Lina Pio Apple, Brand or Product

Brand or Product?
An investigation into the importance

consumers place on branding when
purchasing an Apple product
School of Management, Royal Holloway,

University of London
March, 2010
Lina Pio
Abstract
Maintaining a strong emphasis on positioning its brand as a provider of purely
functional electronic goods, Apple has experienced increased growth. Although
supporting Olins’ (2008) arguments for Apple as a brand of purely functional products,
Apple’s approach contradicts King’s (1971), highlighted in his seminal work ‘What is a
Brand?’. However, no research has thus far investigated the original causes for consumers’
motivation to be directed either by the brand or product, instead assuming a very binary
and over-generalised approach. Through observational findings collected on Apple’s
localisation procedures, three staff interviews, a quantitative survey, 22 consumer
interviews, and a focus group, the study investigated a third hypothesis: consumers were
influenced by their socio-cultural backgrounds, group influence, economic restraint and
product type. The study aimed to determine whether these four themes affected a
consumer’s perception of an item as either a brand image or a functional product. This,
however, contradicts Apple’s global positioning as a culturally homogenous American
brand, and ignores the importance of these four themes: the most crucial being cultural
differences. A final question then asks: ‘As Apple plans to grow globally, can it do so
successfully without recognition of differing cultural markets?’
i
Table of Contents
Abstract .............................................................................................................. i
Glossary of technical terms ............................................................................. viii
Acknowledgements .......................................................................................... ix
Introduction ....................................................................................................... 1
Review of theoretical framework....................................................................... 4
The first theory ................................................................................................................................... 4

The second theory .............................................................................................................................. 8
Methods .......................................................................................................... 14
In depth interviews with Apple staff................................................................................................. 15

Researcher’s observational research ................................................................................................ 14
In depth interview with Dr Martens brand owner ........................................................................... 16
Consumer survey .............................................................................................................................. 17
Sampling and respondent error .................................................................................................... 18
In depth interviews with consumers of both Apple and Non Apple products ................................. 18
Focus group ....................................................................................................................................... 19
Activity one ................................................................................................................................... 19
Activity two ................................................................................................................................... 20
Activity three ................................................................................................................................. 20
Activity four ................................................................................................................................... 21
Results ............................................................................................................. 22
General tendency towards either functionality or self-expression through the Apple brands ....... 23
Quantitative: Survey results.......................................................................................................... 23
Qualitative: Apple staff interviews ............................................................................................... 29
Qualitative insights: Interviews..................................................................................................... 30
Qualitative insights: Focus group activities one and four ............................................................. 31
Respondents’ private evaluations of each others’ arguments ..................................................... 32
Effects of consumers’ background characteristics ........................................................................... 33
ii
Qualitative insights: Apple staff interviews .................................................................................. 38
Qualitative insights: Researchers’ observational findings ............................................................ 38
Effects of group influence ................................................................................................................. 42
Qualitative insights: Apple staff interviews .................................................................................. 44
Effects of economic restraint ............................................................................................................ 45
Qualitative insights: Apple staff interview .................................................................................... 47
Effects of product type ..................................................................................................................... 48
Qualitative insights: Interviews with Apple staff .......................................................................... 52
Qualitative insights: Interview with Dr Martens brand owner ..................................................... 53
Qualitative insights: Focus group activity two .............................................................................. 53
Qualitative insights: Focus group activity three ........................................................................... 55
Qualitative insights: Focus group activity four ............................................................................. 57
Discussion and conclusions .............................................................................. 58
Analysis of findings ........................................................................................................................... 58

General self-expression against product benefits ........................................................................ 58
Effects of social background ......................................................................................................... 59
Effects of group influence ............................................................................................................. 61
Economic constraints .................................................................................................................... 61
Effects of product type.................................................................................................................. 61
Limitations of the research ............................................................................................................... 63
Wider implications of the research................................................................................................... 63
Opportunities for further research ................................................................................................... 65
References ....................................................................................................... 66
Appendices ...................................................................................................... 69
Appendix one: Email template to Apple staff for Access ................................................................. 69

iii
Appendix two: Staff interview transcripts ........................................................................................ 69
Apple staff respondent one .......................................................................................................... 69
Apple staff respondent two .......................................................................................................... 72
Apple staff respondent three........................................................................................................ 73
Appendix three: Interview with Dr Martens brand owner ............................................................... 75
Email for access to Dr Martens brand owner ............................................................................... 75
Dr Martens’ brand owner interview script ................................................................................... 76
Appendix four: Consumer interview transcripts............................................................................... 77
Owns Apple products .................................................................................................................... 77
In between respondent: owns only one Apple product ............................................................... 92
Non Apple owners....................................................................................................................... 101
Appendix five: Focus group............................................................................................................. 117
Transcript .................................................................................................................................... 117
Results of each activity from each group.................................................................................... 133
First Mac Group .......................................................................................................................... 133
Second Mac Group ...................................................................................................................... 134
First PC Group ............................................................................................................................. 136
Second PC Group......................................................................................................................... 137
Appendix Six: Consumer survey ...................................................................................................... 138
Consumer Survey Codebook ....................................................................................................... 138
SPSS outputs ............................................................................................................................... 146
iv
List of Figures
Figure 1 'The four vectors through which a brand emerges', (Olins, 2008: 29) ........................9
Figure 2: Own diagram of Maslow's (1943) hierarchy of needs ..............................................12
Figure 3: Own diagram of factors affecting motivations when purchasing an Apple product
..................................................................................................................................................13
Figure 4: iPhone owners who felt personally attached to their iPhone ..................................24
Figure 5: Mac owners who bought their Macs because they ‘did everything’ .......................26
Figure 6: Mac owners who bought their Macs because they ‘looked cool’ ............................26
Figure 7: iPod owners who bought their iPods because it ‘does everything’ .........................27
Figure 8: iPhone owners who bought their iPhone because it ‘does everything’...................27
Figure 9: The MacBook Pro Family, functionally positioned (Image: TM © 2009 Apple Inc.) 29
Figure 10: The different nationalities of iPhone owners personally attached to their iPhones
..................................................................................................................................................34
Figure 11: Different genders of iPod owners who bought their iPods as they felt more like
them .........................................................................................................................................34
Figure 12: The genders of iPod owners who bought their iPods because of the advertising .35
Figure 13: The ages of iPod users who felt personally attached to their iPods ......................36
Figure 14: The iPhone for everyone (left to right: In The Observer Magazine, and in The
Economist) TM © 2010 Apple Inc. ...........................................................................................38
Figure 15: The iPhone 3G's expansive selection of apps caters for every moment in life (from
left to right: advert used in the UK and Polish markets) TM © 2009 Apple Inc......................39
Figure 16: The MacBook Unibody launch (from left to right: advert used in UK market and
advert used in Turkish market) TM © 2009 Apple Inc. ...........................................................40
v
Figure 17: Nationalities of Mac owners who bought their Macs because ‘everyone else had
one' ..........................................................................................................................................43
Figure 18: The nationalities of iPhone users who bought their iPods because they were
‘great value’ .............................................................................................................................46
Figure 19: The nationalities of respondents who cared about either the brand or the product
when purchasing footwear: .....................................................................................................49
when purchasing chocolate .....................................................................................................50
Figure 21: Adverts respondents liked in activity two ..............................................................53
Figure 22: Adverts respondents didn't like in activity two ......................................................54
Figure 23: Adverts respondents found easy to create in activity three ..................................55
Figure 24: Adverts respondents found difficult to create in activity three .............................56
List of Tables
Table 1: Research methods overview ......................................................................................14
Table 2: Profiles of staff respondents. Further details of identities have been omitted to
protect the privacy of staff ......................................................................................................16
Table 3: Interview respondents' profiles .................................................................................19
Table 4: Focus group respondents' profiles .............................................................................21
Table 5: Summary of statistical findings of OAPB and OAPF tests ..........................................28
Table 6: Apple staff opinions of Apple as either a brand or product ......................................29
Table 7: Consumers' motivations when buying or not buying an Apple product ...................31
Table 8: Focus group findings of consumers' reasons to buy a Mac or PC .............................32
vi
Table 9: Respondents' evaluations of each other's arguments...............................................32
Table 10: Summary table of respondents’ backgrounds and associations in OAPG and OAPF
tests ..........................................................................................................................................36
Table 11: Apple staff opinions on consumers' backgrounds affecting purchase decisions ....38
Table 12: Insights which emerged from consumers interviews regarding consumer
backgrounds .............................................................................................................................40
Table 13: Focus group insights on consumer backgrounds .....................................................41
Table 14: Respondents owning Apple products and being influenced by brand communities
..................................................................................................................................................43
Table 15: Apple staff insights into group influence .................................................................44
Table 16: Consumer interview insights into group influence ..................................................44
Table 17: Respondents who didn't think the iPhone was great value ....................................46
Table 18: Insights into economic restraint from Apple staff interviews .................................47
Table 19: Insights into economic restraint from consumer interview ....................................47
Table 20: Insights into economic restraint from focus group .................................................47
Table 21: Types of products and their differing levels of brand or product importance
according to respondents ........................................................................................................51
Table 22: Insights into other product types from Apple staff .................................................52
Table 23: Insights into Dr Martens positioning from brand owner .........................................53
Table 24: Insights into differing products from focus group discussion .................................57
vii
Glossary of technical terms
EMEIA
An abbreviation commonly used to signify the regions in which a company’s headquarters operate.
In this case: Europe, Middle East, India and Africa.
FMCG
An abbreviation signifying the main focus of a company which produces easily consumable and soon
disposed of goods, such as toilet paper, washing detergent or Chocolate, as opposed to more
durable, long term products such as shoes, clothing or computers.
In this case: Fast Moving Consumer Goods.
OAPB
Tests conducted in this study to investigate possible associations between ownership of an Apple
product and having originally purchased it for its brand image / value.
In this case: Owning an Apple Product for Brand
OAPE
product and having originally purchased it for its value.
In this case: Owning an Apple Product for Economy
OAPF
product and having originally purchased it for its functionality.
In this case: Owning an Apple Product for Functionality
OAPG
product and having originally purchased it because of group influence.
In this case: Owning an Apple Product for Group
MBUP
Tests conducted in this study to investigate possible associations between ownership of a non-Apple
product and having originally purchased it for either brand functionality. This was measured on a
Brand vs. Functionality scale.
In this case: Motivations of Buying an Unrelated Product
MRS
The official market research regulatory body in the United Kingdom which monitors the market
research practices conducted by commercial market research firms. For a market research firm to be
officially recognised by or affiliated with the MRS is a symbol of quality and reliability for clients.
In this case: Market Research Society
viii
Acknowledgements
I would like to take the opportunity to thank the following people, without
whom absolutely none of this would have been possible.
My very special thanks to Andrew Whalley for his fantastic support and
direction, particularly during the white-knuckle ride of the project’s final weeks. My deep
thanks to Dr David Chitakunye for his incredible patience when giving me my own crash
course in SPSS and statistics. I would also like to thank my fabulous former Apple
colleagues who very kindly said ‘yes!’, and to Nick and Jhanne at Sense Worldwide for the
amazing resources they gave me access to. Last, but not least, to Tim, the real Mr
Motivator. Thank you Tim for keeping me borderline sane.
ix
Brand or Product? An investigation into the importance
consumers place on branding when purchasing Apple
products
Introduction
‘I take a deep breath and while I’m saying this my head starts nodding of its own accord and I
keep swallowing, thinking I have to see her shoes, and so as inconspicuously as possible I try to
peer over the counter to check out what kind of shoes she’s wearing, but maddeningly they’re only
sneakers—not K-Swiss, not Tretorn, not Adidas, not Reebok, just cheap ones.’ – American
Psycho (Easton-Ellis 1991: 113)
Easton-Ellis’ (1991) psychopathic Bateman is, thankfully, pure fiction. However,

why is Bateman so distressed over the cashier’s apparent lack of concern for branded
shoes? One school of thought would explain, as might Bateman, that the cashier’s
decision to buy unbranded items was anomalous, that brands and the associated images
which enable consumers to identify themselves and be identified through them, are the
most important deciding factors when purchasing items such as shoes. Yet still, others
would argue that Bateman’s position was purely fictional and nonsensical. Rather, the
cashier’s decision to purchase, or in this case not purchase, branded products depended
entirely upon product types and their attributes. For certain categories she would most
likely rely on the product’s purely functional attributes, whereas for other product
categories, she might choose to purchase based on the brand appeal and image. The
shoes in question then weren’t a product she needed for their brand value, or self-
expressive qualities.
Yet, these arguments are both mutually exclusive, and ignore the co-existence of
Bateman and the cashier’s dichotomous consumer profiles. Nor do the arguments
explain what has formed these consumers’ intricate patterns of consumption and
thought. The arguments presented lend particularly well to the example of Apple Inc.,
1
(hereon: ‘Apple’) this study thus critically examines the arguments proposed through the
case study of the Californian electronics manufacturer, Apple, set up in 1977, (Apple,
2010a). Its products of particular focus are: the Mac, iPod, and iPhone.
A particularly important issue, it is largely absent in the field of branding and

consumer behaviour. Research into branding has frequently questioned the purchase
motivations of consumers, and proposed theories along the lines of brand, product,
environment, and other such motivations. Theorists of particular importance are King
(1971), and Olins (2008), due to the practical application of their theories and their
importance to practitioners (Davies, 2008). King (1971) proposes the first hypothesis,
that of branding as being the most important motivator for consumers when purchasing,
whereas Olins (2008), although building upon King’s initial work, proposes a more
complex model with a brand perceived by consumers against four different factors. Yet
he has not questioned what has led consumers to be motivated in the ways in which they
are. Nor has research considered the existence of those who do not or cannot purchase
for brand alone. The cultural and situational backgrounds of consumers and how this
affects their interpretation of, and desire for a brand as either a product or a mere name,
is ignored by both theorists.
The format of the study will first investigate the hypotheses determined from the
literature, identifying key themes which will form the structure for the study. The
hypotheses are then tested against research into the purchase behaviours of both Apple’s
consumers and its competitors’.
The study will investigate the question by conducting and analysing quantitative
and qualitative ethnographic research (Burns & Bush, 2006) against the structure as
defined by the themes which emerge from the literature review. The first of the themes
will look at the general attitudes of consumers, investigating their perceptions of Apple as
either a mere brand label or a manufacturer of functional products. The following themes
will review the question against: social backgrounds (nationalities, age, sex), group
influence, financial restraint and product type. The latter of these themes, product type,
focuses on contrasting the research of Apple’s consumers and its products against
products from other categories, identifying any similarities. Particularly, the views of the
brand owner of Dr Martens’, a brand seen as perhaps just as iconic (Campaign, 2006), are
2
investigated in this theme to determine any similarities in consumer attitudes between
different product types, such as shoes and computers. With Apple’s continued growth
(Apple, 2010a), questions then ask whether Apple is seen by it’s consumers as either a
brand label or a functional product, and how this may affect its future in global
expansion.
The importance of the high culture and popular culture debate (Scruton, 1998;
Williams, 1983) within in this question is recognised, and is relevant to the discussion.
However, due to time constrains of the study, this is simply acknowledged.
The essential aim of this study, it is hoped, is to pull apart the arguments
presented by both schools of thought, presenting the reader with a detailed analysis of
consumers’ purchasing motivations (particularly of Apple’s and its competitors’
products), and how this knowledge affects brands. It is hoped that this study produces
substantial evidence stressing the need for current practitioners to change their
understandings of consumers as culturally homogenous and wholly respondent to
branding regardless of social, and economic factors, or product type.
3
Review of theoretical framework
When looking at theoretical concepts explaining how consumers make their
purchasing decisions based on brand or product influences, traditional arguments
presented by the two main conceptual theorists of this study, King (1971) and Olins
(2008) seem to be oversimplified. Little research has been dedicated towards the
determination of consumer choice being led by products. The theories provided in the
extant literature are not able to deal with cultural and sub-cultural effects and group
influence on consumers, and differing product ranges; issues which are explored in
further depth through later researchers.
The first theory

King (1971) firmly posits that consumer choice is largely dictated by the
emotional brand appeal, an idea strongly reflected by Gobé (2001). King explains that in
an age where product quality now rarely differs between brands, it is the emotional
connection fostered between brands and their consumers, that determines the final sale.
To back his argument, King contrasts the contemporary success of Andrex over Delsey,
two major soft toilet paper brands in the early 70s, that ‘objectively the standards of the
two physical products [Andrex and Delsey] have not diverged all that much’. Andrex’s
success (and that of other brands), King argues, is through its ability to create value to
consumers through a blend of quality and innovation. But the added value, and the
differentiator between Andrex and Delsey, is ‘the consistent way in which Andrex and its
values have been presented to the public as a brand’, (King, 1971: 32). Indeed,
Baudrillard (1981), a contemporary of King, proposes the idea of consumption as no
longer concerning the buying and selling of material goods, but of the commerce of signs
and images. Indeed, ‘Andrex [suggests King] has been very much a brand, not an object,’
(King, 1971: 32).
King supports his argument with blind and known product research (the origins
and sampling of which are dubious), complemented with interview responses from
‘housewives’ describing the ‘personalities’ of brands of washing powder as real people
(King, 1971: 32). Consumers choose brands as they choose their friends, ‘not usually
4
because of the specific skills or physical attributes...but simply because you like them as
people’ (King, 1971: 32). Brands succeed competitively because they have values beyond
the physical and functional. McCracken (1990), similarly, proposes brands’ meanings and
values as being drawn from the ‘culturally constituted’ world of the consumer, without
which, the product would make no sense, ‘...brands are bought for what they represent to
the buyer’s social environment’, (Penze & Stottinger, 2008: 147). King, therefore,
recommends change in contemporary (of 1971) consumer advertising and branding
practice, an issue currently in discussion in the healthcare marketing industry (Kelly &
Rupert, 2009):
‘... if we are really honest with ourselves, we must surely admit that on the whole the non-
functional pleasures that we ourselves get are more intense and meaningful than the functional’,
(King, 1971: 33).1
Ultimately, King believes that consumers see ‘brands as personalities [and]

in some cases, the personalities are more vivid than the product,’ (King, 1971: 33). Any
piece of marketing, he argues, must always relate to the central brand image and
personality in mind, which identifies itself as unique and more meaningful to the
consumer amongst other brands (King, 1971: 35). He provides a checklist to verify the
efficacy of a marketing campaign:
- ‘Does it enhance the brand’s total personality?
- Does it contribute to the blend of appeals to the sense, the reason and the emotions?
- Does it bring the brand to the front of the mind?’ (King, 1971: 36)
Indeed later research conducted by Auh & Shih (2009) has illustrated the
importance of branding on consumers’ implicit perceptions of technological advances, an
intriguing support to Steve Hayden’s, copywriter of Apple’s celebrated ‘1984’
1
‘Functional’ defined in this case as the product’s physical attributes. Not to be confused with Baudrillard’s
definition of functionality as the ‘ability to become integrated into an overall scheme *of signs+’, (Baudrillard,
1968: 67).
5
commercial, statement: ‘Macintosh was always bigger than the product’, (Johnson, 1994:
12). Everything, King concludes, from producing the product to advertising, must centre
itself around developing and enhancing brands through added values which ‘will tend
increasingly to be non-functional values to form an integrated brand personality’, (King,
1971: 37).
Despite his seemingly compelling arguments, King merely touches upon the
surface, ignoring important insights into the self-expressive benefits of branding to the
consumer (Gobé, 2001; Chernev, 2009). Whilst Chernev’s research highlights the
importance of brands used by consumers as forms of self-expression, Gobé (2001)
expands the importance of self-expression and identification in branding to its role in
group influence. To Gobé, the self-expressive quality and brand tribalism of Apple was
what kept it a ‘going concern’ during its most difficult years. Indeed, research conducted
by Schaefer and Rotte (2007) into brain activity in response to differing brands, using
fMRI scans, show brain responses to prestigious brands were linked with activity in self-
relevant, self-expressive parts of the brain. Though the idea of ‘prestigious brands’, is
relative to the individual’s socialisation (Bourdieu, 1979). Yet what isn’t provided by any
of the theorists so far examined, particularly by King (1971), is a context for a brand,
given the above, to influence the consumer. Rather it is merely assumed to be a constant,
deterministic goal for all consumers of all brands and product categories.
Consumers in other cultures around the world may fully appreciate a product for
the sake of its brand (Lim & Ang, 2008). Yet, as consumers from different cultures
attempt to understand foreign brands by drawing from societal and cultural backgrounds
(McCracken, 1990), a mistranslation or reinterpretation of values through cultural and
language differences can occur when reading a brand, giving alternate messages
(Eckhardt & Houston, 2002; Laroch, 2009; Hong, Pecotich & Schultz, 2009).
On criticising the postmodernist views on consumption provided by Baudrillard

(1981) (and also by association those of King, 1971; McCracken, 1990; Gobé, 2001;
Penze & Stottinger, 2008; Auh & Shih, 2009; Chernev, 2009; Kelly & Rupert, 2009),
Strinati (2004) questions the idea of consumers as highly influenced by branding. Strinati
explains that far too much power is attributed towards the power of consumerism and
mass media, that the extant views rely on unsubstantiated claims. He argues that these
6
views fail to acknowledge that consumers’ ability to consume is restricted by economic
and cultural or subcultural factors (Cleveland & Chang, 2009; Lim & Ang, 2008).
Strinati’s argument can be reflected in examples in recent years of a growing subculture
of consumer activists, initially spearheaded by Klein (2001), revolting against a brand
hegemony (Holt, 2002; Gabriel & Lang, 2006; and Cromie & Ewing, 2009).
Strinati (2004) furthers by arguing that some products will be bought for their
pure usage value, whereas others, he concedes, may be bought on the basis of their
symbolic value, depending on the product category. Schaefer & Rotte (2007) also suggest
that functional or value led products affect the brain’s cognitive control where moral
decisions and judgements are made, however, they concede that determining which
products are considered luxurious or functional are dependent upon the consumer
themselves. Yet, further analysis of King (1971) suggests an over generalisation of brand
influence when considering other product categories. King’s analysis does not reflect the
full range of products in both ‘fast moving consumer goods’ (FMCG) categories and
within non-FMCG categories such as luxury or high fashion product categories, all
available to consumers in 1971. Nor does he draw attention to this omission. Similarly,
Gobé (2001), in analysing Apple and prescribing it as a purely emotional brand, fails to
consider Apple’s growing product categories (Apple, 2010), or how these may differ in
terms of brand influence against product functionality.
King’s views and perspectives are, perhaps, a product of the time in which they
were written. King’s views were considered ‘revolutionary’ in 1971, (Feldwick, 2007), at a
time when a thorough understanding of branding was in development. Yet, the data he
presents, rely heavily on research taken from secondary sources, sales data, with no
identification of the sample characteristics. In addition, his ‘Blind against Known‘ studies
of the consumption attitudes of a particular group of consumers identified by King as
‘housewives’, a reference to a vague, and possibly outdated, sample whose size and
characteristics such as socio-economic, and cultural backgrounds remain unidentified.
Nor does he offer any further insights to his research sampling techniques. Thus, his
work cannot be considered a robust reflection on consumer purchase behaviour, merely
the views of a particularly respected practitioner. This does, however, leave him open to
accusations of industry bias, working in marketing for an agency whose business is based
7
on the proliferation of brands. A more current study investigating King’s research
questions must therefore be conducted.
The second theory

