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Visual symbols associated with the company form a significant part of its market image. As a rule, they reflect a firms marketing strategy and convey a particular message to potential consumers. Research indicates that a companys logo and visual style can influence customers behavior, even if they are not aware of that fact (Solomon 353). Thus, it is an effective way to present the companys product and distinguish it from others. The Apple logo is one of the most recognizable as its products and services are extremely appreciated on the global market (Apple). This paper explores what marketing functions this logo performs, including strategic engagement of customers attention, impact on the viewers thoughts about the company, and targeting a specific audience. It is argued that the Apple logo is associated with user-friendliness, innovation, and creativity and also contributes to strong consumer loyalty to the brand and its differentiation.
Attention Capture
The ability to attract attention and be remembered is an essential quality of the logo, which determines its effectiveness. According to Machado, the main value attached to logos has traditionally focused on the identification and the differentiation of the brand from its competitors (78). It should be noted that currently, there are plenty of corporate visual symbols and advertising both in real and digital space, and it is rather challenging to be notable against the huge information noise. The company logo can perform the mentioned functions by conveying positive emotions or brand meaning (Machado 78). At the same time, both graphic and semantic elements of the image play a significant role and are intended to display the corporate message.
The designer of the Apple logo puts emphasis on simplicity, naturalness, recognizability, and sketchiness. This symbol is one of the most common commercial signs in the information space, and it naturally attracts the attention of potential consumers. The absence of unnecessary details makes it possible to process and memorize all image elements rapidly and efficiently. A significant factor is an association generated by the Apple logo in the first turn. Its relationship with the real-world object, which is often encountered in everyday life, and the coherence with the company name contribute to the recognizability and memorability of the image.
The researchers discovered that people are very confident in their ability to recall, recognize, and reconstruct this logo. At the same time, in practice, almost none of the research participants could depict it correctly (Blake 863). Thus, the Apple logos impact on consumer behavior and its commercial success and ability to attract attention may not be related to its actual memorability. Customers confidence that they are familiar with the brand is much more valuable to the company, as it is an indicator of the logos performance in its function.
Message and Connotation
Cognitive and emotional perception of the brand and consumer thoughts about the company caused by the logo plays an even more significant role than the mere ability to attract attention. Marketing designers use various appeals in order to generate the desired response from a potential customer. According to Solomon, these appeals may vary from rational to emotional, be related to intense experiences such as sex, fear, and humor, and use the cultural background (319). The choice of a particular message is determined by the companys policy and product features. Furthermore, the logo can convey significant associations in different ways.
As mentioned earlier, the Apple logo represents a natural real-world object, rather than an abstract concept or a human-made item. Researchers state that according to semiotics, figurativeness and its opposite endpoint, abstractness, reflect the degree to which a sign depicts objects from the natural and sensitive world (Machado 80). An apple is an object accessible to touch and strongly associated with a sensory experience. This connotation is directly related to Apples products, which focus on the touchscreen model of device management, as well as simplicity and user-friendliness. In addition, an apple is a solid object, as well as most of Apples technologies. Generally, the companys products pretend to be integral and inseparable.
These associations arise from the connection of the Apple logo with its prototype in the real world. However, design, color, and image elements also play an essential role and can serve the purpose of conveying a marketing message. Apples devices main competitor for a long time has been and continues to be the PC, and therefore in developing its marketing strategy, the company aimed at the competitive advantages of its product. Typically, they have a more straightforward interface, imply less user choice, and are configured specifically for the average person rather than an advanced user. The Apple logo has regular shapes, minimalistic elements, and a single grey color associated with simplicity and naturalness. This approach proved to be the most progressive and revolutionary in its time, and thus this logo is now also associated with innovation.
Target Audience
The company is positioning its products as useful for the broadest possible population groups, and Apple smartphones are now almost an integral part of daily and business life. At the same time, there are specific individuals who are the target audience of the company to a greater extent, which is taken into account when designing a logo. Twitchell identifies types of consumers, such as actualizes, fulfilled, and believers (179). It should be noted that all three groups may be covered by the companys marketing strategy, which is reflected in the logo. Apple offers believers and fulfilled a well-known and widespread American brand with a recognizable image. In contrast, actualizes are offered many practical benefits, including innovativeness, usability, and ease of device management.
Moreover, the Apple logo reflects how products can be aligned with consumers life goals. Twitchell also distinguishes between such categories of consumers as achievers, strivers, experiencers, makers, and strugglers (180). Achievers and strivers aim to achieve a particular status, and the Apple logo has proven itself to be a status mark. In addition, Apple products contain both expensive and affordable options, and thus the average income is sufficient for its acquisition. As mentioned earlier, the Apple logo stresses the usability and convenience of its products, which can attract experiencers and makers. The only consumer group that is clearly not the target audience of Apple, as well as other producers of innovative technologies, are the strugglers.
Conclusion
It may be concluded that the Apple logo is effective in attracting attention and is remembered by potential customers. It is associated with simplicity, user-friendliness, innovation, and consumer orientation, which allows the inclusion of the most extensive sections of the population to the companys target audience and creates a layer of loyal consumers. The Apple logo appeals to the values of different categories of consumers, which partly determines its commercial success.
References
Apple. Apple Inc.
Blake, Adam B., et al. The Apple of the Minds Eye: Everyday Attention, Metamemory, and Reconstructive Memory for the Apple Logo. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, vol. 68, no. 5, 2015, pp. 858-865.
Machado, Joana Cesar, et al. Brand Logo Design: Examining Consumer Response to Naturalness. Journal of Product & Brand Management, vol. 24, no. 1, 2015, pp. 78-87.
Solomon, Michael R. Consumer Behavior: Buying, Having, and Being. Pearson, 2017.
Twitchell, James B. What We Are to Advertisers. Signs of Life in the USA: Readings on Popular Culture for Writers, edited by Sonia Maasik and Jack Solomon, Bedford/St. Martins, 2003, pp. 177-181.
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