involves publicly stating the company’s position regarding various social issues affecting society, such as climate change and gender equality. This strategy is a relatively new method that companies can use to generate revenue and increase brand awareness because customers are increasingly demanding that companies be responsible citizens as well as factors of production. This trend is partly highlighted in a journal article authored by Jungblut and Johnen (2021), which investigated the role of political communication in brand marketing. The researchers pointed out that companies could reap the benefits of increased customer loyalty when they link brands with political messaging.

Moreover, using this approach, Apple can better educate its customers about issues that affect them, thereby influencing how they respond to social issues. In this regard, the company could demystify beliefs or incorrectly held public views or assumptions about the company, thereby giving both lovers and haters alike an opportunity to reevaluate their beliefs about the company. The power of this strategy in improving customer loyalty should be weighed against the power of political leanings in convincing buyers to boycott certain products. Again, Jungblut and Johnen (2021) draw attention to this history of marketing appeal that has not only been used by marketers but politicians alike to inflict economic damage on rival companies. Therefore, it emerges as a powerful tool that Apple could equally exploit for its own benefit.

Reflective Statement

This research has given me an opportunity to develop the knowledge and skills required in developing successful marketing campaigns that are designed to improve brand loyalty. In this reflective statement, I will highlight three important areas that have characterized my experience writing this research. They include goal assessment, multimodal presentation, and imaginative recreation. Goal assessment relates to the development of research objectives and the alignment of research processes to achieve it. In the course of developing this research document, I had trouble demonstrating alignment of purpose between the overarching goals, guiding the research process, and the methodologies selected to support this aim. I learned that there has to be a synchrony of purpose, which has to be demonstrated throughout all stages of the data collection and analysis process. It was important to demonstrate synergy across different phases of the research because of the multiplicity of methods deployed by the researcher in collecting data. This issue draws attention to the second issue that emerged in the study, which is multimodal presentation.

Multimodal presentation relates to the presentation of findings from different sources. In the context of the current investigation, the multiplicity of data collection channels used in the research led to the use of the triangulation method as the most appropriate framework for gathering data. I believe that this type of structure was the biggest strength of the study because it allowed the researcher to compare data from multiple sources. The framework made it possible to compare the findings from different reference points developed by Apple consumers of varying demographic profiles. I made sure not to focus too much on one type of data collection process because it would affect the contribution of another in developing the overall body of findings. Therefore, it was prudent to balance the involvement of different methods of data collection. However, as highlighted in the methodology section of this report, some of the data gathered were used to confirm or substantiate the contents of others. For example, the interview data was instrumental in reviewing the survey data. Alternatively, the secondary data was used to contextualize both sets of information. This is why the triangulation method strengthened the multimodal presentation format outlined in the paper.

Imaginative recreation is the last observation I made in this study and it relates to stylistic mistakes and errors that could have been corrected to add more insight into the data collection and analysis process. For example, the arrangement of interview questions could have been improved to create better conversation flow between the interviewer and interviewee. At the same time, simpler wording could have been used to improve comprehension rates of the survey questionnaire because I had to orally explain some of the questions to a select group of respondents before administering the survey. The goal was to enable them to understand the questions better and give appropriate responses. Therefore, from an imaginative recreation standpoint, data collection processes could be improved.

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Appendix

Appendix 1: Questionnaire

Topic: Marketing Communications Activities by Apple on Behaviors of Its Loyal Consumer Base

Introduction

This questionnaire is for data collection in respect of the above topic as part of MSc

Degree Programme (M.Sc.) degree. Kindly supply the necessary information required in the space provided. All information supplied shall be treated strictly with high level of confidentiality.

Thank you.

Section One

Instruction: Please tick [√] in the appropriate boxes and fill where necessary in the space provided below.

• Sex: [ ] Male [ ] Female [ ] Prefer Not to Say
• Age: [ ] below 20years [ ] 21-30years [ ] 31-40years [] 41-50years [ ] 51 years & above [ ] Prefer Not to Say

Educational Background: Please specify …………………………………… [ ] Prefer Not To Say

Occupation: [ ] Student [ ] Civil Servant [ ] Trader [ ] Private Company Employee [ ] Prefer Not To Say

Section Two

Instruction: Use scale below to assess your view on the subject under investigation.

SA= Strongly Agree (5), AG= Agree (4), (3)-UN-Undecided, DG= Disagree (2), SD=Strongly Disagree (1)

Specific marketing communication activities that could be implemented by Apple to retain its loyal consumers by appealing to particular behaviors and preferences S/N ITEMS 5 4 3 2 1

1. Would you consider yourself as person who uses Apple’s products regularly?
2. Electronic and print media, broadcast outlets, billboards, vehicles influence my knowledge of Apple products in the market
3. Advertising of Apple’s products through television is easy to understand in terms of message they are trying to communicate
4. I am influence by Word-of-Mouth (WOM) messages from people I know about Apple product
5. Social media such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, among others, inform me of Apple products
6. I get to know Apple products through offline marketing such as direct mail and print magazines
7. I get engaged with Apple brands/products through email newsletters
8. I get to see Apple products through trade shows
9. Quality of Apple products endears me to its brand irrespective of price
10. Apple’s television consistent advert is a preferred way of introducing newly advanced products to me
11. Marketing communications via consistently simple and understandable billboard adverts change my perceptions and persuade me to purchasing Apple products.
12. Social media marketing communication from Apple engages me with the brand
13. Apple’s marketing communications engage it users through active Word of Mouth. For instance through sharing of post, Retweets and commenting on what others say on social media
14. Despite Apple products high cost, I still prefer them to other products based on doubtless quality marketing communication experience
15. Marketing communications through its Annual Apple Event in September brings me closer to innovation and technology of Apple, which I value and therefore consider as unique experience.
16. I get emotional about Apple products through its constantly clear and attractive marketing communication activities such as newspaper and magazine, and that influence my constant loyalty to the brand
17. The consistent use of both personal and electronic communication channels such as websites and video streaming allows me to get adequate information and provide avenue of receiving feedbacks for Apple Company on their products
18. Apple’s email marketing communication channel is a good idea for a consumer like me
19. Overall, all Apple marketing communications activities approach professionally increase my loyalty to its brand and the company at large.
20. Overall, I am satisfied with Apple products and all its marketing communication philosophy because it fulfills my needs and matches the competitive business environment