A more recent, though perhaps equally as revered, branding planner, Olins
(2008), builds on King’s (1971) initial ideas. As with King, Olins explains that a brand
must have a core idea, ‘the fundamental idea behind the brand is that in everything it
owns, and everything it produces it should project a clear idea of what it is and what its
aims are’ (Olins, 2008: 28). He states that ‘the most significant way in which this can be
done is by making everything in and around the organization [sic] – its products,
environment, communication and behaviour – consistent in purpose and performance
and, where this is appropriate, in appearance too’, (Olins, 2008: 28). In order to achieve a
successful branding campaign there must be a consistency of purpose, or manifestation
of the core idea throughout the firm’s activities, both internally and externally.
However, unlike King, Olins proposes that branding is far more complex than a
set of emotional triggers associated with a brand, catapulted through advertising and
imagery. Olins explains that to ‘be really effective you have to be able to sense the
brand...to understand how the brand makes itself tangible [to the consumer],’ (Olins
2008: 31). The main thrust of Olins’ argument is presented through a set model, the ‘four
vectors’, illustrating how brands focus their energies. These vectors are: the product; the
physical environment of the brand; the brand’s communication with its audience; and the
behaviour of the brand’s staff, both inward and outward. Some brands, Olins explains,
are led by all four, whilst others, are dominated by only one or two vectors. It is the
marketplace and environmental conditions that, ultimately, determine the significance of
each of these four ‘vectors’ (Figure 1) of focus for a brand.
8
Figure 1 'The four vectors through which a brand emerges', (Olins, 2008: 29)
In design-focussed companies which ‘make and sell things, the product is almost
always the base from which the brand is defined,’ (Olins 2008: 34) a view corroborated
by an academic study into associations between brand expectations and product quality
(Dalman, Desai & Agarwal, 2009). Apple, Olins explains, produces products which are
designed to be both beautiful and function properly. It is through this focus on design
and quality that the Apple brand idea is propelled (Grassl, 2009). ‘Every Apple product
helps both to define and to reinforce the brand,’ (Olins 2008: 39), an opinion diverging
explicitly from King (1971), McCracken, (1990); Gobé, (2001); Penze & Stottinger,
(2008); Auh & Shih, (2009); Chernev, (2009); and Kelly & Rupert, (2009). Apple’s brand
success has little to do with emotional qualities associated with the brand identity.
‘Although everything, from the instruction literature, to the website, to the advertising, to the
stores and the behaviour of the people who work in them, all help to support and sustain the
Apple brand, the prime vector through which we perceive the Apple brand is the Apple product’,
(Olins 2008: 39).
Apple’s brand personality and essence, Olins argues, is held tangibly within
consumers’ hands (Olins 2008: 39). In Apple’s particular industry, with a market
saturated by high performance, substitute products in consumption, the differentiator for
consumers, Olins argues, is the design and detail of a brand’s products. A perhaps
inadvertent, yet direct contradiction to Auh & Shih’s (2009) research into the emotional
effects of technological product naming on perceived product quality. It is the design and
9
detail to which people attach their emotions, ‘based on the immediate experience of the
contact with and usage of the product’, (Tsai, 2009: 279). Essentially, the environment,
brand communication, and behaviour of sales staff are all key in product-led branding,
‘but if the product isn’t right you can forget the rest,’ (Olins 2008: 39). For Apple, the
product is key.
Despite his views, Olins ignores arguments for branding as forms of self-
expression for consumers (Gobé, 2001; Chernev, 2009; Gabriel & Lang, 2006). Gobé
(2001) argues that Apple has survived purely as a brand which people consume to
express themselves: ‘The power of their branding is all that keeps them alive. It’s got
nothing to do with products’, (Gobé 2001: 50). Temporal & Alder (1999) second this
view, suggesting the importance of developing a strong corporate personality, explaining
that without this in an over saturated product market, many companies with great
products have fail, ‘a distinctive corporate personality is what enables the customer to
single you out’, (Temporal & Alder, 1999: 4). Olins does not consider the possibility of
making a social statement through branding (Parsons & Maclaran, 2009), or the intricate
social anxieties augmented by self-expression through brand consumption (De Botton,
2004). Nor has Olins acknowledged neural research into branding and its implicit effects
on the subconscious desire to identify oneself with the consumption of prestigious
brands (Schaefer & Rotte, 2007). For some consumers, brands, especially Apple’s, are
more emotional in their symbolic meanings than pure products alone, presenting
channels through which consumers can identify themselves both individual and in groups
(Kahney, 2006).
Olins does not acknowledge consumers’ desires to be at once unique, yet also
form groups (Papyrina, 2008) for self-expression through brands and brand communities
that form around them. Indeed, Moore & Homer’s (2008) research suggests that
‘autobiographical memories’ or personal backgrounds and experiences of using the brand
which bonds brand communities, and can often determine brand loyalty and purchasing
behaviour. The power of these groups has often influenced branding decisions (Füller,
Luedicke, & Jawecki, 2008), creating a need to sustain loyalty through the ‘rebel sell’
(Heath & Potter, 2005; Gabriel & Lang, 2006). It pulls together groups of ‘rebellious’
10
individuals who purchase to defy conventions, expressing ‘a defensive posture toward
consumer culture’, (Holt, 2002: 87).
Yet, still, Olins does not rebut Strinati’s (2004) arguments. Olins over generalises
consumers as unreservedly susceptible to brands. Not all consumers are in a position to
purchase based purely on a brand, depending on either economic reasons or differing
levels of cultural importance placed on branding in general. Research conducted by Lim
& Ang (2008) reveals a strong difference between the consumption patterns of Shanghai
Chinese consumers, preferring functional items, and Singaporean consumers, preferring
branded items. Indeed, consumers around Asia express differing patterns of consumer
behaviour regarding product quality and are not homogeneously linked into one
consumer culture (Ueltschy, Laroche, Zhang, Cho & Yingwei, 2009). Understanding how
brand meanings are read by consumers differently across international markets, and
adapting them accordingly should not be overlooked, (Hsieh, 2002).
Further, adoption of brands as forms of expression may not apply to all

consumers within one society or grouping depending on their social groupings, age or
gender (Holt, 2002). In fact, De Botton (2006) observes that depending on the individual,
consumers acquire commodities and brands to prevent social exclusion. Olins ignores the
possibility that ‘socialisation and memory backgrounds’, may prove key factors in
purchase behaviour (Grisaffe & Nguyen, 2009: 896). Further important research to
support this view is provided by Friese, Wanke & Plessner (2006) through implicit
association tests, results found that ‘classical conditioning’, can effect purchase behaviour
regardless of whether the consumer is aware.
11
Consumer purchasing behaviour may also vary according to differing needs and
hence different product ranges. Olins considers Apple’s ‘product-led’ brand as a whole
without considering the wide range of products and sub brands that Apple produce
(Apple, 2010a). Maslow’s (1943) hierarchy of needs, as demonstrated in Figure 2, explain
Figure 2: Own diagram of Maslow's (1943) hierarchy of needs
the different requirements of human happiness, ranging from purely basic physiological
or functional needs to self-actualisation needs. Surely then different products, such as
those within Apple’s product range, are sought by consumers for different needs; some
products satisfying the more functional requirements whereas others fulfilling consumers’
esteem or self-actualisation needs?
Olins’ views have much missing. Whereas King (1971) provided existing
research with some from unclear sources, Olins has shown no evidence to support his
views. Rather, he uses his personal experiences to develop and communicate important
perspectives, leaving him largely open to personal bias. Without real evidence to support,
he cannot propose a strict model to be applied to all brands and industries. However, it is
an interesting portrayal of branding from the point of view of an experienced and well
12
known practitioner, discussing how the most successful brands operate, with some
brands as case studies to explain each idea.
Given the lack of robust evidence provided by the key practitioners, and the
varying opinions of researchers based on other products, it is difficult to know how
Apple’s consumers make their purchase decisions. Research must therefore be conducted
to explore the themes discussed above. The hypotheses which have stated are:
H1: People are motivated by Apple’s brand to buy its products.
H2: People are motivated by the functional quality of Apple’s products to buy
its products.
Research provided by the previous authors cited in this study has suggested the
possibility of a third hypothesis as noted in Figure 3:
Motivations or triggers behind purchasing an Apple

product
Basic Functional (tangible):

Factors Need to communicate efficiently
Need to access mail and social data efficiently on the
Cultural/ethnic
Cultural/ethnic differences
differences move
Age differences
Age differences
Gender
Need to listen to music on the move
Genderdifferences
differences Need to work on tasks efficiently and reliably
Group affect
Groupinfluence
influence
Financial restraint Need a well designed, robust product
Financial restraint
Product type
Product type
Advanced Non functional (intangible):
More than an Apple product - a lifestyle
Identity through the Apple brand
Community acceptance and love
What it means to possess the brand
Figure 3: Own diagram of factors affecting motivations when purchasing an Apple product
H3: People’s motivations for buying Apple products are affected by a range of
factors from their personal backgrounds and the background nature of the
product.
To establish the validity of these theories, more research was therefore

conducted to test the prevailing hypotheses and the possible alternative hypothesis.
13
Methods
Ethnographic research was conducted using a deductive approach to test the
three key hypotheses, identified in the previous chapter, for validity (Saunders, Lewis &
Thornhill, 2007). Each method was carefully vetted for its advantages and its potential
impact upon the research for bias (Hackley, 2003). The below table provides an overview
of the details for each method and the time period.
Time period Type Research Method Quantity/Size

July 2008 – June 2009 Participant Localisation (as X6 Communications
Observation employee) and
collection of retail
communications
December 2009 Qualitative Apple staff interviews X3 Interviews
December 2009 Qualitative Dr Martens Brand X1 interview
Owner interview
December 2009- January Quantitative Consumer survey X103/120 respondents
2010
January 2010 Qualitative Consumer interviews X 21 interviews
Consumer Focus X1 Focus Group (9
Groups Respondents)
Table 1: Research methods overview
Researcher’s observational research

The first stage of the research began with observation research (Burns and Bush,
2006) when analysing archival sources. This was conducted to investigate specifically the
cultural attitudes of Apple and the ways in which it targets its consumers to cater for their
differing cultural needs.
Access was gained through employment of the researcher by Apple, as an intern.

The duties of the researcher, whilst employed, included project managing the localisation,
or direct translation, of retail communications into the local languages of Apple’s various
markets across EMEIA. During this time, observational research was collected on
Apple’s procedures when localising retail communications, along with archival material:
retail communications. An analysis of the attitudes Apple holds towards differing cultural
backgrounds of its consumers was undertaken.
14
This method of research enabled insight, without the reinterpretation of staff
(Burns & Bush, 2006), into the ways in which Apple officially communicates globally as a
corporate entity. However, as with all qualitative data, this method was not able to reveal
a representational portion of all of Apple’s communications, merely a selection. Certainly
further limitations exist in the inability to delve deeper into the real meanings behind the
retail communications and may therefore be vulnerable to the researchers’ bias as the sole
interpreter.
In depth interviews with Apple staff

A series of three in depth interviews carried out with managers from Apple in
the Europe, Middle East, India and Africa (EMEIA) headquarters, each respondent
having different roles at Apple, one of them being a product manager. Access was gained
with the researcher being a former colleague and staff member of Apple EMEIA which
enabled a better level of trust, ensuring more candid responses (Hackley, 2003).
Respondents were selected via convenience sampling, staff members who were experts,
or highly opinionated as regards the study’s focus. The researcher’s status as former staff
member also enabled a more focussed direction of the study, being both observer and
participant. The advantage of being a participant, gave a more sympathetic understanding
having experienced the culture of the organisation itself. The largest drawback of this
being, however, the potential bias this may impose (Saunders et al., 2007).
Given the delicate nature of staff interviews (Saunders et al., 2007), face to
face interviews were preceded by confidentiality agreements. In depth, one to one
interviews were pivotal in creating and developing an open and honest environment
where respondents were encouraged to give personal opinion without external influences
(Hackley, 2003).
The interviews focussed on key questions (see Appendix) designed to

probe and investigate the hypotheses drawn for this study. Although the third staff
member’s questions were slightly altered due to the ad hoc interview setting of a train.
Gaining insight from staff using in depth interviews was important in understanding, not
how Apple as a whole felt, but how individual staff members perceived the issues
15
covered in this study. Having exposure and working towards creating and promoting the
Apple brand whilst at the same time being Apple consumers themselves, provided
valuable insight, beyond official public relations (PR) releases, into what might be
perceived as an interesting dichotomy of roles (Manolis, Meamber, Winsor & Brooks,
2001). In spite of this, the views gained through in-depth interviews were both non
representative of all Apple staff or of consumers as a whole, or even indeed, of owners
and managers of an iconic brand, merely three focussed insights.
Respondents’ profiles
Respondent General role Nationality

Staff respondent one Senior manager British
Staff respondent two Senior manager British
Staff respondent three Manager German
Table 2: Profiles of staff respondents. Further details of identities have been omitted to protect the privacy
of staff
In depth interview with Dr Martens brand owner

For comparative purposes, an in depth interview was then conducted with the
brand owner for Dr Martens, the respondent having previously sold the rest of the
business but keeping the brand. Access was gained through contacts with the family,
thereby building and maintaining trust, which proved crucial to encouraging open and
honest answers and gaining real insights. The respondent was selected as an expert for
their depth and level of opinion and insight into owning and managing a brand. The
interview took place on a one to one in depth basis in order to maximise confidence
between the researcher and the respondent. Key questions (see Appendix) testing the
hypotheses were investigated during the interview, on the general theme of branding and
later focussing on Dr Martens itself as a brand.
This research activity was interesting as it compared and contrasted the

insights across industries from another product category, a brand perceived as iconic as
Apple’s (Campaign, 2006), determining any parallels or differences according to product
category differentiations. Despite the valuable insights gained into the ideas and opinions
of a prestigious brand owner from another industry, the insights gained were not
16
representative of all other brand owners, and certainly not representative of consumers’
views.
Consumer survey
To gain a more quantitative understanding of the insights gained from the above
research and deduce findings from the hypotheses, after a pre-test phase, a self-
administered online survey was created. The questions were designed to test the
hypotheses and the main research questions through developing an understanding of
their purchasing patterns. The survey was targeted at Apple consumers and consumers of
rival products, who were: consumers of electronics; from a range of nationalities; both
genders; and were between the ages of 18 and 65.
Due to the time constraints of this study and complexity of conducting a purely
randomised sample (Hackley, 2003), a convenience sample was created from a variety of
sources where the target consumer of an Apple product was expected to be found. The
sources were Facebook through internationally targeted advertising; a respondent
database from a Marketing Research Society (MRS) approved qualitative research
consultancy; university students through the university intranet; and three online
technical forums: Macrumours, Apple Insider, and Neowin. The end sample consisted of
103 respondents.
The online self-administered survey was used as it was felt that this was a more
culturally sensitive and efficient method for obtaining responses. This allowed
respondents to answer in their own time, at their convenience without time pressure,
therefore answering more candidly.
A possible issue with a self-administered survey was the potential for

respondents’ misunderstanding of questions, ‘falsehoods’ whether unintentionally or
maliciously (Burns & Bush, 2006). Further, another issue part of the self-editing process
of respondents is the ‘Hawthorne Effect’ (Roethlisberger & Dickson, 1939), whereby
respondents, knowledgeable of the research conditions, ‘improve’ their reactions, thereby
reducing the possibility of gaining reliable, realistic results. Another issue with the self-
17
administered survey occurred with respondents exiting the survey halfway, possibly due
to attention loss. Out of 120 respondents who began the survey, 103 completed it.
Sampling and respondent error

Given that the sample was relatively small and the target base of countries so
large (totalling 23 countries), statistical issues arose when respondent counts of less than
five were recorded against certain questions, lowering reliability of results against
nationalities. Further, as convenience sampling was used, collecting responses from
online forums and websites such as Facebook, there may be a slight bias in the research
outcomes given that the sample base was not purely randomised (Saunders et al., 2007).
In depth interviews with consumers of both Apple and Non Apple

products
A series of 22 in-depth, structured interviews were conducted with ‘expert’
(Burns & Bush, 2006) consumers of both Apple products and consumers of rival brands.
Of the 22, seventeen of the most insightful are included in Appendix Four. Of the
seventeen, highlights have been taken and analysed in the ‘Results’ section, with an
attempt to summarise the results by quantifying similar responses.
Respondents were selected via convenience sampling, and were chosen as

‘experts’ for their level of opinion and experience consuming Apple and rival brands.
Aged between 19 and 62; of both sexes, they came from four different countries. Access
was gained through personal contacts which enabled trust to be built upon already
existing relationships, allowing candid and honest answers (Hackley, 2003). Each
interview took place on an individual, in-depth basis, transcribed verbatim by the
researcher. Key questions were asked to both test the hypotheses and explore possible
insights.
The advantages of in-depth interviews meant that individuals were able to

respond without the influence of others (Saunders et al., 2007; Hackley, 2003). A
disadvantage of this approach was respondents’ ability to self-edit and present adapted
18
responses for researcher purposes. Because of this, more research was conducted into
underlying subconscious feelings. Again, danger lies in the possibility of respondents’
results being skewed through Roethlisberger & Dickson’s (1939) ‘Hawthorne Effect’.
Respondents’ Profiles
No. Age Sex Nationality Owns Apple products?
1 21 Female British All three
2 23 Male British All three
3 27 Male Asian British All three
4 23 Male Pakistani All three
5 26 Female Chinese Mac and iPod
6 22 Male British Mac and iPod
7 23 Male British Mac and iPod
8 55 Male British Mac only
9 23 Male British iPod only
10 20 Female Indian iPod only
11 30 Male Pakistani iPod only
12 21 Male Asian British None
13 61 Male Jordanian None
14 19 Male British None
17 32 Female Chinese, HK None
Table 3: Interview respondents' profiles
Focus group
A focus group was conducted in order to explore new consumer insights into
basic needs and attitudes of consumers, when purchasing either an Apple product or a
rival’s. The session was split into several activities, each attempting to learn respondents’
implicit opinions reducing the risk of self-conscious opinion editing (Burns & Bush,
2006). To reduce the chances of only a few respondents taking over the whole session,
(Burns & Bush, 2006), respondents were put into pairs to discuss their ideas.
Respondents were sought through convenience sampling and chosen for their differing
range of backgrounds and the possible range of insights to offer.
Activity one
19
Respondents formed into pairs according to their ownership of Macs or PCs,
and drew up arguments to convince other respondents, with the opposing computer, of
the benefits of owning either a Mac or PC, respectively. Inter groupings were used in
order to draw out controversial opinions from these strongly held brand communities
(Kahney, 2006). Time pressure was applied to the activity in order to gauge ‘gut’ reactions
or subconscious, and implicit ideas (Friese et al., 2006). Time pressure was applied to
investigate possible underlying or hidden motivations reducing respondents’ self-editing
processes. Respondents then individually filled in ballot slips describing which opposing
group’s argument was the most convincing.
Activity two
A selection of print adverts was put in a pile for respondents in their groups to
select their most appealing and most unappealing advert. This exploratory method
enabled an understanding of the editing process consumers use (Berger, 1990) when
interpreting adverts. The aim was to discover what respondents expected and desired
from an advert, and what they didn’t. Primarily, this was to indicate whether respondents
were either brand or product focussed when looking at adverts.
Activity three
Respondents were asked to create advertisements for five different products:
footwear, clothing, chocolate, washing detergent, and toilet paper. Although within a
focus group, this activity used a largely projective technique (Burns & Bush, 2006), the
aim of which was to explore insights into how respondents’ subconsciously expected
each product to be advertised to them and each other. Again, respondents were time
pressured without enough time to reconsider their responses.
20
Activity four
The final activity consisted of a general end discussion to recover ideas and
debates which had emerged earlier during the research process, and giving a full debrief
of the project.
Respondents’ profiles
No. Age Sex Nationality Owns a Mac?
1 19 Female Slovak Yes
2 19 Female Welsh British Yes
3 26 Male Nigeria Yes
4 22 Female Chinese Yes
5 20 Female American No
6 21 Female Indian No
7 21 Male British No
8 20 Female Latvian No
9 28 Female Nigerian No
Table 4: Focus group respondents' profiles
21
Results
The study examined in detail consumers’ purchase motivations for an Apple
product, specifically brand against product functionality, and the purchase motivations
for other products. This chapter is organised according to the themes which emerged
from the literature review. The themes are: the general self-expressive and functional
benefits of owning an Apple product; consumers’ backgrounds; economic restraint; and
group influence. For comparative purposes, it contrasts the results in the above themes
against the results from similar questions about non Apple products. Quantitative
information first identifies statistical evidence supporting each theme followed by
exploration of the qualitative insights that both Apple staff, and consumers offer through
interviews and a focus group, respectively.
22
General tendency towards either functionality or self-expression
through the Apple brands
Quantitative: Survey results
Chi - square tests for independence were undertaken to explore the relationship
and associations between ownership of three different Apple products, Mac, iPod and
iPhone, and brand influence when purchasing. Different categories of respondents, were
tested against responses to brand. These tests were undertaken on a total sample size of
103 (reduced midway from 120 due to incomplete responses).
To develop a hypothesis for this test, Burns & Bush (2005) propose a null
hypothesis to assume no associations between two categorical variables. Pallant (2005)
suggests testing results at an alpha value of < .05. The notation of results was recorded as
suggested by Field (2006), and the significance values interpreted as proposed by
Motulsky (2009).
The null hypothesis for the statistical analysis is:

Ho In the Owning an Apple Product for Brand (OAPB) tests, there is no
association between owning an Apple Product and having purchased it for
brand related reasons.
Alternative:
Ha In the OAPB tests there is or are associations between owning an
Apple Product and having purchased it for brand related reasons.
Results supporting the null hypothesis

The majority of tests suggested there were no significant associations between
owners of Apple products and being influenced by brand when purchasing.
Results supporting the alternative hypothesis
23
As per Figure 4, only one test stood out. There was an extremely significant
association between owning an iPhone and ‘I am personally attached to my iPhone’ x2 (4)
= 16.68, p < .002, with 75% agreeing.
Figure 4: iPhone owners who felt personally attached to their iPhone
With the majority of results in the OAPB tests supporting the null hypothesis,
further Chi-square analysis was conducted to test whether this then suggested
associations between owning Apple products and having purchased them for their
functional benefits.

Ho In the Owning an Apple Product for Functionality (OAPF) tests, there
is no association between owning an Apple Product and purchasing it for
its functionality.
The Alternative hypothesis for the statistical analysis is:
24
Ha In the OAPF tests there is or are associations between owning an
Apple Product and purchasing it for its functionality.

The OAPF tests for Mac owners highlighted a highly significant association
between owning a Mac and the response: ‘I bought a Mac because it does everything I
want’, x2 (4) = 13.56, p < .009, with 78.7% agreeing (Figure 5). Further OAPF tests,
showed a significant association between owning a Mac and the response: ‘I bought a
Mac because it looked cool’ x2 (4) = 9.91, p < .042, with 55.6% agreeing (Figure 6).
OAPF tests further revealed an extremely significant association between owning

an iPod and the response: ‘I bought an iPod because it does everything I want’, x2 (4) =
16.74, p < .002, with 66.2% agreeing (Figure 7).
Similarly, in the OAPF tests, an extremely significant association between

owning an iPhone and the response: ‘I bought an iPhone because it does everything I
want’, x2 (4) = 19.45, p < .001, with 92% agreeing (Figure 8).
With strongly significant responses with at least one response for all three Apple
products in the OAPP tests, the alternative hypothesis is accepted. Table 5 summarises
the results below. For a selection of SPSS contingency tables, please refer to Appendix 6,
throughout this study. To develop the research further, insights were then sought
through qualitative methods.
25
Figure 6: Mac owners who bought their Macs because they ‘looked cool’
Figure 5: Mac owners who bought their Macs because they ‘did everything’
26
Figure 7: iPod owners who bought their iPods because it ‘does everything’
Figure 8: iPhone owners who bought their iPhone because it ‘does everything’
27
Summary table
Table 5: Summary of statistical findings of OAPB and OAPF tests
The majority of Apple staff stated the prime motivator for consumers buying an
Apple product was its functionality. It was the user experience which was the most
important factor. However, prior to that during the late 90s, Respondent Two
highlighted the importance of advertising and positioning the brand as a lifestyle product
to regain trust and acknowledgement. After succeeding, it repositioned itself as a
manufacturer of functional products. Respondent three, however, furthered: there was a
possibility that Apple, with its increased success, build quality and high prices, had started
to command a luxury brand and lifestyle image for some consumers.
Interestingly, Figure 9 a recent advert produced by Apple to advertise the latest

range of Macbooks, communicates to the viewer using very functional pulls such as
‘precision engineering’, and ‘advanced technology’, to attract consumers’ attention.
28
Qualitative: Apple staff interviews
Respondent Nationality Key response insights
One British ‘Branding is entirely dependant on the products and services. The
key factor is the user experience.
‘If your brand is a sticker on an ordinary product, then no one will
buy in to that on a deeper level.’
Two British ‘It depends. From 1997 to about the early 2000s, Apple did
emphasise on an emotional connection to the brand, we had the
‘Think Different’ campaign to re-reach out to consumers. Now it’s
about product quality, people who are fed up with Windows. But I
suspect there may possibly be an element of ‘cool’ as a reason to
go for an iPod.’
Three German ‘With Apple you can’t separate between brand and product. The
image of the brand and the functionality are identical: simple
paired with cool design.
‘But Apple’s becoming a status symbol too. People buy a shuffle
even though there maybe another one with more features at the
same price.
‘It started with the ‘Think Different’ campaign which made many
of the users proud to be a Mac-head.’
Table 6: Apple staff opinions of Apple as either a brand or product
Figure 9: The MacBook Pro Family, functionally positioned (Image: TM © 2009 Apple Inc.)
The majority of both Apple and non-Apple consumer respondents revealed

(Table 7), that among other factors, functionality was prime, requiring the product to be a
‘workhorse’, and have ‘everything they ever needed’, with many non-Apple owners
displaying a very apathetic attitude to change. Some of the younger Apple respondents,
however, explained the quality and design of Apple’s products enabled them to ‘show
29
off’ their products to others with the image of an expensive, yet quality brand. All
respondents wanted a brand with a reputation for quality, yet at the same time, didn’t
want to ‘favour one mega corp’. Indeed, one of the most interesting findings was the
strong brand awareness of all consumers, with some explaining their growing distaste for
Apple’s brand image itself. Respondents described Apple as ‘whoring itself out’, in its bid
to cater for every consumer, and in one case even, ‘evil’, personified through a distaste
for its main brand personality, Steve Jobs, the CEO.
Qualitative insights: Interviews

Apple owner: No. Of Non-Apple owner: No. Of
Key insights similar Key insights similar
responses responses
Age 30 Male Pakistani 9 Age 53 Male British 8
Owns an iPod ‘Just a utilitarian thing really. It
‘I find it very easy to use and got should just be a workhorse.
everything in it which I ever
needed’. ‘We used to joke that engineers
could work with a mug of coffee in
Age 27 Male Asian British 9
one hand and a keyboard in the
Owns all three other, whilst architects would have
‘I wouldn’t describe it as a bond. But to juggle around’.
you build a level of trust in the
brand after seeing several products
that work well and are market
leaders in their respective areas’.
‘Also, since PCs still dominate the 3
market, compatibility issues are
definitely present’.
Age 55 Male British 2 ‘But I’m not interested in buying 3
the latest, cutting-edge technology
Owns a Mac
- I’m not an early adopter’.
‘As regards customisable features, I
wouldn’t know where to begin to
customise a computer – cover it in
fake fur? Put wheels on it?!’
Age 23 Male Asian British 2 ‘I think it’s weird being locked in - 1

Owns an iPod and favouring one mega corp, why
‘I can't quite put my finger on it, but should I care about them? I’ve stuck
there's something very sleazy about with Windows despite how bad
Apple, I don’t know. It just seems they are because of compatibility’.
like they've whored themselves’.
Age 23 Female British 5 Age 19 Male British 1
Owns all three Apple products ‘The thing that I really don’t like
30
‘I was interested in its differential about Apple is that it represents an
appeal and its stylish appearance. It evil corporation, Microsoft are the
has a strong brand image that suits good guys and Apple are the evil
me as I associate it with a sexy, corp. You seen Steve Jobs? He looks
young, intelligent, and stylish/posh evil.’
alternative to an outdated PC. It’s all Age 21 Male Asian British 2
about being able to show off ‘I looked for brand reputation for
successfully.’ quality foremost I suppose’.
Table 7: Consumers' motivations when buying or not buying an Apple product
The focus group (Table 8) supported the majority of views expressed in the
interviews. Interestingly, when Apple, or Mac, respondents persuaded PC owners to
purchase a Mac, and vice versa, all respondents cited functional reasons to change. Both
Mac and PC respondents cited the reliability, the simplicity and advancement of their
computer operating system over the other. However, when talking self-relevantly, one
Apple owner, rather embarrassedly admitted to being persuaded by Dell’s adverts and
fun, colourful imagery.
When privately evaluating each others’ arguments (Table 9), the focus group
respondents all assessed each others’ arguments on their ability to persuade using
functional reasons. Although, some respondents felt that they had gained an increased
understanding of the types of consumers who bought Mac or PCs.
Qualitative insights: Focus group activities one and four

Mac respondents PC respondents
‘I just think a Mac is really easy to use, like my ‘We like PCs because they offer the same
Grandma can use my Mac and she likes it and programs as Macs, and other programmes that
she didn’t know how to use a PC, and she got are on Macs are more for people who do like
very confused.’ animation and stuff like that, which is just not
the majority of people and so we don’t need
‘It’s much smoother to use a Mac, it’s much that.’
simpler, everything is just there in front of you.
They are quite practical.’ ‘We feel that PCs are a lot better for things like
games and everything like that. Software is more
‘I like the design *of Macs+, the sound, the designed for PCs in the first place so problems
colours, the way it works the whole thing, come up a lot more to do with Macs.’
something many people identify themselves
with. ‘We think they’re easier to navigate, easier to
customise them.’
‘If I had to buy a PC I would buy a Dell. That is
based on the fact that like, I know it sounds ‘I think what Microsoft’s done now is they are
really stupid, but...adverts and stuff like that actually copying Mac which is why I like it a lot
31
they look more fun and they look nicer and they, more because it’s really, really user friendly and
you know, they’re always in collaborations like also looks as good as Mac now.’
Windows Vista and stuff like that.’
Table 8: Focus group findings of consumers' reasons to buy a Mac or PC
Respondents’ private evaluations of each others’ arguments

Mac owners: No. Of PC owners: No. Of
What respondents liked about the similar What respondents liked about the similar
opposing team’s arguments responses opposing team’s arguments responses
Age 19 Female Slovak 2 Age 20 Female US 3
‘They addressed the more important ‘They had many valid reasons to
issues first like, compatibility with use Macs and personal experiences
other products, professional use and to back it up, but I still believe they
practicality of PC’s.’ did not have an answer for why
they were so expensive and I don’t
agree that they’re as user friendly
as they suggested.’
Age 19 Female British Age 21 Male British
‘They demonstrated why PCs are ‘Made me understand why people
better from the point of view of the buy Macs and understand there is a
particular type of person who might difference between them. But
benefit / enjoy the use of a PC failed to convince me there is a
more’. point to get a Mac over a PC.’
Table 9: Respondents' evaluations of each other's arguments
On the whole, consumers, purchase with functional motivations. However, this

is not to say brand is unimportant. Brand as well as functionality, influenced younger
consumers affected consumers.
32
Effects of consumers’ background characteristics
Further chi - square tests for independence were undertaken to explore the
relationship and associations between consumers’ backgrounds: nationality, age or gender
and buying an Apple product for its brand in the OAPB tests. These tests were
undertaken on a total sample size of 103.
The null hypothesis for the OAPB tests:

Ho In the OAPB tests, there is no association between background
groupings: age, nationality and gender and purchasing an Apple product
for its brand.
The Alternative hypothesis the OAPB tests:

Ha In the OAPB tests, there are associations between background
groupings and purchasing an Apple product for its brand.

There were no associations between consumers’ age and their buying an Apple
product for brand related reasons.

There was an extremely significant association between consumers’ nationality
and the response ‘I am personally attached to my iPhone’, x2 (18) = 29.52, p < .002,
55.2% of all respondents to this assertion, with 61.1% of British iPhone owners agreeing
(Figure 10). There was also a significant association between consumers’ gender and the
response ‘I bought an iPod because it felt more like me’, x2 (2) = 6.991, p < .03, with
males more or less spread out, but the majority of females, 62.5%, being mostly apathetic
to this reasoning (Figure 11). There was a highly significant association between
consumers’ gender against the response ‘I bought an iPod because of the adverts’, x2 (2)
33
= 7.639, p < .022, with the majority of females, 58.1%, being apathetic to this reasoning
and the majority of males strongly averse to this, 66.7% (Figure 12).
Figure 10: The different nationalities of iPhone owners personally attached to their iPhones
Figure 11: Different genders of iPod owners who bought their iPods as they felt more like them
34
Figure 12: The genders of iPod owners who bought their iPods because of the advertising
Inconclusive results
There was a bordering significant association between consumers’ age and the
response: ‘I am personally attached to my iPod’, x2 (8) = 15.24, p < .055. Motulsky (2009)
suggests noting a bordering p-value as ‘inconclusive’. Despite this, amongst younger age
groups, the distribution was more or less equally spread out. Only respondents aged
between 18 and 35 felt a personal attachment to their iPod, 36.1%. Interestingly, all the
older age groups, 36-65, were either apathetic or disagreed with this assertion (Figure 13).
35
Figure 13: The ages of iPod users who felt personally attached to their iPods
Summary table
Table 10: Summary table of respondents’ backgrounds and associations in OAPG and OAPF tests
36
Further OAPF tests were conducted to evaluate possible associations between
consumers’ backgrounds: nationality, age or gender and buying an Apple product for its
functionality.
The null hypothesis for the OAPF tests:

Ho In the OAPF tests, there was no association between background
groupings: age, nationality and gender and purchasing an Apple product
for its functional benefits.

Ha In the OAPF tests, there were associations between background
groupings and purchasing an Apple product for its functional benefits.

There were no significant associations between consumers’ age or gender and
purchasing an Apple product for its functional benefits.
Table 10 summarises the responses from the survey. Whilst females tended to be
more apathetic towards branding, males strongly disagreed to being influenced by
advertising. Age appeared to play a factor too: younger consumers were personally
attached to their product. Intriguingly, no significant association between the variables of
nationality, and brand/functionality emerged.
Two Apple respondents supported the results from the survey, one suggesting
that cultural or national background played no part in purchase decisions, whereas
Respondent Two suggested a minor variation in consumers: ‘consumer’ and
‘professional’ customers (Table 11). Respondent Three, however, mentioned the
possibility of the varying levels of brand importance as dependent on consumers’ cultural
backgrounds.
37
Qualitative insights: Apple staff interviews
One British ‘There is certainly the idea with a brand like Apple – where Apple are
essentially exporting a dose of California to the world – that they are
buying into an ideal, or a dream. That is just escapism.
‘However, these devices are expensive for the majority of international
consumers, and they are not going to invest in a product that does not
suit their needs.’
Two British ‘Not all Apple owners are the same as each other, no. That’s why we
have the different types of products to fit our different consumers,
professional and consumer end.’
Three German ‘I guess for an US consumer the branding is much more important than
for example an Indian consumer.
‘We both know that it’s not a brand control, but brand dictatorship -
and it’s good the way it is. But at some point in the future it might
happen that you can get more local in some things.’
Table 11: Apple staff opinions on consumers' backgrounds affecting purchase decisions
Qualitative insights: Researchers’ observational findings

Apple’s official response to consumer differences is displayed in, Figure 14 – 16.
Figure 14 demonstrates Apple’s perceived differences between its iPhone consumers.
Corroborating with Apple Staff Respondent Two, the different adverts target their two
different perceived customers: ‘consumer; and ‘professional’, through a subtle change in
messaging and product benefits. The focus is on the functionality of the item, as a
Figure 14: The iPhone for everyone (left to right: In The Observer Magazine, and in The Economist) TM © 38
2010
Apple Inc.
necessity for life and business, not as a lifestyle image.
Figures 15 and 16, illustrate a ‘one-size-fits-all’ attitude to different cultural and

national markets, using examples of two campaigns in two very different markets.
‘Localisation’ for these adverts consisted specifically in a direct translation of the original
American copy into the fourteen different EMEIA languages, with slight variations in the
copy to avoid linguistically confusing or conflicting messages from direct translation. For
every launch, the same procedures were undertaken, directly translating American copy,
without any cultural or social variations. If there were any slight changes not due to
linguistic differences, this was down to legal requirements within a country.
Figure 15: The iPhone 3G's expansive selection of apps caters for every moment in life (from left to right: advert
used in the UK and Polish markets) TM © 2009 Apple Inc.
39
Figure 16: The MacBook Unibody launch (from left to right: advert used in UK market and advert used in Turkish
market) TM © 2009 Apple Inc.

Apple owner: Key insights Non-Apple owner: Key insights
Age 26 Female Chinese Age 61 Male Jordanian
‘For high-tech or digital products, I feel that, most ‘In Jordan the iPhone is marketed and perceived
of Chinese consumers are not sophisticated by people as more of a luxury item. You have to
enough to fully aware different features of the pay 950 Jordanian Dinars that’s £839, as much as
product, as the high-tech and digital products a Mac in the UK. It’s a lot of money, especially as
have only entered the Chinese market for one or the top average Jordanian’s salary is £1,300 [a
two decades. month].
‘Another cultural or social reason is, big brands ‘So when a Jordanian buys an iPhone it’s a
always associate with high social status. As it is a statement, a status symbol to others, not
non-class society in China, one would tend to use something to be taken lightly.’
big brands to show his/her high social status.
‘Also Chinese society is more family-oriental, most

of examples that are successfully launched in
Chinese market had an appeal of strengthening
the connection within family.
‘So ... Chinese consumers make purchasing

decision more depending on the big brand.
Table 12: Insights which emerged from consumers interviews regarding consumer backgrounds
40
Despite this, consumers of both Apple and non-Apple products (Table 12) from
different nationalities both cited the importance of brand as a major influencer for their
fellow national consumers. The Jordanian respondent explained the higher price of
Apple’s products than in the UK, as lending Apple’s products as ‘status symbols’. The
Chinese respondent furthered this suggesting Chinese consumers being less educated,
and in a classless society, were more likely to purchase ‘big brand’ names as status
symbols. Indeed, focus group research (Table 13) supported the interview insights,
suggesting possible problems with Apple’s approach.

‘I think that people buy Macs for different ‘Definitely being brought up is important
reasons than PCs. PCs are more like to do with because I’ve been brought up as when
like functionality and power and stuff like that. computers were just starting to become popular
and so I’ve known what, fifteen years of having a
‘People buy Macs because they’re useful for computer, and so I’ve used just PCs since then.
design and stuff like that. The types of people So I will probably never go to Macs just because
who buy them, like the majority of people who of that reason.’
buy them are creative students so they like them
because they stand out and they look nice in ‘I think it depends on where you live, your
terms of designs... society and like people around you, if you’re
encouraged for example to buy branded
‘Boys prefer, more so than girls, to buy branded clothes.’
stuff. I had to buy Christmas presents for my
boyfriend and I knew that if I bought him
something from Fred Perry that would be ok
because whatever I bought it would be ok
because he likes that brand and everything in
there is quite simple, but if I just bought the
same thing for him from Topshop he wouldn’t
like it. So he finds it really hard because I don’t
really like brands and stuff I like patterns and
colours.’
Table 13: Focus group insights on consumer backgrounds
41
Effects of group influence
Chi - square tests were conducted to explore relationships between ownership of
Apple products, and group influence when purchasing. Different categories of
respondents were tested against responses to brand.

Ho In the Owning an Apple Product for Group (OAPG) tests, there is no
association between owning an Apple Product and having purchased it
because of a brand community.
Alternative:
Ha In the OAPG tests there is or are associations between owning an
Apple Product and having purchased it because of a brand community.

The majority of tests suggested no significant associations between owners of
Apple products and being influenced by a wider brand community when purchasing.

Only the response ‘I bought a Mac because everyone had one’, had a significant
association amongst the different nationalities of respondents, x2 (6) = 13.24, p < .039,
with 73.8% of respondents replying negatively to this assertion, the UK being the largest
group responding negatively at 87.1% (Figure 17).
42
Figure 17: Nationalities of Mac owners who bought their Macs because ‘everyone else had one'
Response P-Value Functional or Brand? Conclusions

‘Bought a Mac 0.039 Neither The majority, 73.8% responded
because everyone had negatively to this. The proportion
one’ of respondents’ nationalities who
most disagreed with this notion
was the UK with 87.1% of the UK
portion of the sample of Mac
owners.
Table 14: Respondents owning Apple products and being influenced by brand communities
Rather than group influence, such as brand community, as a motivator, Table 14

illustrates a strong backlash. Although Apple Respondent Three (Table 15) suggests the
possibility of consumer groups being important, Table 16 supports the statistics with
consumers explaining the desire to be different was a strong motivator against Apple
products, due to their homogenous marketing and simplified product range.
43
Qualitative insights: Apple staff interviews
Three German ‘I think it’s more important for people to have an iPod or iPhone
because you can carry it around and show that you’re member of the
club, while a Mac is mostly at home.’
Table 15: Apple staff insights into group influence

responses responses
Age 23 Male Asian British 2 Age 19 Male British 3
Owns an iPod only ‘Everyone uses Apple products
‘I don't like that everyone owns an because they’re popular etc... the
iPod (If that's a reason)... I mean It's thing is getting one would be like
like a fashion accessory nowadays. following the herd, and I don’t
You have to have the latest one and really want to do that. It’s kind of
what not. Well at least that's how like if you have a room full of
some girls I know seem to view It as, people with Macs and PCs there’ll
same goes for the iPhone. be more Macs that look the same
than PCs. I don’t want to be
‘I feel like the way apple has following like a sheep.’
marketed Itself is like its cool club
and everyone has to be part of it to Age 61 Male Jordanian 2
be cool. Well not me’! ‘Owning an Apple product is a
Age 21 Female British 2 status symbol to others’.
Owns all three products
‘I got it because it was
recommended to me by so many
people whereas not many people
recommended me to buy a PC, there
wasn’t that same enthusiasm’.
Table 16: Consumer interview insights into group influence
It seemed that consumers only required group influence when seeking advice,
beyond that, being part of a group and appearing as another ‘sheep’ was undesirable.
44
Effects of economic restraint
Chi - square tests were conducted, exploring the relationship between ownership
of Apple products and economic restraint when purchasing. Different categories of
respondents, were tested against responses to brand.

Ho In the Owning an Apple Product for Economy (OAPE) tests, there is
no association between owning an Apple Product and having purchased it
for economical related reasons.
Alternative:
Ha In the OAPE tests there is or are associations between owning an
Apple Product and having purchased it for economical related reasons.

The majority of tests, suggested that there were no significant associations
between owners of Apple products and purchasing an Apple product for value.

Only the response: ‘I bought an iPhone because it was great value, had a
significant association amongst the different nationalities of respondents, x2 (2) = 6.75, p
< .034, with the majority, 48% of respondents replying negatively to this assertion
(Figure 18).
45
Figure 18: The nationalities of iPhone users who bought their iPods because they were ‘great
value’
Summary table
Response P-Value Brand or Functional? Conclusions

‘I bought an iPhone 0.034 Neither The majority, 48% of
because it was great respondents replying
value’ negatively to this assertion.
Table 17: Respondents who didn't think the iPhone was great value
Results in Table 17 support the findings from the qualitative studies (Figures 18
– 20). Economic restraint was an important inhibitor for purchasing an Apple product.
However, Apple consumers explained that the quality of Apple products saved money in
the long term as cheaper alternatives failed sooner.
46
Qualitative insights: Apple staff interview
Two British ‘The world wide share of Mac users is about 2-3%. A big reason for
that is you have a lot of consumers in Asia who just can’t afford a
Mac.’
Table 18: Insights into economic restraint from Apple staff interviews

responses responses
Age 23 Male Asian British 2 Age 21 Male British 9
Owns an iPod ‘Probably price is the main obstacle
‘If you enjoy listening to music, you for me at the moment, though they
have to have one those bitches would also have to work hard to
because nothing else is as cheap and overcome the brand loyalties I’ve
spacious as it.’ developed for other companies.
How’d they do that, I’m not sure.’
Age 21 Female British 5 Age 53 Male British 2
Owns all three Apple products ‘The trouble is that I’d have to
‘Most of my friends bought PCs update a number of different
when they first came to uni they no programs I have that I’d have to pay
longer have them whereas my money for. It would cost me more
boyfriend still has his Mac from to pay for a Mac generally and than
then. It costs more at first but if its a Windows machine as I’d have all
long lasting then it’s costing you less the software update costs.’
in the long run.
Age 26 Female Chinese 5
Owns Mac and iPod
‘I don’t own an iPhone because it’s
too expensive, and I don’t really
need it’.
Table 19: Insights into economic restraint from consumer interview

‘The thing about Macs is that they are more ‘I think it also depends on where you are in life.
expensive but they’re better value for money Like, as a student I’m more likely to buy a Tesco
because all my friends have PCs, they’ve broken brand because like I don’t have money and it’s
from like minor, really irritating little ways. My cheaper, just because I’d rather have that money
Mac has never broken in two-and-a-half years for other...you know what I mean? I don’t know
that I’ve had it and I don’t know anybody else if everyone’s like that but I like save and I’m like
really whose Macs have broken.’ oh, this is like ten pence.’
Table 20: Insights into economic restraint from focus group
47
Effects of product type
For comparative purposes, chi - square tests were conducted, exploring
associations between Apple product ownership and brand motivation when purchasing a
range of unrelated products. The unrelated products were: footwear, clothing, chocolate,
washing detergent and toilet paper. Responses were calculated on a scale between one
and four, one: the respondent was very much motivated by the product, four: the
respondent was very much motivated by the brand.

Ho In the Motivations of Buying an Unrelated Product (MBUP) tests, there
is no association between owning an Apple Product and purchasing
unrelated products for brand. Nor is there an association between owning
an Apple product and purchasing unrelated products for functional
benefits.

Ha In the MBUP tests, there is an association between owning an Apple
Product and purchasing unrelated products for brand. In addition, there is
an association between owning an Apple product and purchasing unrelated
products for functional benefits.
Results which supported the null hypothesis

There were no associations between owning an Apple product and purchasing
footwear, trousers, a chocolate bar, washing detergent or toilet paper for brand or
product.
Within MBUP, further tests evaluated possible associations between background

groupings: nationality, age or gender and buying an unrelated product for either the
brand or the products’ functional benefits.
48
The null hypothesis for MBUP:
Ho In the MBUP tests, there are no associations between backgrounds:
age, nationality and gender and purchasing unrelated products for brand.
In addition, there are no associations between background groupings and
purchasing unrelated products for functionality.
Alternative hypothesis:
Ha In the MBUP tests, there are associations between backgrounds and
purchasing unrelated products for brand. In addition, there are associations
between backgrounds and purchasing un related products for functionality.
when purchasing footwear:
Results which supported the null hypothesis

There was a significant association between the nationality of respondents and
brand against product importance when purchasing footwear x2 (42) = 58.34, p < .048,
49
with 84.5% of respondents basing their decisions on functional product benefits (Figure
19). Similarly, there was also an association between the nationality of respondents and
the level of brand vs product importance when purchasing chocolate x2 (42) = 60.57, p <
.032, with 56.3% of respondents admitting to the brand being ‘somewhat important’
when purchasing (Figure 20).
Results which supported the alternative hypothesis

There were no significant associations between either the gender or age of
respondents and the level of brand against product importance when purchasing non
Apple related products.
when purchasing chocolate
50
Summary Table
Table 21: Types of products and their differing levels of brand or product importance according to respondents
Table 21 demonstrates the differing scale of importance of branding as

dependant upon the product category or type, and the nationality of respondents. As per
the findings in ‘Consumer Background Characteristics’, the countries which tended to
place more of an importance had a traditionally less developed consumer culture.
When considering Coca-Cola, Apple staff respondents highlighted very

conflicting opinions: Respondent One stated Coca-Cola’s brand still depended upon its
product quality, wheras Respondent Three, citing the ‘New Coke’ example, explained it
as purely psychological, and dependant on branding. Any product categories which were
difficult to distinguish between in terms of quality, relied on branding and packaging
design.
51
Qualitative insights: Interviews with Apple staff
One British ‘Many ‘brand experts’ have said that the Coca-Cola brand is worth
more than the rest of the company put together. This is nonsense.
If you were to split the company, so that one party left with the so
called brand, and the other left with the secret recipe, then what
would the party with the brand do with it? It can’t sell Coca-Cola –
the version that the public demands.
‘The only caveat to this is history, where a company (such as

Mercedes, Nokia, Motorola) have a history of great products, and
maintain that reputation (to some degree) even when they have a
run of poor products. The longer the history of good products then
the longer the “brand” will support them when they produce poor
products.’
Three German ‘Coca Cola is one of the companies where the brand is even more
important than the product. I am sure if the change of the drink
formula would have happened in silence and not too dramatic...
nothing would have happened.
‘I think that products which can’t differ from similar products e.g.
cigarettes it’s obviously the brand which is leading. I’ll always look
at the box of my toothpaste. If it looks great, I’ll buy it. But my
hoover has to be a Dyson because it looks great and works simple.
‘Although I can buy a Toyota with all its features, I would prefer to
buy a smaller Mercedes/Porsche/BMW for the same price.’
Table 22: Insights into other product types from Apple staff
Respondent three’s perspective supports the brand owner of Dr Martens’.

Interestingly, the Dr Martens brand owner suggested there were many different types of
Dr Martens consumers who purchased with the various different factors in mind. It was
never a straight forward brand over functionality question, rather, the brand was often
determined through the product quality and its history of quality. However, the brand
owner acknowledged there were anomalies and differing factors dependent on individual
consumers.
52
Qualitative insights: Interview with Dr Martens brand owner
Themes Key response insights
General: ‘For some, *Dr Martens+ is a fashion icon. Others buy it because it’s in the magazines.
Brand vs. Then there is people that like the original image of the brand. In addition, most
Product people know that this is a quality product that will last you for a very long time.’
‘But it all depends what the company is known for. If Dr. Martens would suddenly
lower its quality, people would stop buying it.’
Consumers’ ‘For some, *Dr Martens+ is a fashion icon. Others buy it because it’s in the magazines.
backgrounds Then there is people that like the original image of the brand. In addition, most
people know that this is a quality product that will last you for a very long time.’
‘But it all depends what the company is known for. If Dr. Martens would suddenly
lower its quality, people would stop buying it.’
Group ‘Some buy a product like DM because they want to follow a certain fad.’
influence
Financial ‘High quality in any product category is very important. The problem though involves
restraint that high quality implies a higher price which some are not willing/able to pay.
Cheaper brands like Converse and Crocs produce low quality but their product sells,
well at least for now.’
Table 23: Insights into Dr Martens positioning from brand owner
Qualitative insights: Focus group activity two

To test implicit motivations, respondents selected their favourite and worst
Liked adverts
Mac owners PC owners
Chanel Louis Vuitton
‘Artistic and well designed ad just like ‘Highlights product.

the clothes. They look so glamorous ‘Small details arranged nicely, shoes
and beautiful’. are nice, colors work well (good
choice).
‘Classy, sexy, I would buy everything ‘Targets audience well’.
the female model is wearing’.
53
Figure 21: Adverts respondents liked in activity two
adverts out of a selection of print adverts and explain their choices, under time pressure.
The findings seemed to vary with Mac respondents being particularly attracted to clear
advertising with limited copy, but stylish images. PC respondents, however, were more
motivated by adverts which explained and arranged the product well: glamour was
unimportant.
Disliked adverts
HP Patek Philippe
‘Doesn’t sell product!’ ‘Colours are bland / bad.

‘I don’t like the design. ‘Not much to catch the eye.
‘Choice of words don’t sound ‘Not enough information.
appealing’. ‘Confused about message.
‘No arrangement of words.
‘Price is not THAT attractive, ‘Very boring’.
busy, cheap no aspect of design,
too much going on, confusing, too
much writing and technology’.
Figure 22: Adverts respondents didn't like in activity two
54
Qualitative insights: Focus group activity three
Gaining insights into consumers’ implicit opinions, respondents created adverts
under time pressure, for five products: footwear, clothing, chocolate, washing detergent
and toilet paper, and discussed the adverts for products they found the easiest and those
they found the most difficult to communicate. Intriguingly, Mac respondents produced
ideas graphically through sketches and colour, whereas PC respondents expressed their
ideas textually. Adverts which both groups found easy to create were those where a
qualitative or brand image difference were more apparent, particularly in footwear and
clothing.
Easy adverts
Footwear Clothing
‘Our first one that we quite liked and ‘We decided to do bras and
was quite easy to come up with was lingerie...A lot of people love Lady
our shoe one. We thought we’d do Gaga right now so we decided...it’s
like a sort of glamorous shoe but take sort of shocking, it catches your
it out of the glamorous attention... she has a white polar bear
situation...there’s a lot of daylight... fur coat thing. And her like bra and
she’s wearing a really nice shoe, she’s underwear are like either red or black
got really sexy legs... she could be or something that like, you know,
going anywhere and it’s supposed to obviously stands out... we just
show the practicality combined with thought that was... I mean, lingerie I
like the glamour of the shoe.’ think generally tends to be more like
suggestive. Yeah, and I think Lady
Gaga is ... quite controversial.’
Figure 23: Adverts respondents found easy to create in activity three
55
Both groups found toilet paper difficult to advertise, unable to competitively
differentiate it. As one respondent explained ‘I don’t really care about it’, and another:
‘it’s not going to leave the toilet’, implying no real need for showing off to others, it was
purely functional. In fact toilet paper was so unimportant that one respondent chose ‘the
first thing they saw’ on a supermarket shelf. For certain products such as toilet paper,
then, brand packaging is important.
Difficult adverts
Toilet paper Toilet paper
‘The only way you sell toilet paper is if ‘The hardest one to do was probably
it's cheap. You can't really sell… do the toilet paper just because I don’t
you want to make this toilet paper really care much about it...we needed
scented or do you want to change the to come up with basically our own
colour of the toilet paper. Nobody ideas but for that one we literally just
needs to buy maybe a flowery toilet copied another advert. The one where
paper because it is not going to leave they’re in the factory and there’s just
the toilet….so there is no advantage. toilet paper everywhere and like
Yeah, the cost… yeah it's a necessity. people are falling off and just landing
It's the cost and maybe it's soft like in it.’
the Tesco ones are very hard.'
Figure 24: Adverts respondents found difficult to create in activity three
56
Finally, the last discussion activity of the focus group (Table 24) summarised all
the findings. For some products, such as fashion, it depended on the person themselves
whether they were influenced by brand or product. It was difficult to generalise.
Qualitative insights: Focus group activity four

Mac ‘Well like in fashion and stuff sometimes it depends like what kind of person you
respondents are, because sometimes you want to look good based on the fact that something is
really nicely designed, or like an interesting pattern or something, but then at other
times you might just buy a t-shirt like if you bought like a Fred Perry polo shirt it
would literally be just like a black polo shirt with a Fred Perry logo on it and that’s,
you know, a really boring.’
Table 24: Insights into differing products from focus group discussion
57
Discussion and conclusions
Analysis of findings
The results supported the third main hypothesis as set out in the literature
review, that a consumer’s reliance on either branding or product to make a purchasing
decision relies heavily on their social background, economic situation and the product
type. Consumers’ public insistence that a product’s functional benefits are the most
important factor when purchasing, is contradicted by further analysis of subconscious
motivations. There is an equally strong bias towards brand when purchasing, particularly
amongst younger generations who are persuaded by the whole package of functional and
non-functional benefits.
General self-expression against product benefits

Apple’s official and its staff view of its branding rely on functionality. For staff
functionality was the strongest motivating factor in determining a purchase, however
conceding that, for some, it was gradually becoming a status symbol. The third staff
member suggested that motivations for purchasing an Apple product largely rested on
functionality, save for one point in the late 1990s when, to boost sales and gain
recognition, Apple invested heavily in branding and advertising.
The opinions of the staff are corroborated in the statistical analysis of the
consumer survey. The majority of statistical results described no significant association
(at an alpha value of <.05) between purchasing an Apple product and being influenced by
the brand. Despite this, a majority of respondents were strongly attached to their
iPhones. This is, however, relatively ambiguous as to brand focussed motivations for
purchasing. Given the lack of significant results in the other OAPB tests, this result
seems to indicate an emotional bond is fostered between iPhone users and their iPhones
in post purchase consumer behaviour, perhaps due to repeated use, hinting at the later
discovered functional pleasures of an iPhone. Results, however, differed amongst the
different product types. Indeed, iPod owners asserted against the idea of buying their
iPods for the look and design, in contrast to Mac users who cited aesthetic reasons for
purchase. This suggests a difference in the functional needs of inter-Apple products.
58
The majority of respondents interviewed also cited reasons for product
functionality when purchasing. The attitudinal differences which emerged were
intriguing. Older respondents explained reasons purely based on functional motivations
for purchasing finding brand motivations bizarre, whereas younger respondents cited a
combination of both motivational factors, with the brand acting as a strong influencer or
deal breaker. In all age groups, bad branding, and a growing suspicion against Apple
lessened their likelihood of purchasing an Apple product. However, focus group findings
suggested that, when convincing others to purchase an Apple product, respondents relied
heavily on functional benefits, and when being convinced, expected functional reasons to
purchase an Apple product.
Talking self-relevantly, Mac owners were quick to explain, albeit slightly

embarrassed, that they preferred Macs because of the brand image as well as the
functionality. One Mac owner explained had they to choose a PC a Dell was best as it
had the most engaging adverts and brand imagery. These results were also supported by
the findings when respondents were asked to choose and explain their favourite
advertisements, Mac respondents cited brand imagery and positioning whereas PC
respondents preferred adverts with high informational content. These findings indicate a
different set of requirements for Mac and PC owners, one that is acknowledged by Mac
owners when attempting to convince PC owners to purchase a Mac using arguments
loaded with functional benefits.
Effects of social background

Oddly, looking deeper at respondents’ backgrounds, the most statistically
significant results occurred when respondents spoke against branding. Certain
backgrounds develop a stronger bias against brand influence than others, particularly
present within Asian British interview respondents, who, although in some cases owned
at least one Apple product, were averse to Apple’s overall brand image. Again, however,
iPhone owners and their particularly strong, yet ambiguous, attachment to the product
correlated with respondents’ nationality: UK respondents were attached to their iPhones.
Reliance on brand depends to a large extent on socio-cultural backgrounds.