Appendix 2: Interview Guide

Apple Consumers

1. What do you understand by marketing communication activities?
2. How do you get your information about Apple products?
3. What is your perception about Apple products?
4. What makes you consider Apple products among many others in the market?
5. Which of Apple marketing communication are you aware of?
6. Are you satisfied with marketing communication activities of Apple Company’s products?

Appendix 3: Consent form for participants

Statement of Consent: I have read the participant information sheet and understand the purpose of the research and what I have been asked to do:

1. I understand that my participation is voluntary and I am under no obligation to take part in this study and that I may withdraw my responses up to four weeks after taking part, without giving any reason.
2. I am aware of what my participation will involve and I have had the opportunity to email and ask any questions.
3. I understand that my data will be held confidentially for a minimum of seven years, and only researchers at the University of Derby working directly on this project will have access to it.
4. I understand that my name and other identifying details will not be shared with anyone.
5. I understand that the overall findings (i.e. not individual information/data) may be submitted for publication in a scientific journal or similar publication, or presented at scientific conferences.

I confirm I am giving my consent to take part in this study:

Signature ………………………………. Date………………………………..

To allow your data to be collected anonymously please create a Unique ID code. This should comprise the last three letters of your mother’s first name (or primary caregiver) and the last three digits of your mobile telephone number. For example, if your mother’s first name was Sam and your phone number 07730 000 003, your unique 6-digit code would be sam003.

Appendix 4: Participant Information Sheet

Study Title: Marketing Communications Activities by Apple on behavior of its loyal consumer base. You are being invited to take part in a research study. Before you decide, it is important for you to understand about the purpose of the research, why the research is being done and what it will involve. You might have questions about your participation including process of research, data handling and dissemination of the study results.

Please take time to read the following information carefully and feel free to ask the researcher if there is anything that is not clear or if you would like more information. Take time to decide whether you wish to take part. Thank you for taking the time to read this information.

Researcher: Olalekan Daniel, OLADOKE, [email protected]

What is the purpose of the research?

The proposed study is a master’s dissertation for my M.sc Marketing Management and it is meant to understand the effectiveness of marketing communication use by case study

Why have I been chosen?

You have been invited to participate in the study because your view with regards different kind of marketing communication use by the case study company and how effective they are will be useful for understanding more about marketing communication generally and it should help with the development of communication frame work,

Do I have to take part?

No, your participation in the study is voluntary. You will be ask to sign to consent to take part in the study and your answers will be kept anonymous

What will happen if I decide to take part?

You will be ask to confirm if you like to take part by signing a consent form or ticking form to complete a survey

What are the potential benefits and risks of taking part?

The potential benefits are the knowledge, which will be useful for this study, and no risk associated participating in the study because all answers will be kept anonymous.

What if there is a problem?

If you are unable to participate please inform me by contacting me via the email address provided and you are able to withdraw from the study at a point with all your answers within three weeks.

Will my taking part in the study be kept confidential?

Yes, your answers will be kept confidential and anonymous

What will happen to the results of the research study?

The result will be used to complete my research dissertation for master’s program and will be presented to my research supervisor and second maker.

Who has reviewed the study?

The independent study supervisor, second maker and module leader.

If I decide to take part, what do I have to do?

Please contact me via my email address [email protected] and I will advise

Appendix 5: Participant Debriefing and Withdrawal Letter

Dear Participant,

Thank you for agreeing to participate in my research, your help was much appreciated and I can confirm the following:

1. The information I collected from you will be used in my dissertation for part of my MSc
2. Marketing Management at the University of Derby
3. The objective of the dissertation research is to (To analyse past and present marketing
4. communication activities used by companies such as Apple to maintain consumer loyalty based on the evidence from the recent 5 years using the relevant academic studies on marketing communications.)
5. The data you provided will be used to provide insights to achieve this objective.
6. The information you provided will only be used for the dissertation, and will not be disclosed to any third party, except as part of the dissertation findings, or as part of the supervisory or assessment processes of the University of Derby.
7. The data you provided will be kept until (30 November, 2021) so that it is available for
8. scrutiny by the University of Derby as part of the assessment process.
9. If you decide that you wish to withdraw from the study, please write to me at (Olalekan Daniel OLADOKE and [email protected]) quoting reference number (insert reference number here) no later than (30th November,2021) and I will be able to remove your response from my analysis and findings, and destroy your response. After this date analysis of the data will have started and it will no longer be possible to extract your responses from the research.

If you have any further questions about the research and supervision process you can contact my supervisor, (Dr Lee Miller), at Derby Business School by emailing: ([email protected])

Kind Regards.

Appendix 6: Impact of Occupation on Findings

Appendix 7. Impact of age on respondents’ views

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