Interview analysis revealed that consumers in poorer countries, when able to, were more
59
willing to purchase an Apple product as a status symbol rather than for its functional
benefits. This was largely due to economic constraints, social customs and an
unsophisticated, less developed market, a view touched upon by only one Apple staff
respondent. This view was backed by the focus group respondents who stated their
decisions to purchase was largely dictated by their personal, social customs and
family/upbringing.
Females are apathetic or unconcerned by the branding or advertising. This

contrasted against a strong backdrop of male respondents’ statistics which stated against
being influenced by branding. This seems to be a trend contradicted by findings from the
focus group which revealed that females felt their male counterparts were more focused
on branding. Focus group research also highlighted an important finding: the Apple
product purchased depended upon the person and their ability to choose the right
product for their need.
The only striking psychological difference between Mac and PC respondents in

the focus group, was in their levels of creativity. Although there were no differences
between Apple and PC consumers in terms of which products they found easy or
difficult to communicate in advertising, there was a strong distinction in the way their
ideas were communicated. Apple users produced colourful sketches and drawings for all
their ideas, whereas PC consumers displayed more verbose ideas, opting for prose
explanations, suggesting a possible psychological and creative difference between the
consumers.
Family and social upbringing is an important factor in developing purchase

decision making criteria. A hitherto unconsidered insight, both Apple and non-Apple
respondents from the focus group and interviews revealed the importance of their family
upbringing, and familiarity when determining a purchase. Depending on the importance
of the product, consumers purchase according to personally known standards and
brands, being rather reluctant to make radical changes. Should they be very unsatisfied
with a current brand, consumers seek specific advice on expanding to different brands,
from close friends.
60
Effects of group influence
Despite the evidence to support consumer’s social backgrounds and groupings
as a strong factor determining their motivation, there were no statistically significant
associations between owning an Apple product and having purchased it because of the
influence of a wider brand community. Rather, Mac owners answered strongly against
this assertion, with interviews corroborating this revealing that both Apple and non-
Apple owners alike stated the increasing number of consumers owning an Apple product
was a growing deterrent, lessening the brand’s appeal as unique and different. As new
comers to Apple, brand community was only useful when required for product
recommendations from close friends. A possible explanation for these findings may lie
in an inherent desire to at once appear unique and different, but also an inner private
desire to belong to a wider group of brand users, as Papyrina’s (2008) findings.
Economic constraints
Statistical analysis revealed that the majority of Apple owners surveyed felt Apple
products were not good value. This provides an interesting contradiction to the interview
and focus group results where respondents felt that, although Apple products were
expensive to purchase initially, Apple products had better functionality, lasting longer,
and were therefore good value in the long term. Despite this, interview and focus group
analysis revealed that non Apple owners were unconvinced, feeling that this was not a
good enough reason to purchase an Apple product. They stated that, regardless of brand
image or product quality, high purchase costs were a significant deterrent, and in some
cases were the only deterrent to purchasing an Apple product.
Effects of product type

Interestingly, despite Kahney’s (2006), explanation of Apple as a ‘cult’ or way of
life, there are no statistically significant associations between owning an Apple product
and the likelihood of choosing a product from a different category for either its brand or
its functional benefits. The statistical analysis did not reveal any associations between
61
nationalities and the likelihood of purchasing either of the above products for brand or
product related reasons. Insights from the Dr Martens interview, however, strongly
indicate consumers’ backgrounds as an important indicator of brand against product
importance when purchasing footwear. Of note, however, was the strong role price plays
in deterring consumers from poorer countries and backgrounds from being able to buy
well produced products, often relying on unbranded, poorer quality goods. This
corroborates Strinati’s (2004) criticism against Baudrillard’s (1981) points on brand image
as a main driver for consumption, and in turn goes against King’s (1971) arguments.
It seems, as one of the Apple staff respondents also explains, that consumers rely
more on branding differences when purchasing quickly disposable, FMCG products,
such as chocolate, than they would for products such as footwear, where a strong
qualitative difference was more easily distinguishable. Coca Cola’s ‘New Coke’, he
explains, would not have failed had the product changed without a branding change and
thus alerting consumers to this. This indicates a strong psychological association between
branding and perceived taste, as also suggested by Friese’s et al., (2006) study on implicit
branding: consumers relied subconsciously on branding, more than they realised.
Consumers purchasing products with few qualitative differentiators between

substitutes in consumption rely more on price differences. Indeed, in the advert creation
exercise during the focus group, the lack of product differentiation between FMCG
goods such as toilet paper or washing detergent meant that creating effective advertising
was often difficult, with products relying heavily on either pricing or brand packaging
differentiators. This suggests more importance should be placed on impulse purchases
for products with few product differentiators. These results defy King’s (1971) work on
the importance of brand and toilet paper. However, when analysing adverts for different
products, it seems that Mac consumers, unable to test a product tangibly, place a high
level of importance on the glamour, desirability and branding of a product, rather than
pricing or product quality, and expect strong graphic design to sell the product effectively
to them. PC respondents, however, relied more on the information given on the adverts.
Those adverts which fail to be uniquely engaging with large amounts of information are
criticised and often, ignored by PC respondents. This suggests a standard criteria for
certain groups of consumers, when analysing brands in advertisements.
62
Limitations of the research
The main limitations were in the sampling errors which are likely to have
occurred due to the size of the sample and the non-randomised selection method.
Due to time constraints and the scale of this study, a relatively small sample size
was collected using convenience sampling methods. Unfortunately this meant that many
of the tests undertaken had expected sample counts of less than five, with some
responses representing only one respondent. Field (2006) suggests that statistics with
expected counts of less than five should be regarded with caution. Not enough
quantitative research was conducted into different cultural attitudes of people from
different national backgrounds, to give a statistically robust set of outcomes.
Further, because of time constraints, not enough focus group research into older
consumers and their purchase motivations was conducted. Instead, much of the focus
group research, designed to investigate respondents’ implicit desires, was conducted on
younger respondents, and thus this particular research should not be seen as representing
the opinions of all age-groups.
An issue which must also be considered throughout the research is the

respondent’s ability to understand the questions on the self-administered survey and their
likelihood of answering truthfully throughout the research due to possible issues of
embarrassment. These findings were uncovered in the focus group as respondents’ body
language and non-verbal communication revealed specific areas of embarrassment and
discomfort when expressing certain viewpoints, such as when one Mac respondent in the
focus group discussion attempted to explain their liking for Dell’s adverts.
Wider implications of the research

The study has investigated the opinions of a variety of consumers from all
backgrounds, when consuming Apple and non-Apple products. Rather than a straight
dichotomy between branding and product, Apple is regarded as both a brand and a
63
product, by varying consumers, depending on several factors concerning their
backgrounds, outside and financial influences and the nature of the product itself.
Apple cannot keep viewing itself as a manufacturer of purely functional products

with one universally binding message. In order to grow and effectively communicate
globally, it needs to address the differing perceptions of its consumers depending on their
differences in age, gender and nationality, as these factors affect their purchasing of an
Apple product. This is not to say that a consumer’s background is the sole influencing
factor of whether Apple’s products are viewed from a brand or functional perspective.
Apple needs to adopt a more open view of its consumers, as Dr Martens already do,
understanding its own positioning as a manufacturer of ‘unique’ products, and as Apple’s
strong growth continues, so that it doesn’t become a victim of its success as consumers
react against Apple as a ‘mainstream’, corporate and ubiquitous brand. However, Apple’s
word of mouth still prevails when communities of friends encourage each other to
purchase a Mac, and that it is still not quite seen as a mainstream brand.
Further, Apple must concentrate on pricing its products around the world
effectively against the local country standard, ensuring that their pricing does not affect
their positioning or messaging. As consumers in poorer countries continue to see higher
Apple prices than in the rest of the world, Apple will continue to be viewed as a luxury
item or status symbol, a message perhaps seen by some as contradictory to Apple’s core
ideals as a purely functional product.
Further implications which arise question the ‘one-size-fits-all’ attitude of certain

brands, as consumers become more discerning about the products they consume,
perceiving them as brands just as much as functional products, and in some cases,
actively using this knowledge against the brands. As Apple continues to grow globally, it
must realise the importance of consumers’ different backgrounds, and how these affect
the ways in which Apple is perceived, as either a brand or a product, and adapt in
reaction to this realisation. Comprehensive market research must be conducted into their
consumers’ backgrounds and used along with an acute understanding of how their
products and their competitors’ are currently being received, adapting their positioning to
Apple’s advantage. The process of adaption must not merely consist of a direct
translation of their branding messages, rather their whole positioning must be local to
64
their target culture, and in so doing, communicating their brand images and product
functionality with rather than at their consumers.
Opportunities for further research

Certainly, more insight could be collected through extensive focus group
research, collecting larger quantities of data from consumers originating from a wider
range of social backgrounds. Similarly a representative and extensive randomised sample
base, collecting data from far larger numbers of consumers globally, is an ideal
opportunity for expansion to this research.
In terms of content, further avenues for research may lie in investigating Apple’s
growth, and how it may or may not accordingly adjust itself to its local target countries,
with perhaps, specific country by country case studies. A study such as this could
investigate the commercial attitudes of the indigenous culture towards Apple as either an
unaffordable luxury brand or a necessary, functional product.
Also, as Apple’s growth expands into further markets, it may also be interesting
to investigate the corporate brand image, perceived by various groups of consumers,
investigating specifically to see whether the ubiquity of the brand lessens its appeal. As
Apple expands, will the original Apple ‘fans’ become disillusioned with its original
message? How will Apple’s expansion affect its qualitative delivery?
65
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Appendices
Appendix one: Email template to Apple staff for Access
Hi
How are things? Hope you’re well.
Just wondering if you’d be able to participate in a formal chat with me.
I'm doing a university research project for my degree. As part of my final year dissertation, I'm investigating
whether consumers see Apple through its brand or its products. Many marketing experts in the field believe
the former, basing their careers on it. But, is the consumer that simple? What do you think?
At your convenience, would you be available to take part in an interview with me to discuss this, please? I’m
very interested to know what your thoughts on this.
I do understand if this isn't possible for you.
Best,
Lina
Appendix two: Staff interview transcripts

Apple staff respondent one
‘The non-functional pleasures are deeper and more meaningful than the functional', an investigation into
the importance placed by consumers of the branding of Apple products.
A few marketing theoreticians and practitioners suggest that branding is the sole reason for a consumer to
buy a product such as Apple’s. Do you think this is the case?
No, I don’t think this is the case. Branding – and the public perception of branding – is entirely dependant on
the products and services created / provided by the company in question.
The key factor is the user experience in the broader sense: the experience of buying the product, of setting it
up, using it – the actual user interface – and ownership. If the user has a poor experience at any stage of this,
then the entire brand suffers – even if that particular part of the experience (such as purchasing) is not directly
under the control of the company.
The main reason that people buy Apple products is because of the simplicity and honesty at each stage of the
user experience. The way Apple have been able to achieve this is because they have taken ownership of each
stage – engagement (advertising, marketing), purchase (Apple Stores), set up, use and support (also via Apple
Stores).
A very important factor in the purchasing, and usage, experience is complexity. More and more choice actually
leads to disappointment about the whole product. See the “paradox of choice”. By limiting choice to a few,
well-defined, products, Apple is creating a good experience, with people who are more likely to buy.
Marketing and advertising plays on the qualitative / user experience differentiation.
69
First Direct are a bank like any other, but they have one message – that the phone is answered by a real
person, every time. If First Direct ever stop doing this, then they lose their qualitative differential.
Poor products irrevocably harm brands – Ford Edsel, New Coke, etc. Companies who give a poor user
experience (have poor products) have brands that suffer. Ryanair are a prime example. The question for their
customers is simply one of value. Is the shocking user experience outweighed by the economy / savings that
could be made? For a lot of people the answer is yes. How often do they fly somewhere? For a product /
service where you have daily interactions, then the same factors produce different results.
Experience here is a key factor. How do people make qualitative judgements?
I think Ryanair are dreadful – as do a lot of other people – but my experience base in airline travel for making
that judgement is much bigger than the majority of the population. I get to fly business class, most people
don’t. Most people have experience of a mobile phone, on some level, so based on their experience they can
make a qualitative judgement. The same is true for Macs vs PCs, and for the user experience of Apple Stores
(everyone has been to Currys or Dixons). Even with iPods there is the experience of tape, CD, or Minidisk-
based Walkmans to compare it to.
There is not a single example where someone has a poor product – considering all factors – and has a
successful brand. The only caveat to this is history, where a company (such as Mercedes, Nokia, Motorola)
have a history of great products, and maintain that reputation (to some degree) even when they have a run of
poor products. The longer the history of good products then the longer the “brand” will support them when
they produce poor products.
The reverse is also true, of course. A good example is Skoda. For years the point of jokes about quality and
reliability, until they were bought by VW. Then a number of excellent products followed – along with a very
clever advertising campaign – and now their “brand” perception is moving up and up.
An excellent example of qualitative differences is the Omega Speedmaster “moon watch”. NASA tested a
number of watches to destruction, and only one survived. That was the Omega Speedmaster. That was in the
1960s, but with the design virtually unchanged it is still sold by Omega today – and still used by NASA today
(among others!) – as “flight qualified for all manned space missions”. Now, everyone who buys one is never
going on a manned space mission (astronauts get them free), but they are buying three things: the undeniable
quality of the watch, the engineering; the design of the watch as classic functional tool, and the idea of the
space-travel dream. All of that adds up to the Omega brand, but even though certain Casio G-Shocks are also
flight qualified by NASA, they are just not the same. The Omega is the original. Would Omega be the same
today without this? Certainly not, but they are, and only because of the quality of their products.
Other theoreticians argue that some products are more led by brands, whilst others are more led by the
products they produce. Does it ever differ with different products from different companies?
The key question is “are there any qualitative differentiators”. There is no particular reason to buy a Dell
laptop over one made by HP, or Levono. None of them have any particular design statement, they are all the
same or similar quality, they all use the same components from Intel, and they all cost about the same.
Therefore the only differentiator is price (cutting margins to the bone), and brand. Unfortunately, because of
the products they produce, those companies have a brand reputation for plain, ordinary, boring products.
If your brand is a sticker on an ordinary product, then no one will buy in to that on a deeper level.
Apple’s business is centred around producing three main areas of product: Mac, iPod and iPhone. Are the
consumers for these products necessarily the same throughout?
Ignoring the fact they are fundamentally different products, then I do think that the consumers themselves
share certain perspectives. I certainly think that there is a halo effect around each product. Owning one of
them means you’re more likely to purchase another because of your user experience.
Do consumers buy an iPod for the same reasons that they would buy a Mac?
70
That should be the other way around – do consumers buy a Mac for the same reason they buy an iPod? Yes.
The user experience of the iPod (or iPhone) and iTunes is an introduction into the Apple product range. People
who have Macs buy iPods because there isn’t a competing product that also supports the Mac platform to the
same level of integration. Limited choice is a factor there.
What about people from different backgrounds and cultures (e.g. Eastern Europeans, Indians, Arabs,
Chinese)? Do they place a different level of importance towards the branding and the physical quality of a
product when purchasing it?
There is certainly the idea with a brand like Apple – where Apple are essentially exporting a dose of California
to the world – that they are buying into an ideal, or a dream in some ways. That is just escapism. However,
these devices are expensive for the majority of consumers, and they are not going to invest in a product that
does not suit there needs.
Having worked at Apple, I know that there is a strong emphasis on its marketing communications having a
strong coherence throughout, regardless of the media. Is there an element of branding in this?
It depends on what you think brand is. Apple is controlling the message, and that is the first step in controlling
the broader user experience.
Apple functions by centralising a lot of its marketing creative in Cupertino with much of the work
throughout the rest of the world focussed on translating or localising the text of the communications for
local audiences. Is there an element of brand control in this?
Yes, hugely. You only need to look at other products to see how incoherent their messaging is. Microsoft and
Windows 7 is an excellent example of this (with the Burger King “Windows 7”, with 7 actual beef burgers in a
bun).
Others still, argue that Apple only survived the mid 90s low thanks to the emotional tie to the brand that a
hardcore of users held. Would you agree?
No. During the mid 1990s there was no real emotional reason to use Apple. They had not really created the
emotionally focused advertising at that time. It was not until the advent of the Think Different campaign that
this happened. In fact, during that time, the Apple product range was incredibly complex and convoluted, with
dozens of different models, the continued development of the PowerPC chips was inconsistent, meaning that
Macs were often at a performance disadvantage to Intel chips, and Apple’s advertising was not focused.
Apple survived in the 1990s because it had a very strong, dedicated user base, which wanted to use – and in
some circumstances, such as publishing – had to use the Mac platform. The mid-90s was also the time of the
Mac clones, which were moderately successful. The actual user experience of the Mac OS was a qualitative
difference.
Is a successful brand determined by its aesthetic images or its product quality?

If you have a beautiful product, then you need to show it in a beautiful way.
Yes, if that is one of the qualitative features of the products they produce. It is true that people will pay more
for “design”, and “design” can be interpreted in different ways. It can be engineering, or just styling. The vast
majority of people may not realise why they prefer one product over another – an iPod over an MP3 player by
Creative, for example – but they do know that they prefer one. One big reason – the main reason – is because
of the user experience, and design is an important part of that.
How this user experience is portrayed to the public is very important. The iPhone adverts are almost unique
among advertising for mobile phones, simply because they showed a real phone, being used by a real person.
Anyone seeing that and then going in to an Apple Store to play with an iPhone would get exactly the same
experience.
This is a part of controlling the user experience. If a company puts that much thought into its communications,
then what does that say about its products? Again, many people may not realise this is what they are doing,
but they will perceive it on some level.
In the late 1980s CocaCola attempted to change its brand and drink formula to the far less popular New
Coke. By consumer demand, CocaCola immediately reverted this. It therefore suggests that CocaCola is
71
dictated by it’s product quality. Would you agree that CocaCola’s brand, argued to be one of the biggest in
the world, is dictated by its product’s quality?
They are the original, and the first. There are fundamental differences between Coke and Pepsi. The second
reason is that Pepsi is much more sweet than Coke, and this actually works against them. Because humans
generally prefer sweet tastes it means that Pepsi prevails in the famous “Pepsi challenge” taste tests.
However, when drinking bigger quantities it can become sickly. People prefer the taste of Coca-Cola. Even
though there is very little between them, there is enough for most people to make a qualitative choice. All of
the advertising in the world won’t change the taste of the product, and if you prefer one to the other, then
that is what you’re going to buy. Coca-Cola and Pepsi advertising is really about reminding people of the
product, rather than informing of qualities and benefits, etc.
How can you separate the brand “Coca-Cola” from the product? You can’t. They are really a one-product
company, a one-product brand.
Many “brand experts” have said that the Coca-Cola brand is worth more than the rest of the company put
together. This is nonsense. If you were to split the company, so that one party left with the “brand”, and the
other left with the secret recipe, then what would the party with the brand do with it? It can’t sell Coca-Cola –
the version that the public demands. At best it could only sell another version, in reality a generic cola drink.
Sales would plummet (especially with the birth of “The Original Cola” drink launched from the party with the
secret recipe).
Similarly, when Cadbury’s discontinued its Wispa line in 2003, they kept the exact same chocolate formula,
but rebranded it under the Cadbury Dairy Milk sub-brand, Dairy Milk Bubbly. However, in 2006, more than
40,000 consumers/fans on several Facebook groups argued to bring back Wispa, despite Dairy Milk Bubbly
at the time still being in production. Wispa has since been relaunched and become one of the UK’s most
favourite chocolate bars. Is there an element of branding importance in this?
There are lots of elements to this. There is familiarity, and people like that. There is nostalgia, remembering
from their childhood. The question is has it affected sales? This has happened a lot. Marathon became
Snickers, Juicy Fruits became Starburst.
Apple staff respondent two

A few marketing theoreticians and practitioners suggest that branding is the sole reason for a consumer to
buy a product such as Apple’s. Do you think this is the case?
Well it depends. From 1997 to about the early 2000s, Apple did emphasise on an emotional connection to the
brand, particularly in the ‘Think Different’ campaign to re-reach out to consumers. We had to change its
proposition from what it was in the mid 90s when there were too many Macs which were ever so slightly
different from each other. There was too much choice and the products weren’t very different.
When Steve came back he changed it all and reduced the number of Macs from 14 to 4. He drew up a cross
and in one corner he put consumer Macs and in the other he put professional Macs.
But now our most precarious point is the period after it’s bought. Will a customer stay or do they return it?
Customers are afraid of different and new operating systems which is why we’ve introduced the One to One
service in the Apple stores, designed to guide you through your first steps on a Mac. It’s all about educating
them about the choice they have.
Now it’s about product quality, people who are absolutely fed up with Windows. I’d say Mac did benefit from
Vista’s failure. However, the thing is now is that Windows 7 has just been released and it’s actually pretty
good!
Others still, argue that Apple only survived the mid 90s low thanks to the emotional tie to the brand that a
hardcore of users held. Would you agree?
72
No, consumers in the mid-90s who had Macs owned them because they cared about the quality, not really
about any emotional attachment to the brand as such. The professional consumers used it because it was all
they could use for desktop publishing etc. It was always about quality.
Chinese)? Do they purchase Apple with different criteria?
Well the US market share doubled in the past year from 5% to 9 or 10%. However, in EMEIA, that’s only
increased from 4% to 5%. We’re now trying to understand why this happened. However, the thing about it is
that in the US you can go anywhere and there’s an Apple store or Apple shop. In the UK, that just isn’t the
case. If you look at the Twickenham area for example, if you were living there and were looking to buy a
computer, where would be the nearest place you could learn about and and buy a Mac? There’s nothing in
Richmond, nothing in Brentford or Chiswick or Staines down the other way. You’d have to go all the way to
London and I think that might be part of the problem.
But the world wide share of Mac users is about 2%. A big reason for that is you have a lot of consumers in Asia
who just can’t afford a Mac.
Apple’s business is centred around producing 3 main areas of product: Mac, iPod and iPhone. Are the
consumers for these products necessarily the same throughout?
Not all Apple owners are the same as each other, no. That’s why we have the different types of products to fit
our different consumers. You have the Mac Pro for pro users and the MacBook for the consumer end who just
want a quality experience doing day to day things. But I suspect there may possibly be an element of ‘cool’ as a
reason to go for an iPod.
Apple staff respondent three
‘The non-functional pleasures are deeper and more meaningful than the functional', an investigation into
the importance placed by consumers of the branding of Apple products. A few marketing theoreticians and
practitioners suggest that branding is the sole reason for a consumer to buy a product such as Apple’s. Do
you think this is the case?
I think the product itself ranked first. But in fact it’s becoming at status symbol too. People want to have an
iPod etc. And so they would buy a shuffle even though there a other one with more features at the same price.
It’s a bit like with cars: yes, I can buy a Toyota with all its features. But I would prefer to buy a smaller
Mercedes/Porsche/BMW for the same price.
But this only works because the product itself is brilliant.
Apple acts and looks as one brand. There’s one main goal – simplicity – behind everything they do, invent or
design. I don’t know what Microsoft stands for. There’s not one message. There’s not a lot which forms a
brand. It’s more a conglomeration of products than a brand.
Because of its message, design and of innovative products Apple is hip. Which Microsoft right now can’t be,
because they don’t have “cool” products. And if they had these would be a cool standalone product because it
wouldn’t reflect the brand *reason mentioned above+
Other theoreticians argue that some products are more led by brands, whilst others are more led by the
products they produce. Does it ever differ with different products from different companies?
Of course. I’ll always look at the box of my toothpaste. If it looks great I’ll buy it. And my hoover has to be a
Dyson because it looks great and works simple. And my oven - it has to be from Miele. It’s so beautiful and
works simple.
But I guess I’m not like most people!
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But essentially I think that products which can’t differ from similar products e.g. cigarettes it’s obviously the
brand which is leading. Even companies like Adidas, Nike or Puma are led by the image of the brand and not of
the single products. In the case of Apple – again – both are leading because the image of the brand and the
functionality products are identical: simple paired with simple, cool design.
Do consumers buy an iPod for the same reasons that they would buy a Mac?
Yes. Easiness of use + design. That’s why people buy both of them. As mentioned above I think an iPod/iPhone
also has the function to show that you are member of the club.
But not everyone with an iPod has a Mac. But surely almost everybody with a Mac has no other MP3 Player
then an iPod. I think it depends on what people can afford and you can became member of the iPod
community for much less then Mac/iPhone community.
Furthermore I think it’s more important for people to have an iPod or iPhone because you can carry it around
and show that you’re member of the club, while a Mac is mostly at home.
Chinese)? Would they place a different level of importance between the branding and the physical quality of
a product when purchasing it?
I am sure. I guess for an US one the branding is much more important then for a e.g. Indian one. And probably
there’s also a difference in how it works. Or to get the same effect/branding you sometimes have to tell a
slightly different story.
Having worked at Apple, I know that there is a strong emphasis on its marketing communications having a
strong coherence throughout, regardless of the media. Is there an element of branding in this?
If you have a strong coherence in media it has the effect that it all tells the same story and you have one
picture of the brand. Unlike Microsoft where they tell a new story on every product and probably in every
media and you don’t get any picture. Even more important when it’s all about simplicity.
Apple functions by centralising a lot of its marketing creative in Cupertino with much of the work
throughout the rest of the world focussed on translating or localising the text of the communications for
local audiences. Is there an element of brand control in this? And would this suggest that Apple is a brand
oriented company?
We both know that it’s not a brand control, but brand dictatorship - and it’s good the way it is. If you want to
tell one story all over the world you have to be sure it’s written by one storyteller. At some point in the future
it might happen that you can get more local in some things. But the good about Apple is that you have a
universal message, which you have to adjust to local markets – but don’t change the message.
Others still, argue that Apple only survived the mid 1990s low thanks to the emotional tie to the brand that
a hardcore of users held, even when the product quality went downhill. Would you agree?
It was not the product quality that went downhill. It was the innovation quality. But of course: if the hardcore
of users wouldn’t have bought the stuff Apple wouldn’t have survived. (Like any company: if nobody buys you
product you will go bankrupt)
In the case of Apple you can’t separate between brand and product!
The regrowth started with the ‘Think different’ campaign which made any of the users proud to be a Mac-
head. And at the same time the iMacs and iBooks came out. This was a first success. And it was different
thought. Like the iPod. Like the iTunes Store. Like the iPhone. Think different. And simple.
Is a successful brand determined by its aesthetic marketing or its product quality?

It depends on a brand. Does a Puma/Adidas/Nike sneaker necessarily have the best quality? I don’t think so.
Has a Lexus the best aesthetic marketing? I don’t think so.
Has Apple great marketing and product quality? I think so.
In the late 1980s CocaCola attempted to change its brand and drink formula to the far less popular New
Coke. By consumer demand, CocaCola immediately reverted this. It therefore suggests that CocaCola is
dictated by it’s product quality. Would you agree that CocaCola’s brand, argued to be one of the biggest in
the world, is dictated by its product’s quality?
No. Coca Cola is one of the companies where the brand is even more important than the product. Especially
when it would come to new markets where Coca-Cola is kind of a promise of liberty. I am sure if the change of
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the drink formula would have happened in silence and not too dramatic (people like to stay with what they
know) nothing would have happened.
Appendix three: Interview with Dr Martens brand owner

Email for access to Dr Martens brand owner
Hey,
How are you? Hope you’re well.
I was just wondering if you’d be interested in participating in an interview with me for my

dissertation.
I'm investigating whether consumers see Apple through its brand or its products. Many marketing
experts in the field believe the former, basing their careers on it. But, is the consumer that simple?
I’d like to contrast this against DM and gain your insights into this question. What do you think?
At your convenience, would you be available to take part in an interview with me to discuss this,
please? I’m very interested to know what your thoughts are on this.
I do understand if this isn't possible for you.
Best,
Lina
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Dr Martens’ brand owner interview script
John Stuart, the former chairman of Quaker Oats famously once said:
“If this business were to be split up, I would be glad to take the brands, trademarks and goodwill
and you could have all the bricks and mortar - and I would fare better than you.”
As the brand owner of Dr Martens, would you agree with Stuart’s comment? If so, why?
John Stuart is absolutely right. Production halls, a product development team, a distribution network... all
these things are important but can be set up anytime. The brand name, the logo, the design, its reputation on
the other hand is something valuable that has been created over years and decades.
What do you think a consumer is looking for when they are about to purchase a Dr Martens product? A
brand name? A brand image? Or the product quality? A need for quality footwear?
First of all we have define: What kind of customer? Which country are we talking about?
In the UK for example, it would be rubbish to promote Dr. Martens with the image of the Queen – everybody
knows that. If you sell Dr. Martens in the Asia, it obviously makes sense.
There are different boots and shoes offered by Dr. Martens, which may have grabbed the attention of the
customer: E.g. there is an industrial range, a fashion one, classics, street wear all based on different season.
Other than that, a general image that comes with the boot is this:
British
Rebel
Quality
Different
Everyday-use for everyone
Other images have been evolved by the people themselves over decades.
An American consumer from the Mid West – America, which has the biggest market share of DMs worldwide -
is extremely conservative. He wants first of all a rugged, durable shoe (more sort of work boot) while the
consumers in LA, NY, SF have a completely different understanding of DM. He probably is more fashion
orientated.
It’s thought that this decision process varies with certain cultural backgrounds of consumers. For example, a
consumer in the UK would have different reasons for buying Dr Martens compared with someone in the
Arab states?
For some its a fashion icon. Others buy it because its in the magazines. Then there is people that like the
original image of the brand. In addition, most people now that this is quality product that will last you for a
very long time. Finally others want to follow a certain fad.
In general talking about other countries, countries like America and Asia are currently very fund of fashion
from Europe. The desire for something different or unknown.
A few marketing theoreticians suggest that branding is the sole reason for a consumer to buy a product such
as Dr Martens. Do you think this is the case?
DM never had an active branding policy. DM is more production orientated and spends very little on marketing
(basically no advertising). DM only encourages the connection between DM and music, where they give a little
bit of support to special musicians, who fancy DM.
DM in the past on purpose did not promote DM like other brands do with a enormous marketing budget. The
young consumer acknowledged that DM was not a “commercial” brand. The special about the DM brand is
that the image was made by the consumer and not by the industry.
Does it vary with different product categories? Such as, electronics vs clothing and fashion?
In the past there were sublicenses for DM watches, DM clothing, DM accessories, DM sunglasses, which at the
end were not accepted by the consumer. The consumer so far sees under the DM-TM mostly the shoe.
Why do you think a customer should buy a Dr Martens shoe against a rival?
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DM are unique because of a special production process, which is very difficult to copy. DM are copied a lot –
but only the look. Rivals for DM are copy companies. The fakes do not have the comfort and durability of a
DM. To set this clear, DM created a slogan: “Made like no other shoe on earth”. So a consumer, who buys a
fake, gets a shoe with less quality.
Dr Martens originally developed the first boot through his painful experiences of his army boots whilst
skiing on holiday. He launched the product with your grandfather to target post-war German housewives
with uncomfortable shoes. With this in mind, is buying a pair of Dr Martens still about the functional
comfort and durable quality of the products or is it now about the ‘cool’ brand?
The story of DM over the decades doesn´t really show the true story.
Dr. Martens had his idea, while he recovered from a broken foot (ski accident). He felt pain, when stepping on
his broken foot in hard shoes. This is why he had the idea of shock absorbing sole to minimize his pain. Later
this soft sole proved to be very comfortable and popular at the beginning only for work shoes (from early 50ies
onwards). Therefore the English work shoe company Griggs decided in 1960 to make their English work boots
after the DM system under license. It was after 1960 that German shoe companies had the idea, that the
softer DM sole would be perfect for comfort shoes, mainly for women. But after that also other companies in
Europe made DM comfy shoes for men and children as well.
To summarize, Dr. Martens today is a combination of comfortable, ever lasting fashion time.
What do you think of the idea that you cannot have a successful brand with a poor quality product?
High quality in any product category is very important. The problem though involves that high quality implies a
higher price which some are not willing/able to pay. Brands like Converse and Crocs produce low quality but
their product sells (at least for now)
Again it all depends what the company is known for. If Dr. Martens would suddenly lower its quality, people
would stop buying it.
Is there a ‘cool’ factor with Dr Martens? If so, what is it? What makes it?
DM is more than a “cool” factor. The British pop culture which lasted from the 60ies to the 90ies made DM an
icon of British/pop youth culture. DMs at that time stood/expressed a rebel image. More images are evolving
as people from other countries start wearing the fashion (e.g. Japanese)
But Dr. Martens no doubt is an iconic brand. Why? Because of its brand history that has been formed over
decades by certain events and the people.
Appendix four: Consumer interview transcripts

Owns Apple products
Age: 21
Sex: Female
Nationality: British
What Apple products do you own?

iPod, MacBook Pro and iPhone and I think that’s it.
How and why did you choose to buy an Apple product

I had an iPod, it was the first MP3 player I ever had. I continued to upgrade that and I bought a Mac when I had
to replace my PC. I got it because it was recommended to me by so many people whereas not many people
recommended me to buy a PC, there wasn’t that same enthusiasm. And the iPhone was just a continuation of
that really.
What do you like about them?

They work very well and are very simple. Although I have had some problems with my earlier iPods but this
ones been find and I like the look of them and they work incredibly well.
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What do you dislike about them?
Well my older iPods had a tendency to freeze which I understood was a fault they had and the battery on my
iPhone isn’t great and nor is the battery on my on laptop but I don’t know if its any worse or any better on any
other laptop.
Which product introduced you to Apple?

The iPod.
What was it about this first product that attracted you?

I didn’t buy it, it was actually a gift and I must admit that when it was given to me I didn’t know what it was
and I opened it and said this is nice what is it. I liked it since then. The thing is they’re quite attractive products.
And if you compare the iPhone to a Blackberry whose buttons are too small and the process things don’t make
sense whereas with my iPhone it just works, you just touch the screen and switch it and it’s all fairly simple
and instantaneous.
Is there anything you specifically like about Apple in general? If so, what is it?
Yeah I do. I just I must say I keep repeating that their products just seem to work and I like the way they all tie
in together I have iTunes which works with my computer and it’s not hard to plug my iPhone in and I don’t
have to plug in anything else to make it work and they feel nice and when you touch it it’s just smooth and
when you’ve looked at other’s MP3 players or phones they’re uglier and they’re not that much cheaper or
better. So Apple’s products are quite cost effective and an iPhone is expensive but it’s never that expensive in
the grand scheme of things.
Is there anything you specifically dislike about Apple in general? If so, what is it?
Not really, nothing that’s come up yet.
It’s been documented that some Apple owners have a personal bond with their Apple products. Would you
say this applies to you? Why?
Yes I would but I don’t necessarily if that’s a reason because it’s an Apple product, I was tied to my old PC but
everyone I know certainly is very tied to their Mac products.
Others argue that Apple products are all about the simplicity and quality that they offer. Would you agree?
Yes definitely. [as stated above].
Some suggest that Apple overpriced. Would you agree?

No I really wouldn’t. Because my other laptop that I had, and it was state of the art, I got it when I came to uni
and it cost a £1000 I liked it but I had so many problems with it whilst with this one [indicates MacBook Pro]
i’ve had no problems and I haven’t had it long enough to be able to say in the long term but in the short term
its a similar level and its worked for the same price. Most of my friends bought PCs when they first came to
uni they no longer have them whereas my boyfriend still has his Mac from then. It costs more at first but if its
long lasting then it’s costing you less in the long run.
What goes through your mind when buying a desktop and a laptop computer? Do you look for technical
specifications, ‘cool’ factor, looks, or something else?
I something fairly light that I can carry around with me. With my other laptop [PC] I chose the lightest one I
could find so I could carry it around, this one isn’t as light as it could be but, but it’s quite light and flat and you
don’t need to advertise it using an extra bag to carry it in.
It has been said that people’s reasons for choosing Apple products centre around technical specifications
and ease.
Does this apply to you? Yes, definitely.
If so, do compatibility issues and lack of customisable features bring you down? Well that had
initially put me off Macs at first but I downloaded the old version of Office for Mac, Office 2004, it
wasn’t that expensive and it just works, probably better than with my old PC, probably the Apple
cliche but it doesn’t crash and it doesn’t not respond in the way that Word always used to.
78
It’s been said that Apple is ‘cool’. Do you think Apple has a ‘cool’ factor? If you agree:
What is it? Yeah, definitely. I just think they’re a lot more stylish looking products than the equivalent
ones. if you compare an iPhone with a Blackberry, I know they have new ones out now which are
supposed to compare and look more like an iPhone, but the original ones weren’t and they didn’t
look great. And it’s everything about the presentation the box iPhones come in, everything about it,
it’s all very sleek and minimalist.
Why does this make it ‘cool’? It’s just little details it feels like they’ve thought of absolutely
everything, for example like the light lighting up the logo at the back of the MacBook, things like that.
Hypothetically, if Apple were to go out of business tomorrow, what operating system would you change to?
Why?
I’d probably just change back to Microsoft simply because it’s the only one I know of.
Is there anything you like about Microsoft and Windows? If so, what is it?
I did like them until I used Mac and found it better, but I only really liked them because I’d never used an
alternative which I use with Microsoft word, I just found it works so much better than my other computer did.
Is there anything you dislike about Microsoft and Windows? If so, what is it?
Well it’s like for example my sister bought a new PC laptop a year before I bought this one and for example the
DVD player program didn’t work and so she had to sort something else so it would work. How could you buy a
top end computer and the DVD program doesn’t work? Although I accept a lot of things with my computers, it
seems laughable that that could be the case *that the DVD doesn’t work+.
There have been a lot of positive, independent reviews of Windows 7. With this in mind, would you ever
consider changing to Windows 7? Why?
Not in the immediate future I wouldn’t no. I’ve just been so happy with my Apple products, I’m not saying I
would never go back but I certainly don’t have any plans to change at this point. And it feels like
advertisement, but when Apple advertised the new Windows, what they claimed was what the new Windows
wouldn’t do a lot of old problems in this new version of Windows, stuff they’d claimed in all the previous new
adverts time and time again for every launch of a new Windows, but which they hadn’t really fixed.
There have also been many positive, independent reviews of the HTC Hero Android and Motorola Droid
running on Google’s Android system. With these in mind, would you ever consider changing to them? Why?
Not in the immediate future, no, I wouldn’t. I just find my iPhone so comfortable to use. I was reading a HTC
Hero and an Android review just the other day, and I’ve tried using one and it just doesn’t seem as clear, I’m
sure I would get used to it. I’m not very technologically minded, I just want my stuff to work so that I can just
get on with it and not worry about it.
What steps would Microsoft and other Mac, iPod, and iPhone competitors have to take to convince you to
buy one of their products? Why?
The biggest problem I have with my Apple products is the lack of battery. I have to admit I have been stranded
before with my iPhone when the battery has drained so that would be a big thing in my mind so if someone
could provide the same level of perfection as with all my other products but a better battery life, I think that
that’s something that would interest me.
- End -
Age: 23
Sex: male

79
All three.
Why did you choose to buy an Apple product?

Mainly due to its appeal which I assume is from its sexy, up-to-date and innovative advertising.

I like their style and look. They are impressive statistically (the technology they include) and after initial
learning they are easy to use and have many features a shitty PC doesn’t. These features aid with work and
when entertaining.

They aren’t compatible with everything out there. This can be quite annoying.

The NoteBook G4 laptop.

I was interested in its differential appeal and it’s stylish appearance.
Is there anything you like about Apple in general? If so, what is it?
I like that it tries to stand out and does so successfully. It has a strong brand image that suits me as I associate
it with a sexy, young, intelligent, and stylish/posh alternative to an out dated PC.
Is there anything you dislike about Apple in general? If so, what is it?
No. Nothing.
Yes, the options to personalise your product are very specific and so eventually it becomes tailored to your
personality.
They are very simple, once you understand them. The stigma attached is hard to break. The quality is amazing.
My first laptop lasted for five years with no problems and I wasn’t exactly careful with it. Very trustworthy.

Yes, that’s added value for you.
I look for all of these. Apple Mac provides them. With a desktop I want something that can entertain others for
me this is in film and music. Therefore good speakers, great display and quirky apps help. With a laptop I want
ease of use and also something that can entertain others. It’s all about being able to show off successfully.
In has been said that people’s reasons for choosing Apple products centre around technical specifications
and ease.
Does this apply to you? Yes
If so, do compatibility issues and lack of customisable features bring you down? Compatibility- yes. I
find apple products relatively customisable.
What is it? Up-to-date and style. Individual.
Why does this make it ‘cool’? It’s what young people assume techonolgy should be. I, personally, feel
techonology is still behind the times and my demanding nature for the stuff that was in fiction in the
1980’s and 1990’s should now be achievable. Apple has made a good start.
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Why?
Windows, the second best known. Even if I hate it.
Have you ever used Microsoft / Windows products?

Yes, they’re shit.
Is there anything you like about Microsoft / Windows products in general? If so, what is it?
No, there’s nothing I like about them.
Is there anything you dislike about Microsoft / Windows products in general? If so, what is it?
I hate their outdated appearance and nature. They are susceptible to viruses and have lots of crap like Norton
anti virus that stops your enjoyment when using the laptop with pop up messages. They get slow very quickly
and breakdown quicker than Macs.
No, there ‘new’ features are old. ‘Snap’ is not as good as ‘hot corners’ on a Mac. They are not a scratch on
Macs.
Yes. You can open apps simultaneously which isn’t an option on an iPhone.
Microsoft would need their own laptop with a 3D screen and an integrated 3G dongle. It would have to be
lighter and thinner with no pop ups. Virus free and not likely to break down. It would have to have Windows as
standard and up date itself via broadband. It would also need a high def screen, awesome speakers and a
changeable outer shell to keep it looking new.
The software has to work 20 times quicker and should cost less than that of a Mac.
- End -
Age: 27
Sex: Male
Nationality: Asian British

An iPhone, Powerbook, Macbook, iPod Classic, iPod Nano and two iPod shuffles
There is a marginal difference between an iPhone and iPhone 3Gs which in my opinion does not justify the
price difference.
I have a PowerBook & MacBook which does most of what a Macbook Pro does. The cost versus benefit factor
is in favour of the Macs that I own
Why did you choose to buy an Apple product

MacBooks – The build of a Mac is robust and durable and is good alternative to PCs. They don’t tend to crash
or get infected with viruses/worms etc. Performing tasks on a Mac is much more simplified, allowing you to
enjoy its functionality. The battery life is also much better than rival brand notebooks.
iPod – The iPod has a great capacity for storage and has been ahead of its competition for a while on this front.
The size was also a big selling point. The size to capacity ratio has been a strong advantage. They freeze on rare
occasions and could do with better battery life.
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iPhone – The iPhone has the best Apps Store on the market. The variety of Apps is very diverse and there will
be something there for everyone. Many Apps are free or are cheap in price. This was the major selling point
over rival phones. The internet browsing is also easy to use and practical for a screen of its size. Although rivals
have similar interfaces, the iPhone has one of the most responsive touch screens. On the downside, they are a
little overpriced. The camera is not great either and not being able to do videos on the 3G model is a negative.

st
The iPod 1 Generation.

Ease of use, the design was innovative for the time, the capacity of storage and decent battery life – without
the need for an endless supply of AA batteries.
I don’t view companies as something to like or hate. They are in a business to make products and sell them to
the consumer. If their products were to fall in quality, I would not be loyal to them. I respect their innovation
and creativity and making cutting edge devices that dominate the market.
Well as before, however, their products are a little overpriced.
I wouldn’t describe it as a bond. But you build a level of trust in the brand after seeing several products that
work well and are market leaders in their respective areas.
Definitely. I have owned similar products from rival brands and was disappointed by them.

I would say they are a little overpriced. But there are many people out there that would pay a little more if
they are going to get a product which lives up to their expectations. I wouldn’t mind paying that little extra to
get a polished well-designed product.
What goes through your mind when buying a computer? Do you look for technical specifications, ‘cool’
factor, looks, or something else?
There are many reason why people buy a product. It almost never is for one reason alone. For me its technical
ability is high up, but also its practicality and price. For me it’s about getting as many of these characteristics
for as cheap a price as possible. The look is important but secondary to the above.
and ease.
Does this apply to you? As before, I value technical specs. Ease of use is handy, but if you have been
using the products for years, its not so much of an issue (as is the case with me). There were some
products that took a little adjusting to however, using Mac OS X took a little getting used to at first,
but once I got used to its functionality and the way it
If so, do compatibility issues and lack of customisable features bring you down? Compatibility
issues are definitely present. Using MS word on a PC and then re-opening it on a Mac is a good
example. Also, since PCs still dominate the market, most third party software is written with PCs in
mind, with Mac Compatibility as an afterthought. This is due to a larger user base for PCs.
What is it?
Why does this make it ‘cool’?
To a certain extent it does. Apple products are usually innovative and bring something new to the
table. The iPod was the first practical large storage MP3 player. The current macbooks have around 7
hours battery life, the iPhone popularised touch screen mobile interfaces. Their products make a big
82
mark on the industry. They also make sure that their products are attractive to look at. It’s the
combination of these two factors that gives that cool factor.
Why?
Not really. Until the day came that the current Mac OS had been superseded, I wouldn’t consider a change. If
rival operating systems do not offer anything new, then this is no logical reason to upgrade. Once, it has been
surpassed would I change. I look for functionality over any other superficial reasons (blind loyalty)

Yes. Most people have.
Is there anything you like about Microsoft / Windows in general? If so, what is it?
I wouldn’t say I like them. They are widely used, so everyone has some proficiency in using their products.
There spreadsheet application is good. It is probably their best application. It works well and is the best of its
type and is better than Apple’s ‘Numbers’ due the sheer number of functions it can perform in comparison.
Is there anything you dislike about Microsoft/ Windows in general? If so, what is it?
I have bad experiences with PCs and a big part of that is that is the Windows experience. The famous blue
screen of death, the speed at which is runs, the constant need to upgrade a firewall/antivirus/spam killer etc...
Programs will randomly crash and it’s difficult to know why sometimes.
I own a PC and a Mac, so I will have to purchase Windows 7 at some point. It seems like an improvement over
Vista, but also seems like they are still playing catch up to Snow leopard. Until I see something of true value
that I can’t do on a Mac, I won’t be convinced that it is the better OS.
I would, but in the areas that I took in an interest in for the iPhone for, the HTC does poorly. The Apps store is
not comparable to Apple’s. The ease of use is not there, the screen is not as responsive as the iPhone’s. Most
of the phones on the market are out to be an ‘iPhone-killer’ not a ‘HTC-killer’ which shows the mindset of the
industry. Many new smart phones have borrowed a lot of ideas from the iPhone and the HTC Hero is one of
them.
They need to make the best product overall in their respective areas. Apple doesn’t dominate in all areas –
case point: iPhone. It doesn’t have a great camera, battery life, etc but does some functions really well. Also a
little originality from them might help them step out of Apple’s shadow and lose any image of a ‘copycat’
product.
- End -
Age: 26
Sex: Female
Nationality: Chinese

Mac and iPod
If you don’t own one of each (e.g. an iPod Nano, iPhone 3GS, a MacBook Pro), why not?
I don’t own an iPhone because it’s too expensive, but I would consider changing to one in the future because I
am very happy using iTouch and would like to continue this experience.
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I chose them for the technical features which were most suitable to my needs.

For Macs it has a well designed system and it is stable and user friendly. For iPods, there is a big range of
applications I can use, it’s is good quality and a good looking product.

The only annoying thing about my Mac is that I can’t use many software that I used to use. For iPod, I can’t use
radio.

The first product I bought was an iPod and a few months ago I have switched [from Windows] to a Mac.

(before the iTouch, the iPod was not tempting enough for me to buy one just as a quite expensive music
device. The answer below is based on the first iTouch i have bought).
It could access WIFI, which is really helpful during travelling. Without carrying and taking care of a heavy
laptop, I can browse websites as long as there is WIFI available with a little light iPod in my pocket.
It is very easy to use and responds quickly. The operating system is smartly designed (for example, the
very useful function is I can reply downloaded email and restore them in iPod when there is no internet
access and the iPod would send them automatically as soon as it connects the internet.)
I like the simplicity of the design.
Despite using it as a MP4, it can be used as a e-book reader, a dictionary, a notebook and much more
applications available to be download.
Yes, I like the Apple brand. Because the image of this brand presents features like stable operation system,
nice design, high technology, fun and fashion.
Is there anything you dislike Apple in general? If so, what is it?

Yes, that is its poor compatibility with other more common used system and applications, which causes quite a
lots of inconvenience of using it. Another thing is the price is considerably higher than products in the same
catalogue.
Yes, as I use them everyday and they carry lots of my personal information, so it’s important to me.
Definitely, I do agree with that.

Well yes it is expensive. They could lower the price.
I look for price, quality, match my productivity needs, service and design looks. But technical specifications are
the most important to me.
and ease.
Does this apply to you? Yes it does. [As above]
If so, do compatibility issues and lack of customisable features bring you down? Most of the time
using a Mac is a pleasant experience, until when i have to use Microsoft Software, so yes.
What is it? Yes Apple does have a cool factor, it’s the nice designs.
Why does this make it ‘cool’? It’s important, but not vital, as there are a great number of young users
who like being ‘cool’.
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Why?
I would go back to Windows because it is familiar.

Yes
Is there anything you like about Microsoft and Windows? If so, what is it?
I originally chose to buy a PC because it is the most widely used computer in both academic and business
world. So the compatibility is high, you can use many software with a PC. Also, the price is lower.
Is there anything you dislike about Microsoft and Windows? If so, what is it?
There are lots of problems of using Windows.
Yes, I have thought about switch to Windows 7 but I am not putting this into practice. Because I like Apple
computers and operating Windows system on an apple is not a good match. Also Apple makes the switch cost
quite high. When you have got used to Mac it is very hard to switch to Windows again.
If they could produce a good machine as Apple and a well designed system that compatible to most of
programmes and maintain the same price, I would buy their product. Because I think Apple makes good
machines but in very high price and poor compatibility.
Do you think consumer’s purchasing habits differ according to their cultural or ethnic backgrounds? If so,
how?
Yes, I do believe so. But I also believe that the how much difference a consumer's purchasing habits according
to their cultural or ethnic backgrounds also greatly depends which catalogue of products he/she chooses to
buy. For high-tech and digital products, the influence of the cultural or ethnic backgrounds on consumer's
purchasing habits, I feel that, may comparatively less than other products, but still worth to take account into.
Taking Chinese consumers as an example, for high-tech or digital products, I feel that, most of Chinese
consumers are not sophisticated enough to fully aware different features of the product, as the high-tech and
digital products have only entered the Chinese market for one or two decades. Also the high updating speed of
new generations of digital products makes it harder for normal consumers to know a product in depth. Those
are the main reason for Chinese consumers making purchasing decision more depending on the big brand
more than analysing the technical features of the product itself. Another cultural or social reason is, big brands
always associate with high social status. As it is a non-class society in China, one would tend to use big brands
to show his/her high social status without outstanding social symbol like a feudal title. Another cultural or
ethnic backgrounds factor that effects Chinese consumer's purchasing habit is the concept associating with
'family'. As Chinese society is more like a family-oriental society, most of examples that are successfully
launched in Chinese market had an appeal of sharing with family and strengthening the connection within
family in their marketing strategies.
-End -
Age: 22
Sex: Male

MacBook Pro, iPod Nano.
The only thing I don’t own is an iPhone because they’re too expensive.
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Why did you choose to buy your Apple products?
I was fed up with messing around with LInux and I didn’t want to go back to Windows, I just wanted something
that worked and got out of my way. The iPod I got with the Back To School offer, and it was good for jogging.

I like the Mac just because it’s easy to maintain. Nice design, doesn’t go wrong, I don’t need to reformat my
computer every six months. As regards the iPod, it was really cheap, it’s pretty, but if it wasn’t part of the offer
I wouldn’t have bought it.

I can’t say I really dislike anything about the Mac it’s got all the programs I really want. or good alternatives. I
don’t really dislike anything about them. I’ve got pretty low requirements for the iPod, it just loads music.

The Mac Mini.

It was cheap, it was really small and it had OS X on it.
Yeah I do like it, I think they’re an innovative company and I think they’re really useful they make good
software and good hardware and if you’re not one of those people who buys everything every 6 months they
make something that will last you a really long time.
It doesn’t personally affect me but I guess I find their way of treating their people, they’re not very nice to
developers in the app store. Apart from that no, not really anything else against them.
I like the laptop I enjoy using it, I like the iMac I’ve got a t work I enjoy using it, but I don’t htink I’ve got a really
personal bond with it I mean I replaced my Mac mini with a MacBook and I replaced my MacBook with a
MacBook Pro, if they got something better I’d have replaced this with it.
Yeah, the design ethic, I guess that could be contained within simplicity, and yeah that probably makes sense.
The user experience, in that it isn’t annoying and upsetting.

I don’t think there’re any alternatives to apple and lots of people pay the money, you could say the hardware
is expensive, but that’s only if you don’t understand what the product’s offering.
I mean in the past I look at technical specifications to make sure I’m making the most for my money, so I’m
looking at the internal software, such as the OS and had I been able to run OS X on my desktop I likely wouldn’t
have swapped at all to Mac hardware.
and ease of use.
Does this apply to you? Yes as above. Also it undeniably looks very nice, I wouldn’t buy an ugly
laptop, if I had the choice, all other things being equal I probably would choose the nicest designed
laptop.
If so, do compatibility issues and lack of customisable features bring you down? I don’t know of
anything you can’t do with Mac that you can do with Windows. I mean you can automate Macs better
than you can automate Windows as far as I can see. I think that’s *customisable issues+ something
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people say when they’re unfamiliar with the system but maybe that’s because I don’t customise the
system. Compatibility, no not really but then all I use is programming tools, browser, open office, it’s
only games I suppose that people worry about and I don’t play games so no.
What is it? Yeah.
Why does this make it ‘cool’? They’ve got great design, that’s it really.
Why?
I’d change to Ubuntu again because it’s probably closest to the Mac experience in that its quite user friendly
and it isn’t Windows so it’s a lot more stable.

Yes
Is there anything you like about Microsoft / Windows products in general? If so, what is it?
I think they’re the nicer company out of the two, I like their office products.
I don’t like their operating system, but I haven’t used Vista or Windows 7 I mean having used Ubuntu and Mac
I realise how poor Windows are in a lot of ways, it’s not an active dislike, it’s just not the best operating system
out there. But as I say I haven’t used the latest operating systems. Stuff like Internet Explorer are very
annoying they destroy the ease of browsing on the web, but I suppose that’s just a fault of their size lots of
companies don’t want to upgrade so its a victim of their own success, and they used to be quite anti-
competitive in some ways, not the Internet Explorer thing but they weren’t very open with their formats, but I
wouldn’t mind if they bundle their browser with their operating system.
I don’t know it’s really hard to tell, I’m really happy with my Mac and I won’t be changing it for a long time and
I’m also really comfortable with Unix environment so if I’d change I’d be changing back to them just because I
know how they work.
I’m not going to buy anything. I’ve got an iPod and MacBook and intend to keep them for a very long time. But
I think I’d buy the Zune if I didn’t have the iPod because it’s a nice design, really independent, I would’ve
bought the HP Voodoo because it looked lovely but Microsoft specifically I’d have bought a Zune, that’s it.
- End -
Age: 23
Sex: Male

I own a Macbook, I own an iPod. I own a lot of Apple software too I suppose.
I suppose I originally chose a Blackberry because it more suited what I needed to do at the time than an
iPhone. I think price is another issue, and there’s quite some other good competitors. So some of the Google
phones such as the Nexus One looks quite good.

Well for the MacBook I needed a new computer and I liked the look about it and I heard good things about
them and it didn’t really matter if I had a Windows machine or not so I gave Apple a go.
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Before I got my first iPod I used to have an iRiver and it had some advantages to the iPod such as video
playback. But I liked the look of the iPod and I was impressed by the MacBook and it was also very cheap and I
got it refurbished so I got it half price.

I think they’re easy to use, definitely, and rarely go wrong, good customer service, and one of the main things I
like about them is that they’re very highly designed, highly polished bits of kit.

I think more recently I think iTunes annoys me how you can’t be more flexible with their software and you
have to use their systems and it’s annoying how you have to go around it.
I suppose also when I originally bought Apple products fewer people used it so the customer service was less
rushed off its feet and was better.
Game wise - funny thing about games Apple Macs are always very much behind but it’s very annoying they’re
selling games from 10 years ago, they’re only just catching up, because of the operating system’s capabilities.

I don’t remember, I suppose it was originally the school computers they were Apple computers they were my
first introduction to computers and I didn’t really like them then and I got reintroduced to them at university
and the iPod followed the MacBook.

About the MacBook it was the design, its look, it looks very different from Windows machines I suppose. It’s
very different. That’s my major thing I’ve have a few Windows laptops before and they last a very short time
and I generally wasn’t very happy with them and they were very slow and the Apple was very much faster so I
was up for giving something new a go.
Do you like Apple as a whole? If so, what do you like about it?
Yeah, I feel Apple make very highly polished bits of equipment they’ve thought of everything through whilst
Windows sends out service pack after service pack and they still go wrong whereas Apple makes both the
hardware and the software so it’s easier for them to make their stuff work better.
Essentially it’s the same as liking a Mercedes over a Ford, they both do the job but one just does it better than
the other.
Also it does work better with Adobe software which is very important.
Do you dislike Apple as a whole? If so, what do you dislike about it?
It’s definitely more expensive, I suppose I don’t know really, I think it’s very good in general, I suppose I dislike
in general a little bit is the branding it’s all about the new people getting involved and is a bit weird, but
fundamentally the products are good.
It’s essentially the expense that I have an issue with, the extras that they charge for, for example the memory
is £130 more than on non Apple sites, and that’s out of line.
I very much respect Apple’s equipment and their software and their hardware and I would definitely buy
something in the future to replace my stuff. But if something came better in the future then I might consider
it, similar to the iPhone now I’m looking at it.
Essentially though, in answer to your question, I suppose when I do wake up the MacBook wakes up and
where I go it goes with me so I suppose there is a greater bond with that than with Apple as a brand.
I suppose I do like Apple a lot, but I’m not a hardcore fan, or a big believer, but I am a strong advocate.
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Yeah I very much agree with that, they cut out the crap in some respects and they take you straight to what
you need to do. A friend of mine who’s in IT, however, says it’s too simplistic for them but for someone like me
I just want it to work, play DVDs make a nice picture and it just works very well.

I think definitely the extras are over priced. I don’t know, I guess Apple makes a good profit on their goods and
I’m very aware of that but I’m not against paying for something expensive which will last me in the long run.
I’m happy to pay more if it’s a good product and it works easily but it definitely is in a higher boundary.
One thing is that Apple care which cost me about £299 or £199, I can’t quite remember now, however, it saved
me a lot of money over the years when things went wrong. Without it, owning a Mac would definitely have
been a much more expensive experience. All in all it’s a good package for buying and the after care is a bonus
makes it worth it.
Well I think my requirements have changed a little bit from when I was buying my original laptop. I think when
I’m looking for a laptop, I’m looking for something portable, light and I want it to just do some very basic
functions, but I also want it to look nice and function well.
For my desktop, I want something a lot more sturdy, more power, to run more powerful programs and with
Macs I don’t really look for technical specifications, because I know they all have a certain standard and all
work very well, unlike if I was buying for Windows where the technical specifications are all over the place so
you have to watch out for them very carefully.
and ease.
Does this apply to you? Definitely ease of use, I think tech not I need it to do what I need it to do, but
with a Windows machine I spend a lot more time looking at spech because I trust the Apple brand
while with Microsoft I don’t trust the brand so I need to make sure the OS can run all the software
you need it to run.
If so, do compatibility issues and lack of customisable features bring you down? When I first got my
Mac it was quite annoying but for the 3 or 4 years I’ve had it now, it’s got better now and the fact that
you can get Windows on my Mac now so it’s compatible with everything.
What is it? Definitely, I think its young vibrant and different, those are the 3 things to say about it.
Yeah it is cool.
Why does this make it ‘cool’? I suppose it’s in fashion, keeps up to date with current designs and
what’s seen as fashionable in the fashion world and technology and gets a cool rating through that.
Why?
Go back to Windows, I don’t really think there’s another alternative, maybe Google if there’s a new operating
system in the future.

Yes.
I don’t dislike them. I think it’s very clunky and I think it’s rather designed for the computer geek rather than
the average person and I think it’s got some very good ideas but they don’t think about the practical side of it.
Windows is often very frustrating, it’s annoying but Word and Powerpoint and Excel are very good.
Is there anything you dislike about Microsoft / Windows in general? If so, what is it?
89
I don’t dislike them, and I do in some respects. I dislike that they’re quite arrogant and large and they have
such a global power whereas Apple don’t so it has to think outside the box. So I dislike Microsoft in that
respect.
I probably wouldn’t no mainly because I would imagine the next Apple system would be as equally as good or
even better and as I have a MacBook I wouldn’t change back and I’m also very sceptical about every new
Windows that comes out.
Microsoft’s not very practical or user friendly and you know with the touch screen it’s been having problems
for example you can’t use it with Google Earth but it can work with Microsoft Virtual World and it’s just not
very user friendly. Little things they’ve left out.
Also the adverts really piss me off, it’s obviously a lie, they talk about new stuff that I’m sure XP had.
You’re currently considering changing your phone. How are you making your choice between carrying on
with your Blackberry or going forward with an iPhone?
I think Blackberry’s are very good for things like email and that’s it but I’ve been a bit unimpressed by the
operating system on them they’re a bit clunky like Windows and they’re designed for a geek rather than a
normal person to use. An iPhone definitely appeals, they do look very well made they look well put together
the OS works well the link with iTunes works well and I’d use it rather than any other.
But everyone has one which is an issue for me.
Also they are expensive. I don’t give the same precedence over a phone than over a laptop so it’ difficult to
justify the cost, but I am looking into getting one.
I’d only consider getting the Nexus One, the Google Phone and I just don’t think the others are so much an
option as opposed to the iPhone, I am thinking about the Google Nexus though as that’s the only real
competitor to the iPhone now. But for ease of use I would go for Apple. I like the Nexus One because I think
Google has made some very good products in the past and that suggests that their telephones would work
well. It also comes down to price.
I think generally if there’s a quality product. The thing is that Microsoft don’t make their own hardware and
they’re not very easy to use, not very reliable and they often go wrong.
If a company is offering you something which is easy to use and is reliable then why not go for it? I feel that
Microsoft is so big now it’s kind of like a big monster it’s hard for to control itself and I think it sits back a lot, is
quite complacent.
I think with Samsung, Nokia or Motorola they make very different products, they make fashion products, they
look cool when you get them, but they seem a lot more throwable items, after a few months of having them
you wish you hadn’t had them, whereas the Nexus or the iPhone look more more usable, and more reliable
and have a better build quality I suppose. In operating sense that means less things going wrong.
- End -
Age: 24
Sex: Male
Nationality: Pakistani

All three.
Why did you choose to buy an Apple product (Mac / iPod / iPhone). What do you like about them?
90
I bought my Macbook pro due to its looks, aluminium body and powerful specs.
My initial purchase of the iPod was due to its cool factor, however future upgrades have been due to the
immense disk space and cheaper price.
Lastly, I bought my iPhone because it perfectly blended an mp3 player/Phone/PDA in one small and distinct
package.

My Macbook has started to give a few problems, which is a bit disappointing.

The second-generation iPod was my first purchase of an Apple product.

The looks, sound quality and large disk space.
Is there anything that you like about Apple in general? If so, what is it?
I have loved the Apple brand ever since my first purchase. The appreciation of the company revolves
predominantly around the great products and services that are offered. The products keep well ahead of the
competition in terms of looks, form factor and usability. Hence the love for the company exists solely due to
the great products and services.
Being a life-long tech head, its only natural to have a bond with each product I purchase. This also applies to
the aforementioned Apple products I own presently.
I agree that they are simple and of high quality, however they also happen to be reliable and powerful.

I believe that Apple has a strong monopoly and therefore has the freedom to keep prices high, which it does.
In regards to them being overpriced, I would disagree since the after sales services is the best.
When looking at any product for the first time, looks are of utmost importance, followed by the technical
specifications. Price has never been an issue when making such a purchase.
and ease.
Does this apply to you? Yes it does
If so, do compatibility issues and lack of customisable features bring you down? I have never had
any compatibility issues and there is no need to customise any of the products.
What is it? Simple and elegant look of the products. Apple is the underdog that happens to compete
and beat Microsoft’s products every time.
Why does this make it ‘cool’? The cool factor exists due to it being the underdog and not being a
product for the masses. The marketing campaigns insist on Apple breaking away from the norm,
which it does by staying well ahead in terms of usability (OS).
Why?
I would change to Microsoft Windows XP since it was the last, stable OS by Microsoft.
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Yes, all my life.
I have great admiration for windows, as their OS has been compatible with hundreds of products and manages
to run sufficiently, even with over a million different configurations from different hardware manufacturers.
I don’t have any distaste for Microsoft, however I believe their OS is inferior to OSX in relation to reliability and
usability.
I would never solely switch to any OS. I continue using Windows XP on my Mac and will be purchasing
Windows 7 to run on boot camp.
I really liked Google’s android OS, however a switch from the iPhone would only take place if Google could
create as fluid of an interface and an online store similar to that of Apple’s iTunes for Music, Applications and
Videos.
Fluid usability.
Simplistic yet elegant design.
Reliability.
The great connectivity that exists between every Apple product.
- End -
In between respondent: owns only one Apple product

Age: 55
Sex: Male

Just a Mac
I don’t need any of the others.

Well initially I just bought one because someone said they were better for stuff that I wanted to do.

However I do prefer using them, but maybe that is because I have used them for so long.

I’m not certain, it was either the Macintosh SE or LC2. I’ve owned both but I can’t say that I remember exactly.
92
What was it about this first product that you liked so much? What made it different?
Well it had a visual point and click operating system and Claris Works was easy to use as opposed to the PC
systems that were text based operating systems and much more complex.
No they are a computer. I don’t love anything about them – they are a machine, I can’t find it in my heart to
love a machine. I love people – not all people admittedly. But there is a professional bond in that most
publishers still use Macs and possibly they are still better at manipulating images or possibly not, I’ve no idea
any more.
They are not Microsoft or Windows, they generally have good designs and for years you have just been able to
plug something in and it works – I suspect if I bought an iPod it would be the same. They have always had a
robust operating system and for a non computer person like me the are easy to use - no priesthood of cosmic
coding and symbolism!
I suppose it is a personal feeling, though my fellow older Mac users generally also express opinions along these
lines.
Some people argue that Apple products are all about the simplicity and quality that they offer. Would you
agree?
To a significant degree but not totally, there is more to it.
Others suggest that Apple is overpriced. Would you agree?

They are expensive no doubt, to say that they are far too overpriced is far too extreme. But as a late adopter I
nd
tend to buy the 2 hand kit anyway.
What goes through your mind when buying a desktop or a laptop computer? Do you look for technical
specs, looks, cool factor?
Can I afford it and will it do what I want it to do?
and ease of use.
Does this apply to you? Yes, as mentioned before.
If so, do compatibility issues and lack of customisable features bring you down? Compatibility has
rarely been an issue – maybe historically but rarely now – most of the compatibility issues I get, are
because I keep forgetting to upgrade my OS, that’s it really. As regards customisable features, I
wouldn’t know where to begin to customise a computer – cover it in fake fur? Put wheels on it?!
What is it? I keep hearing it has which is probably the same thing – they seem to be much copied
which would indicate they have something. As to what it is, they just generally look nice
Why does this make it ‘cool’? Why – I’ve no idea I’m too old to have an opinion on that!
Why?
I’d probably stick with my Mac.

In the past yes.
Historically Windows was always more complicated to use, you needed too much ‘extra’ knowledge and the
programmes always tried to be too clever; were too unstable; were more prone to virus attacks; were
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incompatible with anything else and cost a lot. But mainly people in my little world used Apples. What I really
dislike is people who buy too much stuff, Apple stuff, Windows stuff, sofas, clothes aaargh!
Well I have been told they are almost identical now – but I would probably stick with OSX.
buy one of their products?
If it has a small environmental impact, is manufactured by workers in reasonable conditions, uses minimum
power works well, does what it says on the box, is simple to use and is a reasonable price and bright red then
give me three!
- End -
Age: 23
Sex: Male

An iPod.
Why did you choose to buy an iPod?

My uncle found an IPod and gave it to me, this was like the very first generation one. I don't think I was fussed
about having an mp3 player at that point, I never have been really. But the thing about the iPod is that It
allows you to carry about with you sooooo much music that It's Impossible not to like It. If you enjoy listening
to music, you have to have one those batches, because nothing else is as cheap and spacious as it.
If so, what do you like about it?

I like that it has a large hard disk space with the capacity to hold almost all music collection. It’s also easy to
navigate and locate songs/albums. It has a fairly lasting battery life. Also, it’s not too chunky for everything it
does. I like the software (ITunes) that is used to upload music on to it and manage playlists etc. It's relatively
easy to use and error free - although I’ve heard people saying it doesn't work for them. It’s also quite robust. In
the past I had one of those old iRivers, also a creative player for a short while, although I can't say I "changed"
for any particular reason.
What do you dislike about it?

Well the sound quality is shit. I don't like that everyone owns one (If that's a reason)... I mean it’s like a fashion
accessory nowadays. You have to have the latest one and what not. Well at least that's how some girls I know
seem to view it as, same goes for the IPhone.
No I don’t have a personal bond with any of the above. I can live without any of those three things. I mean, I
require access to a computer for email/facebook and stuff, but I’m not dependant on It In any way. I can get by
without it.
If you already own an IPod or IPhone but don’t own a Mac, are you considering buying a Mac? If not, why?
No, I’m happy with a PC. We have a saying In India "If it works, don't fix it". I’m not considering It In the future
either, I’m just so used to using a PC. I still don't feel as though the Mac has sufficiently overtaken the PC yet, I
mean in the sense that everyone I know, or most people I know still operate on the PC, but that’s not a reason
for me not to have one. But think the main reason is I just don't see what a Mac can do for me that a PC can't.
I like the way they do business and market their products etc. I mean you don't have to be a genius to see that
they've done really well. They know what people want, they've taken everything that other products fail at
and have remedied it.
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Is there anything you dislike about Apple? If so, what is it?
Well again, some of the things I said earlier, I can't quite put my finger on It, but there's something very sleazy
about apple, I don’t know, I’m thinking of the IPod. It just seems like they've whored themselves with the IPod.
I know a lot of thought has gone Into It producing it and making it what It Is. but they must be so cheaply
made. I had to change the monitor on my one [respondent referring to PC] (and a battery in another one) and
It's so easy to pull these things apart and put them together. I feel like the way apple has marketed Itself Is like
its cool club and everyone has to be part of it to be cool. Well not me!
What brand of PC do you own?

I put it together myself. It’s custom built.
Why did you choose to buy that PC?

Just wanted to see what it was like to put one together. My PC Is about seven years old now I think, older. I
used to be Into PC's a lot back then
Why did you choose to buy a PC In general (for example not a Mac)?
I didn’t even consider the Mac, I didn’t think about it much when I was 15/16... I thought it’d be cool to build
my own PC.
What do you look for when you buy a laptop and desktop computer? Do you look for technical
specifications, looks (design), ‘cool’ factor, or something else?
I think design is very important. It's got to look good certainly - I’m talking about laptop here. It has to be
robust.
Some people have a personal bond with Windows, would you say you were one of them?
I guess I do have a personal bond, yes. It's the only thing I’ve ever used. I kind of know It Inside out.
Yes, It's Improved every year, and I’ve been using It since It ’95, It does everything I want, It's easy to find your
way around things, I’ve become accustomed to It's face, although, I haven't switched to Vista or 7 yet, I’m still
on XP.
I haven't used the new ones, but XP for me has been the best operating system so far. I don't dislike much
about it, maybe just the way you gotta update it every other day.
Can you please explain how you made your choice when buying your last phone? What did you look for?
Why?
Well I got it abroad when I needed a replacement, it was cheapest one I could find.
It’s been said that PC users prefer Windows because of the extra technical features available, In comparison
to equivalent Macs.
Are technical specifications Important to you? Yeah that Is Important to me, which is why I’ve stuck
with XP.
If so, why do you stick with Windows, a system which has been renowned for its problems: bugs,
viruses and stability issues? I haven't experienced problems with bugs, viruses and stability Issues
agree?
Yes, simplicity yes, quality yes and no, for Instance, sound quality on the IPod Is rubbish.
What is the ‘cool’ factor? Yes it does have a cool factor. It’s in the design, look, features. For example,
Macbook has remote, slot drive, cool multitouch pad.
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Why does this make it ‘cool’? Not a lot of other laptops have that, and in the case the slot drives,
they should!
Would you ever consider changing to a Mac? Why?

A Macbook maybe, but not any time soon.
Have you ever used a Mac? What was your experience like?
Yes, only testing it. I had a few problems navigating around the OS was completely alien to me, I didn’t like the
keyboard and mouse either.
Is there anything you like about Macs? If so, what is it? Why?
I like the way everything is well thought out in the design, e.g. ports are all on one side, slot drive and the
screen. But I haven't used the OS enough to make a comment about it
Is there anything you dislike about Macs? If so, what is it? Why?
No. Nothing wrong with them.
Many people have said that Apple’s products are priced too high. If Apple were to lower its price points,
would you buy an Apple product?
No, not necessarily.
Hypothetically, If Microsoft (and Windows) was to go out of business tomorrow, what operating system
would you change to? Why?
The Mac operating system. Actually, no I’d change to Ubuntu because I’ve seen It being used, It looks simple
and easy to use, I’ve also heard good things about It and I can use It on my PC.
What would Apple have to do to change itself to make you buy one of its products (whether it be an IPod,
Mac or IPhone)?
Well it’s me, not Apple. I’m just happy with the things I use right now
Have you ever used an IPhone? What was your experience like?
I’ve played around with it a little, can't really say I’ve had the full experience, but I liked it: the interactiveness
of the touch screen, the layout of the menus can't really go much further than that. Though I wasn't really
feeling the size of the thing and the feel of it. I wouldn't want to carry that around in my pocket, not too big so
to speak, but not something I'd wanna carry around as a phone. Maybe it’s just my lifestyle right now, I just
want a phone that makes calls and texts, not really fussed about the other stuff. I haven't really had much time
with it to not like anything else. Although, the feel of it just weren't that nice... like that slippery smooth feel.
For Instance, when you hold the HTC Hero, It's aesthetically pleasing.
- End -
Age: 20
Sex: Female
Nationality: Indian
Do you own an iPod or iPhone? If so, what do you like and dislike about them?
Yes an iPod. Its small convenient to carry when on the move, its light, acts as a source of entertainment when
travelling etc. I’m quite happy with my iPod.
Some say they feel a personal bond with their PCs, MP3 players, and or phones? Would you say this applies
to you? Why?
Yes it does apply to me as these are things without which my day would be incomplete I need all these, PC for
work at university, MP3 when travelling and phones for communication otherwise.
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Do you own an iPod?
Yes, I own an iPod and am extremely happy with it and would definitely not consider giving it up.
Is there anything you like about iPods? If so, what is it?

iPod acts as a source of entertainment where ever I am, also I can connect to the internet with it in wireless
zones. It is light weight and it is a must have in my everyday life. It is sleek and simply fits in anywhere.
Is there anything you dislike about iPods? If so, what is it?

In the long run there are problems with the iPod with its headphones and the buttons etc. It also becomes too
much of a distraction at times and stops me from paying attention on what I have to be doing.
Have you ever used an iPhone? What was your experience like?
Yes. Its absolutely brilliant. Its an all in one device and extremely useful and efficient wherever one is. It keeps
one connected to their work throughout and is useful for everyday life.
Would you ever consider changing to an iPhone? Why?

Yes I have been thinking about it, since it acts a sa all in one device and I also like the look of it overall. The
reviews have also been very good.
Is there anything you like about an iPhone? If so, what is it?

It is a useful tool wherever you go and keeps you connected to the world at al times. Its not very bulky and
solves my purpose at all times.
Is there anything you dislike about an iPhone? If so, what is it?

It is quite expensive to but or even get on contract considering I am a student at the moment. Although it
would be very useful to me if I did get one.
If you already own an iPod or iPhone but don’t own a Mac, are you considering buying a Mac? If not, why?
No, I don’t like Mac as it’s not simple to use and is not compatible with everything. It is not convenient for my
purpose of use so I would not be interested to buy it any time soon.
Apple is a good well known brand and gives good service overall for its wide range of products.
Apple functions are harder to work than others and they are slightly difficult to get used to quickly.

I am currently using a HP.

It suited my needs and was within an affordable price range.
Why did you choose to buy a PC in general (for example not a Mac)?
Its something I’m used to rather than a Mac so it felt more convenient to go with something I know how to
use.
I look for all my personal specifications that I would want in my laptop, light weight, something that looks
good, has good review and service, gives good warranty and value for money as I would want it to last me and
suit my personal needs.
Yes definitely.
Is there anything you like about Microsoft/ Windows in general? If so, what is it?
I am used to using Windows and I like the way it works its simple to understand and quick to adapt to.
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No, there’s nothing.
Why?
My last phone was a present, not a phone of my choice.
Can you please explain how you made your choice when buying your last MP3 player? What did you look
for? Why?
My last Mp3 was a present as well.
It’s been said that PC users prefer Windows because of the extra technical features available, in comparison
to equivalent Macs.
Are technical specifications important to you?
Yes, it is important to me.
If so, why do you stick with Windows, a system which has been renown for its problems: bugs,
viruses and stability issues?
I have not faced very difficult problems with all this. The small problems that I have faced have been
solved by computer engineers quite easily. So I am very happy overall.
agree?
I am not a strong Apple user so cannot comment on this statement.
What is the ‘cool’ factor?
Yes I think it is the brand and the way that they advertise the new things they come up with they generate
new ideas which are very effective to public.

It has strong impact on people and new technology keeps arsing which makes it cool and exciting.

I am not used to it and its not something that would attract me towards it. It is also not compatible with all
devices.
Yes, I found it hard to use Mac and navigate myself through it. I needed a lot of help and was not happy with
my experience.
Is there anything you like about Macs? If so, what is it?

There’s nothing I like about them.
Is there anything you dislike about Macs? If so, what is it?

Yes, I don’t like the way it works it is very difficult for me and I am not used to it. It is not compatible with
everything and is time consuming for those who don’t know how to use it to work on.
I would consider it. But it would depend on what I was going to but from them, if it was something that would
benefit me, last me. There are several factors I would consider before deciding whether to buy it or not and
price definitely plays a major role as I am a student.
Hypothetically, if Microsoft (and Windows) were to go out of business tomorrow, what operating system
I am not sure have never given a thought to that. But it would be hard to adjust to any other operating system.
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What would Apple have to do to change itself to make you buy one of its products (whether it be an iPod,
Mac or iPhone)?
I think the prices should be reduced. Also would need easier working with Mac if it were similar to Windows.
- End -
Age: 30
Sex: Male
Nationality: Pakistani
iPod, I like the long battery life which can be recharged by computer when you plug in. Light weight and good
sound.
to you? Why?
I like my phone because I got everything in it…I have got Notes, To-do lists, contacts. All of the entries dating
back to 4 years. Then I find it very easy to use and got everything in it which I ever needed. I like my PC for the
same reason. I know what thing I have placed on my hard disk and its location. I have sort of personalised my
computer and phone for my use.
Do you own an iPod?

Yes

They’re small, have good sound and long battery life.

They have limitations. They do not play all the audio formats, no Radio and no voice recording.
Yes, it was a good experience and I liked it.

I might.
Is there anything you like about the iPhone? If so, what is it?
I like it just because of the advanced features of iPhone and the design, the looks.
Is there anything you dislike about the iPhone? If so, what is it?
It looks like it is very fragile.
Are you considering buying a Mac? If not, why?

Honestly, I am still confused about choosing a Mac over PC because most of the applications run on Windows
so why should I spend extra bucks to buy a Mac?
I like it. It looks nice, it seems fast and more reliable than Windows.
I think It is very expensive and price is just not fair. Secondly, not all applications run on Mac so you have to
dual boot to Windows or buy separate software to run Windows over Mac.

Packard Bell
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It was when Mac was started building on Intel Architecture when I bought my PC. My brand is a good one and I
found cheap deal as compared to other brands.
I bought my PC when Mac was started building on Intel and there were no use to buy a different architecture
computer, learn it how to use and with availability of limited applications.
Definitely Technical Specifications
No, not really.
Is there anything you like about Microsoft / Windows? If so, what is it?
It is easy to use and I am used to it after using it from a long time.
Is there anything you dislike about Microsoft / Windows? If so, what is it?
Well it is not very flexible in terms of technical usage and not secure.
Why?
I looked mainly if I could install applications of my choice, and already installed applications which suited my
needs.
to equivalent Macs.
Are technical specifications important to you? Yes
If so, why do you stick with Windows, a system which has been renown for its problems: bugs,
viruses and stability issues? Because most of applications run on Windows.
agree? Yes, I’d concur with that.
It’s been said that Apple is ‘cool’. Do you think Apple has a ‘cool’ factor? If you agree: No, not really
What is the ‘cool’ factor? Maybe because they are expensive.
Why does this make it ‘cool’? I suppose they also look good.

Yes I would because I like trying different operating systems.
It was a limited experience but good.

They’re fast and reliable.

The money required to buy one is simply not justifiable, it is too expensive.
Sure, I would.
Linux as this is the most robust operating system I know and is free.
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What would Apple have to do to change itself to make you buy one of its products)?
They would have to lower its price for all of its products, because they are simply too expensive. Also would be
nice to have radio and voice recording for iPhone and iPod.
- End -
Non Apple owners
Age: 21
Sex: Male
Do you own an iPod, iPhone or Mac?

No, none of them.
to you? Why?
As someone who doesn’t have an iPhone or Mac, I’d say I’m quite fond of my PC, because I’m used to it. I
figure this is the case for most people. Most people don’t like too much change, and the Mac does seem to
have a lot of fundamental things different with it. Having been brought up with a PC, to suddenly change
would take up a lot of time to get used to. And as a student I don’t have too much time to spare. The same
would not be said of the iPhone. The reputation outweighs the potential changes. The other issue is cost. But
brand loyalty certainly informed my purchasing a Nokia recently.
Have you ever used an iPod? What was your experience like? No haven’t tried it.
Would you ever consider changing to an iPod? Why?

Now that I have a really nice phone with 8GB, makes the iPod somewhat obsolete.

Size, and convenience therefore.

Cost; only plays music so you would need to take a mobile and an iPod around.
Have you ever used an iPhone? What was your experience like? No, haven’t tried it.

My sister has one, and it looks fun to use. I did consider an iPhone initially, and if I had the money I might have
gone for it. But it’s too expensive.
Touch screen, large screen, lots of apps, solid reputation
Cost to purchase.
I couldn’t possibly say, I don’t know enough about them
I have no reason to dislike them. Reception seems warm on the whole.
What brand of PC do you own? Medion
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Why did you choose to buy that PC? No particular reason that we chose to buy a Medion. It was what was for
sale at PC World at the time, and it was said that it was reliable.
In 2004, the Apple wasn’t big news. It’s only become a big thing in recent years.
I look for processing speed, ram, internal memory, screen size, reputation of the company (quite important),
quality of after sales; as long as it looks smart this is fine. This is all balanced by price.
Yes, perhaps an irrational bond as we all do with things we’re used to using.
The operating system (XP and vista) is practical and functional. Microsoft updates is normally quite reliable,
and there is a lot of internet support out there for this operating software. Plus, most software caters for PCs,
Mac users facing compatibility issues.
No major quibbles. Except perhaps that it fails to excite me.
Why?
I bought my phone 5 days ago, [laughs]. I looked for brand reputation foremost I suppose. I have had several
Nokias, and have bought one Sony in the past, and used other peoples’ phones. I have found Nokia is always
great quality. What’s more, it caters to everyone’s budgets. I looked for fast internet capability and availability
of Google maps and satellite navigation. I looked at the reviews, and it seemed most people thought the
phone (5800) was sound quality. It has a decent camera, and no doubt the internet will have hundreds of apps
I can download in the near future too.
to equivalent Macs.
If so, why do you stick with Windows, a system which has been renowned for its problems:
bugs, viruses and stability issues? The problems aren’t that bad. If you have antiviral software, it
should cater for most of such problems. Vista hasn’t been a problem re stability as such.
Undoubtedly, the Mac will eventually get virus problems once hackers discover a new way of
hacking Macs.
agree?
I couldn’t comment, not knowing enough about them.
What is the ‘cool’ factor? It does have a cool factor. It is associated with youth. It is associated with the
whole phenomenon of the iPod and downloading music which is so inbuilt in youth culture.
Why does this make it ‘cool’? Well, same as the above.

Not in the foreseeable future, unless there is something so overwhelmingly good about the Mac which means
staying with PCs is simply too restrictive.
Have you ever used a Mac? What was your experience like? No, never.
Is there anything you like about Macs? If so, what is it? I couldn’t comment, not having used one.
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Is there anything you dislike about Macs? If so, what is it? I couldn’t comment again.
Maybe an iPhone, but not an iPod because I prefer one device now, and not a Mac because it would still
involve too much change.
I suppose a Mac! I would in that case have to change to a completely new system. And best to go with the next
big thing out there. I am sure if I actually bought a Mac, I would be wondering why I didn’t change earlier…
Mac or iPhone)?
Regarding Macs, to reduce the number of perceived barriers between a Windows users and an Apple user by
highlighting very clearly how simple it would be to make the change between the two; and hence the benefits.
Regarding iPhones, reducing the cost as the phone is already popular. Regarding iPods, stop making them!
They’re surely in decline now? Who wants two devices?
- End -
Age: 61
Sex: Male
Nationality: Jordanian

No, I don’t own any.
Some say they feel a personal bond with their PCs, MP3 players, and or phones. Would you say this applies
to you? Why?
No it’s just practical. No real personal feeling attached to it or anything.
Have you ever used an iPod? What was it like?
No, but I have seen one and have held one. It’s a nice piece of equipment, well designed but I have no use for
it.

No, I’m not interested in owning an iPod, I don’t need an MP3 player.

No not really.
Yeah I’ve played with a friend’s. It’s a fantastic piece of equipment, it’s really super, it’s much better than
Windows Mobile, definitely.
Would you ever consider changing to an iPhone in the future? Why?

Yes, if the price came down enough, then I would consider changing.
Currently in Jordan the iPhone is marketed and perceived by people as more of a luxury item. You have to pay
950 Jordanian Dinars (JOD), that’s £839, as much as a Mac in the UK. It’s a lot of money, especially given the
average Jordanian’s salary is
So when a Jordanian buys an iPhone it’s a statement, a status symbol to others, not something to be taken
lightly.
It’s definitely about the brand, but it’s a brand that is so well revered over there for two reasons, it’s such a
good phone and it retains such a phenomenally high price.
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I like the design and its use.
It costs too much.
It’s a fantastic company, it produces great products.
No, nothing at all.

An Asus laptop.
Why did you choose to buy your PC?

It was at a good price for what it did.
I have always been using Microsoft products and so I am more familiar with Microsoft than with the Apple’s. In
my opinion Mac is more for professional graphic designers and not for general business applications or
consumer use.
Performance, ease of use, durability, reputation, and the name, the name of the manufacturer is important.
The name’s important because you need a good name to rely on when spending a lot of money.
The looks and the brand are somewhat important, but overly it’s the technics and compatibility.
to equivalent Macs.
If so, why do you stick with Windows, a system which is renowned for its bugs, viruses and stability
issues? I’m just used to it. And because also, I use the Microsoft packages and I feel or I understand
that they are more integrated to Windows than any other system. Two very important points is the
integration of the other packages, Microsoft products are just better.
Well I’m used to it so it just works for me and I’ve been using it since it was first invented.
You bought a HTC Touch powered by Microsoft rather than an iPhone, Blackberry or Android, can you
explain how you made this choice please?
The choices I have been using Windows Mobile for quite some time and i just wanted continuity, especially
since my concern is integration with PC applications.
As regards Android, I wasn’t familiar with it at the time, however, I’ve since used it and I think if I knew then
what I know now, I’d have bought an Android. As for Blackberry, I don’t know much about it.
agree?
I don’t think that’s correct. Mac is a more sophisticaed, more specialised for professional use.
What is the ‘cool’ factor? It does have a cool factor. Well it is designed well, however, it is more of a high
professional tool.
Why does this make it ‘cool’? Yes and no.

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Well I’m used to Windows and the other thing is that i use foreign language in my work which doesn’t function
as efficiently on a Mac. Also the price isn’t good.
No. I would like to try it possibly.

I like the look. The way it’s been designed.

I have nothing against it. The only thing is just that I want something more practical piece of equipment that
integrates properly with my work. Price is also another issue, Macs are more expensive than PCs.
Yes if it was at a comparable price I would definitely go for a Mac if i could install Windows on it.
Hypothetically, if Windows were to go out of business tomorrow, what operating system would you change
to? Why?
Linux. Because it’s an open system, that can integrate any application.
Mac or iPhone)?
Mac integration with office, not just Mac office, but Microsoft Office, as Mac Office is a much pared down
version of the original Microsoft version. For Mac, the price is so much more expensive than Windows,
especially in Jordan. They need to reduce the price, otherwise it’s only for professional graphic designer use.
For iPhone, again, they would have to reduce the price significantly for me to consider buying one.
For iPod, I’m not really bothered by an MP3 player.
- End -
Age: 19
Sex: Male

No, none.
Some say they feel a personal bond with their PCs, MP3 players, and or phones. Would you say this applies
to you? Why?
No personal connection no. I don’t really love them. They’re just there.
Have you ever used an iPod? What was it like?

Yes, only briefly.

Yeah I thought about it. But the thing is I don’t really listen to music that much. But the thing is getting one
would be like following the herd, and I don’t really want to do that.

Well, the new Nano’s are really nice although the addition of a camera is a bit stupid, they’re a really nice and
really small and not too bad value for money.
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I dunno, iPod’s alright I suppose, not really much different you can do with it, although you have to use iTunes
with it which is crap and you have to use Quicktime which is shit, no one even uses Quicktime format except
on a Mac, everyone uses open standards like AVI and MKV and WMV.
No, not really used one.
Would you ever consider changing to an iPhone in the future? Why?

No. Because it’s quite expensive and there are other phones out there which are better priced and have better
features, and I don’t like the way that OS X on an iPhone isn’t customisable at all, you see on my old phone it
came running Windows 2003 second edition and by the end it was running the latest beta version of Windows
Mobile 6.5 and then I hacked it to include an infra red emitter and use it as a remote control and I wrote
software on it to control my Bluetooth boat. Yeah I could do anything with it really, that’s the thing I like, the
new phone I have is a similar one but with nicer and faster hardware.
Thing about the iPhone is that there are more Apps and stuff than for Windows Phone, in the last few years
people have neglected Windows mobile whereas they’ve poured a lot of energy into developing iPhone apps.
Everyone’s got one, when I have my phone everyone asks ‘oh is that an iPhone’ but I suppose that was quite a
while ago when not many people had an iPhone. It’s not customisable at all is it? All you can do is install the
apps that Apple tells you can use. The only apps you can use are the ones that are vetted by Apple and
available on the App store, you can’t do what you want with it I suppose. You can only run one app at the
same time, what’s the deal with that?
I suppose their design is nice.
I find the operating system too simple I don’t like it. Its not its’ too simple not customisable can’t do what you
like with it like you can with Windows or Linux. Not much software for Mac. There’s just better stuff out there.
Everyone uses it because it’s popular etc. However, I don’t like it because I don’t really like Apple because all
their stuff is overpriced and too simplistic inside. Because I don’t like Apple I don’t use the iPhone and also
because it’s more expensive and you can’t do your own thing on it.

My own built one.
Why did you choose to build your own PC?

Well it was cheaper and included features that I wanted, not the features that someone else chose.
Is there anything you like about Microsoft/ Windows in general? If so, what is it?
Lots of software available for it, there’s games and stuff on it. I’d use Linux if the games and stuff were
available on it. It does what its meant to. It’s about the technical features. I like being able to do stuff myself
rather than have OS telling me what to do.
PC: I’d build it myself, you know I go for the technical specs, and what is good value for money. And then I buy
the case separately, one that looks sleek and nice.
Laptop: I mainly go for the technical specs, if it looks nice, then that’s good, but most laptops these days look
similar, all nice. The good thing about Dell and Apple, they’re a similar process, you go on the website and you
configure it. When I’m buying one look for a specified specification, I can just buy them separately. With a
laptop I have to look for one with lots of other manufacturers’ websites are through a whole list of 10 different
models and each model is slightly different and under each has a slight different configuration and you have to
try and look through each one to find the right specification, and hen you have to find that on an online
106
shopping website, and then you have to find it on a different website to find what’s the best price. And then
have to look through a load of retailers and go and find the right price. With dell you can just go on their
website and choose the high end laptop, and then just pick the components that you want. With the apple you
can do that I suppose, but it’s not as customisable with the Mac.
to equivalent Macs.
Are technical specifications important to you? Yes.
If so, why do you stick with Windows, a system which is renowned for its bugs, viruses and stability
issues? Well because the viruses and security issues don’t matter to me, I haven’t had a virus in years,
I know what to click on. That’s part of the reason they say what’s good about vista over XP is security
issues, but that doesn’t bother me, I’ve never had security problems with XP. I’m smart, I know what
to click on and what not to click on on websites. And then, I mean bugs there aren’t really any bugs, it
doesn’t really crash, I don’t have any problems with Windows. I think everyone else just exaggerates
the problems, they’re not technically savvy enough, I don’t like the word savvy, but they don’t know
enough what not to click on. You need to make sure that when something pops up you actually
requested it to pop up, so you don’t just click ok all the time.
No, not really.
Can you explain how you made your decision to buy your last phone?
I got a Windows Phone, Touch HD2. The reason why I got a Windows Phone rather than an Android is because
it’s customisable and you can do your own thing.
agree?
Well yeah, it’s simple but it’s too simple for me. I like to see how things work to make things work on my own,
make things work the way I want them to. I don’t think it’s better quality than Windows.
What is the ‘cool’ factor? It does have a cool factor. It’s not cool, but I suppose others buy it because it’s
‘cool’ because of the brand and maybe the design too.
Why does this make it ‘cool’? Not sure.

Oh I dunno if it was cheap enough then I’d get one probably. I guess so. Because as I was saying, the design of
it is quite slim and sleek I suppose, but right now the price is not worth and I’d never use OS X on it anyway,
Well I’ve used it quite briefly on my sister’s laptop and occasionally at school. But I’ve not really used it that
much because I don’t have that kind of money to buy and play around with a Mac.

Some of their designs are good. If the Macbook was cheaper I’d get one but it’s overpriced. I actually quite like
the design it’s quite thin and slim, but I still wouldn’t use OSX on it.

Expensive, all look EXACTLY the same except for the white one which looks crap anyway, and the Macbook Air
they cheated so that it looks thinner than it really is, it’s not really that thin it just looks thin. Too simplistic,
and Apple is an evil corp, I don’t want to be following like a sheep, because it’s like Windows everyone ahs it
but all the ‘cool’ people are going towards Macs and I don’t want to be one of those following that trend. I
suppose the majority of people have PCs, but the thing is that almost every Windows PC looks different, every
Mac looks the same, it’s kind of like if you have a room full of people with Macs and PCs there’ll be more Macs
that look the same than PCs, the highest percentage that looks the same will be a Mac.
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But the thing that I don’t like about apple is that it’ represents an evil corporation, Microsoft are the good guys
and Apple are the evil corp. You seen Steve Jobs? He looks evil. And their adverts are always bashing Windows
and what’s good about Mac. There’s one advert that says that you have to go through so much trouble when
you have to upgrade a PC which is stupid, it’s not. The ad wasn’t thought out properly.
Hypothetically, if Windows were to go out of business tomorrow, what operating system would you change
to? Why?
I’d still be using Windows 7, why not? Though in the long-term, I’d switch to Linux because with Apple I’d have
to buy a whole Mac for it wouldn’t I? And it’s expensive and as I said I don’t like OSX.
Mac or iPhone)?
I probably would buy the Mac if it was cheaper and install Windows on it. With the other stuff, the iPod and
the iPhone there are always other alternatives, because the Mac is quite a highspec and well designed
computer it’s just too expensive and I don’t like the OS. But with the others, well I dunno, they’d have to come
down in price. But...the thing is, if I liked it enough I’d pay the extra price. You know so it’s like if the Windows
mobile phone is more expensive than an iPhone, then I’d still consider paying the extra money to buy it rather
than get an iPhone.
Price is an issue for computers but with the phones and the iPods, if I wanted it enough I’d pay the extra
money to get the product I want.
- End -
Age: 21
Sex: Male
No.
to you? Why?
Not especially – though I’d be annoyed to lose the music or files on my MP3/PC, they’re not items that can’t be
replaced.
Do you own an iPod?

No.
If not, have you ever used an iPod? What was your experience like?
I’ve used the iPods of friends a number of times. I thought they were easy to use, with an intuitive interface
and fair sound quality on the playback. Overall, my experience of iPods has always been positive.

Probably not – I don’t think that an iPod really offers me anything that my existing MP3 doesn’t, aside from
being a part of the ‘iconic’ Apple brand.

Easy to use, attractive design.

If anything, their ubiquity. And the fact that they’re only iTunes compatible, when all my music is stored on a
different program (though this is not a major issue – it would be easy enough to transfer my existing music
library to iTunes).
I’ve not used an iPhone often enough to become familiar with it, but based on the little experience I have had
of iPhones I thought that they were also pretty user-friendly, and quite versatile.
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I would consider buying an iPhone, if the price was right. Unlike the iPod, which doesn’t seem to offer me
anything that my existing MP3 player doesn’t already, I think the iPhone would offer a number of features that
my current phone doesn’t.
What do you like about the iPhone?

The touch-screen seems to work well, it does everything you would expect a phone to do, plus more.
What do you dislike about the iPhone?

I’m not familiar enough with iPhones to say if there’s anything specific that I dislike, though my friends with
iPhones have had problems with the screen cracking, which is obviously off-putting.
I don’t have any strong feelings towards Apple. My preference for items not made by them doesn’t really stem
from a dislike of the company, but more from a familiarity with and loyalty to other brands. Having said that,
the ubiquity of some Apple products does mean that I feel I’m making a statement of sorts when I opt to buy
the products of their competitors (ironic, I know, considering Microsoft is far more ubiquitous in the world of
computers).
There are too many of them around.

Compaq (so HP).

When we bought it, it was fairly up-to-date, affordable and suited our needs.
The cost, familiarity with the operating system (prior to buying the computer for home-use, I had always used
PCs in school), and it was easier to buy a PC at the time – Macs weren’t as prevalent as PCs when we bought
the computer.
Principally, I look for something that is affordable, meets my requirements, and is not too hideous to look at.
Technical specifications come into it a bit, though as I don’t use my PC or laptop for anything other than
browsing the Internet, word processing and storing music, I don’t need anything at the cutting edge of
computer development. As for the ‘cool’ factor, it really doesn’t figure for me – in the main, I’m the only
person who really has to use/look at my PC and laptop, so as long as it’s functional, it’s fine by me.
Not especially – only through familiarity and the subsequent role of inertia in preventing the swap to an
alternative operating system.
Do you like Windows? If so, why?

I do quite like Windows. I know how to use the operating system, I rarely, if ever, have compatibility issues
when sharing word docs etc, and it’s well-supported with other software and hardware.
Do you dislike Windows? If so, why?

Before I cleared up my hard drive and installed some more memory I had some running issues with Windows –
it would be very slow, and would occasionally crash.
Why?
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Again, I looked for something that was affordable, functional, and fairly simple to use. Having had a succession
of Nokia phones since the age of 15, I again picked a Nokia phone. In doing so, I knew what I was getting, in
many respects.
for? Why?
I looked for an MP3 player that, again, was within my price range, had a decent amount of memory, a good
battery life, decent audio quality, and good customer feedback as well as being functional and fairly stylish
(simplicity of design).
to equivalent Macs.
Not especially. My preference for PCs over Macs is largely based on familiarity.
If so, why do you stick with Windows, a system which is renowned for its problems: bugs, viruses
and stability issues?
Possibly a misplaced sense of brand loyalty, a lack of desire to change operating systems, and an easy
familiarity with my PC and laptop.
agree?
I would agree to an extent, though a lot of anecdotal evidence has also suggested to me that some Apple
products are quite prone to breaking after a short while – e.g. problems with the battery life of iPhone and
iPods, fragile screens etc.
What is the ‘cool’ factor?
I think Apple has been careful to cultivate its brand: a brand associated with creativity, quality and, to
an extent, with youth-culture. Drawing a distinction between ‘functional’ and ‘corporate’ Microsoft,
and ‘creative’ and ‘youthful’ Apple has allowed Apple products to also market themselves as ‘cool’.

It’s difficult to pin down, but it seems that Apple have been successful in marketing themselves as a
brand of aspiration. Much more than with Microsoft, which is almost purely functional, you get the
impression that buying or owning an Apple product will make your life better, easier and more fun –
which must feed its aura of cool.

I wouldn’t rule it out. People who have Macs always seem pleased with making the switch from Microsoft to
Apple.
Yes, briefly. Like with the iPod and iPhone, my experience was fairly positive. I thought the interface was fairly
user-friendly, once you had the hang of it, and the design of the OS and the Mac itself was appealing.
Do you like Macs? If so, what is it you like about them? Why?
Again, no real like or dislike of Macs – just too much effort to get rid of my PC and change operating systems.
Do you dislike Macs? If so, what is it you dislike about them? Why?
They always seem expensive, and PCs do seem to be supported by others involved in the computer industry.
Possibly, though possibly not. If the product was the best of its kind for the price, then I don’t see why I
wouldn’t buy an Apple product.
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If Microsoft were to go bust tomorrow, then when the time came to replace my PC and laptop I’m sure I would
be more than happy to buy a Mac and Macbook, or whatever future equivalents were on sale.
Mac or iPhone)?
Ooh, tricky. Probably price is the main obstacle for me at the moment (regarding Macs and iPhones), though
they would also have to work hard to overcome the brand loyalties I’ve developed for other companies. How’d
they do that, I’m not sure.
- End -
Age: 53
Sex: Male
Do you own an iPod, iPhone or Mac? If so, what do you like and dislike about them?
No, don’t own any.
Some say they feel a personal bond with their PCs, MPS players, and or phones. Would you say that this
applies to you? Why
No, not really, it’s not a personal feeling, as regards personalities I’m not too tied to a company or anything.
Have you ever used an iPod? What was your experience like?
I’ve used the boys’ other mp3 players and had a look at my son’s iPod but yeah I’ve seen them.
Would you consider changing to an iPod?

No. No I don’t use any mp3 player or anything similar, although I’m actually starting to use my Smartphone for
music.
Yes. I’ve prodded other people’s and had a look at it. It was fine. When I saw it, it was such early days it was
new enough for people to say ‘ooh I have an iPhone’ early days for phones with large screens. But it didn’t
have enough applications then to make it more interesting than a Blackberry. The early iPhones were larger
screened but slower Blackberrys.

No reason why not. Yeah. If it fulfilled my criteria.
Besides size weight cost and general tech features, it’s just another manufacturer. I’ll look around in a few
years time, whether it’s an iPhone, palm, HTC, or blackberry, whichever one gives me all the features and then
decide.
Yes it’s well designed and has a lot of features.
It costs a lot.
Well Apple’s edge is its design.
Its reputation is perhaps slightly iffy.

A Dell
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Why did you choose to buy a PC in general rather than a Mac?
Compatibility and familiarity all business software is all PC and AutoCAD and things like that
specifications, looks, ‘cool’ factor, or something else?
Price and quietness, technical specifications. I change computers every two years. For me a computer is just a
workhorse. When I change computers, I tend to keep my dual screens but change the laptop and the base unit
change at different times.
So yeah, price and features. But I’m not interested in buying the latest, cutting edge technology I’m not an
early adopter, I’m a safe adopter. Specifically, what I’m looking for in a laptop is lightness and smallness but a
big enough screen.
Just a utilitarian thing really, Windows as a concept – both Mac and I started back in the days of Dos and
command base and pre Windows so any thing that came up in Windows so that you could run more than one
application whether it was Mac or Microsoft. Just because got used to it.
I think it’s weird being locked in and favouring one mega corp, why should I care about them? I’ve stuck with
Windows despite how bad they are because of compatibility. In fact I dislike Microsoft but I’ve had to use their
systems, whilst Google is quite cuddly so it’s another added feature for Android, whereas Apple used to be
cuddly but it’s a bit iffy now. I think essentially, Apple’s edge is design – but that is now being chipped away at
by Alienware or Dell. I mean even Dell are suddenly offering different colour cases and it’s such an easy thing
to do.
Is there anything you like about Microsoft / Windows? If so, what is it?
It just does what I need it to.
Is there anything you dislike about Microsoft / Windows? If so, what is it?
Nothing really stands out as such.
Why?
I looked at a number of phones it had the right size weight and features for me. After a while I didn’t look at
the iPhone too much because I wanted something thinner and smaller. I looked at the slightly larger HTC
model which was very similar looking to the iPhone. In the end I went for a smaller and lighter package.
The thing is I quite like the idea of android, and the future arriving soon with Android 2.0. I also quite like the
idea of it being open source as I did with Linux a while back when I began to tinker a bit with Linux but
regarded it as a bit too much of a pin in the arse to use. If something’s simple and easy to use, I’m quite ok
with that.
to equivalent Macs.
If so, why do you stick with Windows, a system which is renowned for its problems: bugs, viruses
and stability issues?
Well that’s certainly true for Windows 3.1 or Vista, but Windows XP has been very stable, the only
trouble I’ve ever had has been when my son’s been on it. I’ve not had viruses with virus protection on
it so it’s fine. Windows ME was crummy and awful and a lot of the early Windows were awful but I’ve
been using Windows for so long that it’s just a matter of being used to it.
The only thing with Mac is that I hate the smarminess of a lot of Apple Mac users and the stupid one
button mouse. Everyone kept on saying that everyone in between the two kept on using in between
either. But why does apple persist on one button mice? Why wouldn’t you adopt aspects of your
rival’s system if it’s better than your system?
112
We used to joke with architects that engineers could work with a mug of coffee in one hand and a
keyboard in the other, whilst architects would have to juggle around.
One of the problems that Apple has had with the later versions of Mac OS is that they’ve started
hitting failures with blue screens or whatever colour it was for Macs, certainly a lot of the early Mac
systems were very stable, but as Windows and Mac started introducing more and more features
about they started overlapping and getting less and less stable, as attested by our neighbour’s
frequent complaints.
I think Macs work so well because they control everything and they control every element and so now
that it’s only now that you can get add-ons and the compatibility problems have started hitting Mac
as well.
agree?
Definitely, with that ethos that you take something out of the box and stick it into the wall and it runs is
fantastic. However, there’s much less different now between Windows and Mac now because they’ve
converged so much in terms of features.
It’s been said that Apple is ‘cool’. Do you think Apple has a ‘cool’ factor?
What is the cool factor?
Why does this make it cool?

The trouble is that I’d have to update a number of different programs I have that I’d have to pay money for. It
would cost me more to pay for a Mac generally and than a Windows machine as I’d have all the software
update costs. Although, I’ll have to change all my software at some point, changing from XP to Windows 7,
there’ll be some quirks and differences which I’ll have to learn again because there’ll be different operating
system layouts. But the thing is its just cosy when you don’t have to think about it. Using the same Windows.
It’s especially the case as I’m self employed and so if I have to learn how to use a new computer it costs me
time and money. Currently, there is no driver for me to change to a Mac for a desktop.
If it offered the same power or was much cheaper or lighter maybe. But then, again, if the Mac was the same
as the Windows machine there would have to be a reason to change. Price, ease and power, are important,
but there has to be a driver to change. Essentially you have your Macs and Dells and Fujitsu’s and you have all
your range but with all that lot you just turn on and you run and it’s the same without much problems of
having to see how it runs differently from each other. It should just be a workhorse.
Yes it was ok, it was fine.

Yes, they’re ok, nicely designed.

Nothing specifically about it in general, just the update costs would be too high.
It would have to be significant because I’d have to invest a lot in the change over. A reduction of £70 is not
enough if I ‘m spending 800 or 950 quid on a pretty laptop. If it was on £750 then I might think about it. I’d
have to change and I’d have to learn a new system. So really there’s no reason to change at the moment.
Hypothetically, if Microsoft and Windows were to go out of business tomorrow, what operating system
113
Well Linux has a lot more command prompt stuff to learn and converging etc and probably in the future they’ll
all be the same so that it’d be easy to change between Linux and Windows. But I’d change to Mac rather than
Linux just because it’s easier.
Age: 32
Sex: Female
Nationality: Hongkonger
No, at the moment I don’t have any Apple products.
to you? Why?
No. I used to stick to brands. I mean because I were pretty into Korean culture, I had a preference of Korean
products. My old laptop was Samsung and the one I am using is also a Samsung product (I bought this one 4
years ago). Also, I have a Samsung MP3 player. I didn’t really care about functions of the products and where
the products were been produced. I bought them merely because Samsung is a Korean brand. Nevertheless,
now to me functionality is more important. My Samsung laptop has some problems and I realise products of
other brands may have better quality. In the future if I need to get a new laptop, I may try other brands.
Do you own an iPod?

No, I don’t have an iPod.
If not, have you ever used an iPod? What was your experience like?
Yes, I tried it a couple of times. I like it because it looks cool and is user-friendly. The only thing is that as I don’t
have a Mac, I am not sure if there will be a problem for me to transfer the music files saved on my laptop to an
iPod. My friends (the Apple users ) said that it should not be a problem though.

I am not desperate to get an iPod. I am not a music person and do not enjoy watching films on a small
screen. I understand that it makes life easier to have one as you can use an iPod to get access to the Internet.
By from my friends’ experiences, I can see that the machine can turn people into a cyborg. In some sense I am
a cybord too as I stick to my laptop most of the time. Nevertheless, some of my friends stuck to their iPod
almost 24/7 who stayed online all the time. They even went online and chatted with people when they were
with friends or walked on streets. I am a “cyborg” but don’t want to be addicted to a machine.
What do you like about iPods?

As I said previously, it looks cool and apparently user-friendly.
What do you dislike about iPods?

So far nothing.
I tried a bit in an Apple shop. I used it at Tate Modern – they use it as an audio guide tool. I love the design and
it’s pretty user-friendly. Some friends have an iPhone and they said that the machine is good as it has many
applications. The maps on the phone help people to get directions. They may also use the phone to learn a
foreign language. I didn’t have much experience myself but sounds cool.

At some point I did consider to get an iPhone but now I think I may try to get a Nexus One. To me google is
more generous in the sense that the company provides a lot of useful stuff for free, such as gmail, google
books, youtube (though I understand they actually make money by providing APPARENTLY free services). I love
the idea of sharing and therefore I like google. I think I will get a Nexus One, but it depends on the price and
the functions of the phone.
What do you like about the iPhone?

The design and the functions of the phone.
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What do you dislike about the iPhone?
It seems that it is not compatible with PC. Also, it has apparently become a “must-buy” now which makes me
don’t want to have it.
If you already own an iPod or iPhone but don’t own a Mac, are you considering buying a Mac? If not, why?
No. I am a PC and it takes time for me to get familiar with a Mac. I may consider buying a Mac when I am not
busy with my work.
Do you like Apple? If so, what do you like about them and why?
Their products look cool and it sounds that they are with good quality. I like Apple but not as much as Google. I
think the latter is more generous in terms of sharing their technology with the public.
Also when i was small, back to 80s', IBM was a giant and Apple was almost dead. But now obviously Apple has
become a popular brand. I think in the past 10, 20 years Apple has done a good job to improve their products
and create some cool stuff. Also, they know very well how to advertise their products and make them on the
must-buy-item list. People may not need/use all the programmes on a Mac, but they want one when it has
become a must-buy. Nevertheless, it cannot be denied that a Mac is a good product in terms of its functions
and most importantly, its design. This may explain why IBM was beaten, though some people insist that IBM is
a good brand as the machine can last long.
Do you dislike Apple? If so, what do you dislike about them and why?
The products are not compatible with PC.

Samsung.

Because I used PC since the first day I used computers.
I am familiar with PC and my experience of using the machine so far is not bad. Also, I think the price of a PC in
general is better than a Mac.
It’s more less the same as what happen when I buy a MP3 or a phone. I usually look for something which is
very handy, light, easy to carry around, user-friendly and looks cool. The brand is not important. And of course,
price does matter.
No. I just get used to use Windows, but am happy to learn how to use other systems if I have a chance.
Do you like Windows? If so, why?

Not really.
Do you dislike Windows? If so, why?

Yes. It is not stable and recently my laptop crashed and I needed to reinstall all the programmes. It’s really a
pain and I didn’t want to go through this again.
Why?
It was mainly about the design and because the phone was very handy. All I need is a phone which can be used
to make calls and send text messages. I always look for something very small and light.
for? Why?
As I said previously, I bought a MP3 because of its brand (i.e. Samsung) and it was compatible with a PC.
It’s been said that PC users prefer Windows because of the extra technical features available, in comparison to
equivalent Macs.
115
Not really. User-friendly is more important.
agree?
Yes, I agree. But I think the design is also cool.
What is the ‘cool’ factor? Yes, to me simple is beauty.

Apple products always look simple, and therefore cool. A lot of my friends told me when they bought
Mac initially they bought it for the brand and because it was cool. But afterwards, they realised it was
actually a much better computer than a PC.

Yes. As I said, Window is not stable enough. I think I will get a Mac if the price is OK.
Yes. It’s pretty user friendly, fast and easy to use.
Do you like Macs? If so, what is it you like about them? Why?
Yes, as the system is comparatively stable.
Do you dislike Macs? If so, what is it you dislike about them? Why?
The price. It is expensive when compares with a PC.
Yes. To me price does matter. But of course it depends on the quality and the functions of the product.
I don’t know. I think I will ask my friends for opinions.
Mac or iPhone)?
To lower its price and to become more compatible with other systems.
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Appendix five: Focus group
Transcript
Key: speech unsure of correct interpretation
Commencing at 00:02:54 After Introductions

Moderator:
Cool, alright then. That’s great! So, the next activity is I want you guys to sort into pairs according to what
computers you use. So, two PC users, two Mac users and...let me think...what’s going to happen is out of the
five PCs I want a three. One three if that’s alright. So, yeah.
Mac Respondent 1A:

Shall we just swap and then we can... [inaudible 00:03:18]
Moderator:
Yeah. So yeah...
[inaudible 00:3:23]
Moderator:
Alright then. So if you can start devising... The aim of this study is to devise basically a case against...well, a
case for your computer. So you’re trying to convince the other side to move to either a PC (if you’re a PC) or to
move to a Mac (if you’re a Mac). So....so then, and then what you’re going to have to do is present afterwards
at the end. Also guys if you could just write your nationalities and your genders.
[inaudible 00:05:03].
PC Respondent 1B:
Do we do this together? [inaudible 00:05:21]
Moderator:
Yeah, you’re doing it in pairs.
[background noise]
Moderator:
No, no, no, names are not important to me. It’s just your nationalities and your genders. Actually, age as well
though.
Recommencing at 00:11:48
Moderator:
Ok. Alright then guys. So, what I’m going to do is I’m going to give you folders - well, envelopes - so you can
put your sheets of paper in there, and what I want you to do is just to write out your details so it saves
you having to write it out on each piece of paper every time. So you just put it in once you’ve finished
your...each presentation *inaudible 0:12:17+. So, you guys are the Mac’s.
[agreement from Mac groups]
You guys are PCs?
[agreement from PC groups]
Now, I’m going to get the first group, PC users, to present. Which ones are they? Is that you guys?
[agreement from PC group]
117
Just take some time to fill in what you can *00:12:53+. It’s going to be a 2 minute presentation, basically. It’s
going to be very quick. It doesn’t need to be very detailed.
Right then. So, who starts?
PC Respondent 1A:
Ok, well we said that we like PCs more for these reasons: so, they offer -
Moderator:
Can you say what group number you are?
PC Respondent 1A:
We’re Group 1 PCs.
Moderator:
Yeah, ok.
PC Respondent 1A:
So we like PCs because they offer the same programs as Macs, and other programmes that are on Macs are
more for people who do like animation and stuff like that, which is just not the majority of people and so we
don’t need that, that’s not really necessary for us. And they’re a good price, you know, they’re generally
cheaper than Macs. With programs that are made for PCs, programs like Microsoft Word and stuff like that
[inaudible 00:14:00] they came on mine but for other people they had to buy it.[inaudible 00:14:03] different
programs for the Mac. And one thing that we know that PCs have all the bugs and viruses but we know that
they’ve been around longer than Macs so they’re more...they’re just newer technology and so it doesn’t mean
that it can’t happen for Macs, and also PCs have anti-virus protection so that’s not you know, it’s really easy
to use. We think they’re easier to navigate, like easier to customise them and you can customise them more.
And there are two annoying things that you know you can’t like right click very easily and you can’t just press
the mouse pad to click.
Moderator:
Ok. Alright then, so, thank you very much for that. Is there anyone here with questions about that that would
like to discuss that? Nothing? Ok. Well, we’ll have a little bit of a discussion after the end when everyone’s
finished that. So then the first group of Mac, the Mac group. If you can speak up so...
Mac Respondent 1A:

We’re Group 1 Mac. Basically, we feel that the thing about Macs is that they are more expensive but they’re
better value for money because all my friends have PCs, they’ve broken from like minor, really irritating little
ways. They’ve had to send them off to get it fixed and that’s quite expensive. My Mac has never broken in
two-and-a-half years that I’ve had it and I don’t know anybody else really whose Macs have broken, and I
know people who have you know, dropped their Macs on the floor and poured coffee all over them and had
them fixed for free. Which I think says something about the Mac company, and like we were saying that if you
could just walk into a Mac store and they’ll teach you how to use all the different programs and use your
Mac to its full potential.
Mac Respondent 1B: [inaudible 00:15:58] there are a lot of workshops, like every day the store is open there is
loads of workshops in the mornings and evenings and they are always teaching you how to use your
applications and tricks with your Mac. They don’t freeze [inaudible 00:16:14]. Also they offer a better design
and they’re more compatible...
Mac Respondent 1A:

Like, with Microsoft, a lot of the things you were saying that a lot of the programs on Mac are extra programs
you don’t really need and that they’re for only people who actually do design and stuff like that, but we would
say that actually, a lot of the programs are really useful. You can you know, you can make home movies, you
can like [inaudible 00:16:39] them up, you can make photo albums and things like that in a much more easy
way like [inaudible 00:16:44] you can see them all on screen. It’s much smoother to use a Mac, it’s much
simpler, everything is just there in front of you.
118
Mac Respondent 1B:
Also they’re designed to be lighter than normal laptops.
Mac Respondent 1A:
They are quite practical.
Mac Respondent 1B:

Also, they’re safe for you, like even if you’re not good with computers they help a lot. They’re designed to
help people [inaudible 00:17:10] even five year old kids.
Mac Respondent 1A:

Yeah, I know like five year-old kids who can do stuff on my MacBook and play music, and make little videos
and stuff...
Moderator:
Do you know any five year-olds who can’t do that on a...
Mac Respondent 1A:

Yeah I do, I actually do.
[general agreement]
I just think a Mac is really easy to use, like my Grandma can use my Mac and she likes it and she didn’t know
how to use a PC, and she got very confused. [inaudible 00:17:33]
Moderator:
So it’s very user friendly.
Mac Respondent 1A:

Yeah, it’s very user friendly.
Moderator:
Ok, that’s really cool. Ok. So, any questions? Would anyone like to point out anything? Anything? Do the other
side have to say, well what about this, what about that?
PC Respondent 2A:
I think they’ve covered everything.
[laughter and general agreement]
Moderator:
Ok, so the second group for PCs, your go.
PC Respondent 2A:
We’re the second group for PCs. We feel that PCs are a lot better for things like games and everything like
that. Software, like the other PC group said, is more designed for PCs in the first place so problems come up a
lot more to do with Macs. You can...I normally, in my experience, I’ve found that a lot of flaws and a lot of
errors are basically targeted at Macs, like them asking to fix it or whatever. And then we said there’s more
choice in customisations for PCs and it’s a lot easier to repair a small part, like it can easily be taken out and
you can do it yourself. Or you can just upgrade hardware. I’ve had, in my experience, also again I’ve heard of
just a small thing on a Mac breaking therefore you have to send the entire thing away. Obviously the same
thing can happen with laptops, and PCs as well, but for an actual desktop PC it’s easy to just take alittle bit out
or something like that. The newer Windows for PCs are a lot more user friendly, and the problem is...I don’t
know how many people have used Windows 7? Because like, I think - and Vista - they I think are really, really
user friendly.
Moderator:
How many people have used it?
119
Mac Respondent 1A:
[inaudible 00:19:21] But I would say it was made in reaction to Mac coming...
[inaudible 00:19:24]
PC Respondent 2A:
Exactly, exactly.
Mac Respondent 1A:

...therefore it doesn’t mean that... like, Mac is more advanced.
PC Respondent 2A:
Oh yeah, yeah. I’m not saying it’s like more advanced or anything. I think what it’s done now is they are
actually copying Mac which is why I like it a lot more because it’s really, really user friendly and also looks as
good as Mac now. But yeah, they’ve literally copied it but...
Moderator:
So Mac set the field, set the bar?
PC Respondent 2A:
Yeah, pretty much, yeah. And I would say blatantly copied it and just...I think it’s better just because more
people like the software and stuff like that. [inaudible 00:19:52]
Moderator:
Oh right. So it’s more compatible?
PC Respondent 2A:
Yeah.
Moderator:
Ok. Would you like to [inaudible 00:20:01], Biola?
PC Respondent 2B:
Ok. [inaudible 00:20:03]
Moderator:
Why do you think it works better in a business environment? What is it?
PC Respondent 2B:
Moderator:
Yeah like with Boot Camp and Parallels, VM Ware. Yeah, no I myself I run...I have a Mac but I run VM Ware,
well, Parallels. And the final group so, you are the second group for Mac.
Mac Respondent 2A:

[inaudible 00:21:19] we came up with...
Moderator:
Could you speak up?
Mac Respondent 2A:

The first one, it’s good for design *inaudible 00:21:28+. It’s good for design, good for graphics. We have
software Photoshop [inaudible 00:21:37]. Then, from a technical angle, which [inaudible 00:21: 43] talked
about, I be using PC for a long time before I switched to the Mac and so far I found that the Mac is faster than
the PC. Naturally, it’s faster than the PC. Now, we have the problem with virus [inaudible 00:22 04] and bugs
on the PC, you don’t have that for the Mac. Now, you don’t actually need an anti-virus for your Mac but you
120
need an anti-virus for your PC, you know. And most of the time the anti-virus carries a lot of load of memory
which you actually need to...
Moderator:
Slows it down, yeah.
Mac Respondent 2A:

Yeah, slows it down. Then, also, the Mac is durable. As she said, if you drop it they can fix it and I’ve not really
seen a lot of people that complain about [inaudible 00:22: 38] hideaway problems with Mac. Then, also the
Mac....yeah, they make both the body and the operating system. So I think it’s an advantage, you know like the
[inaudible 00:22:57] ok HP makes laptops and their own [inaudible 00:23:04] models of printing systems so it’s
like [inaudible 00:23:05] different vendors coming together bringing hardware and software. But in this
situation there are advantages of that and there are also disadvantages, but I think that it’s kind of an
advantage if the actual one particular company makes both the hardware and the software. I think it would be
more durable and it would be more particular to the issues of the particular laptop.
Moderator:
Right.
Mac Respondent 2A:

You understand, so if I have a Mac and I have the operating system running on the Mac, it’s made by the same
company [inaudible 00:23:48]
Moderator:
So what you’re saying is, basically, things work better on a Mac because they’re designed to [inaudible
00:23:55] run on a Mac, rather than the PC where they have an obvious flaw whereby there’s so many
different manufacturers and so obviously...
Mac Respondent 2A:

Yeah [inaudible 00:24:05].
Moderator:
Ok, that’s very interesting. Anymore thoughts?
Mac Respondent 2A:

They’re just user friendly...
Moderator:
They’re just user friendly? Ok, cool. Would anyone like to counter that?
PC Respondent 2B:
Yeah.
Moderator:
Yeah? Go on.
PC Respondent 2B:
[inaudible 00:24:19] as Mac becomes more popular technically they will become the target for virus writers
and then they will have to start from scratch trying to deal with viruses. Meanwhile PCs already have a
[inaudible 00:24:46] hand at how to go about it. I think that’s an advantage. When the time comes...
[laughter from those in background]
PC Respondent 2A:
The thing is the problem is, for people who create viruses, it’s a lot more in their interest to target PCs which is
why they target them because they’re gonna get a lot more gain from it.
Moderator:
121
Yeah.
PC Respondent 2A:
Which is why they either ignore...I’m pretty sure some do target Macs...
Mac Respondent 1A:

There are... [inaudible 00:25:10]
PC Respondent 2A:
Yeah, there are. The problem is, because there’s no...I don’t know the exact difference between numbers in
Macs versus PCs but I think they’re a lot more in their interest to target PCs, but yeah.
Moderator:
Ok.
PC Respondent 2A:
Also, I’m gonna bring up another point. Anyone can correct me because I don’t know Macs that well, I believe
PCs are a lot more powerful as well, they all have the capability of being a lot more powerful, especially in
desktop again.
Mac Respondent 2B:

What do you mean a lot more powerful?
PC Respondent 2A:
Well like, they can like play...it’s a lot easier to customise and play better games, like faster or better. Because I
don’t know what kind of specs Macs get...
Mac Respondent 1A:

I think if you buy, I think you are probably right. Like, if you buy the cheapest Mac - if you just buy the one that
everybody has, like those laptops - they’re not...like you don’t get as much memory and power as you would
with a similarly priced PC. Like, if you bought a seven-hundred pound PC it would be a lot...
PC Respondent 2A:
A lot more powerful. Yeah.
Mac Respondent 1A:

...yeah, a lot more powerful. But then I think that people buy Macs for different reasons than PCs. PCs are
more like to do with like functionality and power and stuff like that. Whereas people buy Macs because they
want to faff around with photos and like [inaudible 00:26:23]. Yeah like, there for different people.
PC Respondent 1B:
Professional.
Moderator:
So, sorry, which one is more professional?
Mac Respondent 1A:

Not professional but like, maybe a bit more like people who are more into computing would probably buy a
PC. Because you were saying like, if something broke you could just like do it yourself. Like, if I had a PC and it
broke I couldn’t fix it myself *inaudible 00:26:43+, I just couldn’t, but I *inaudible 00:26:44+.
[agreement from others throughout]
Moderator:
Ok, very interesting point. So what about in India, or other places in the world? I mean, usually, I know for a
fact that Macs cost about two times more than they do in England. I mean, I know for example in Jordan a Mac
would cost, rather than a thousand pounds it would cost you three-thousand pounds. That’s the equivalent.
So, there’s a lot of thought behind that and they say that they’re more used for professional use. So the
122
average layman isn’t going to spend that much money. I mean, do you have anything to say about that? Or do
you, what do you think about that?
Mac Respondent 1B:

I don’t think they’re designed for professional use. All computers are but I think normal computers are
more designed for...
Moderator:
Than PCs?
Mac Respondent 1B:

Yeah PCs rather than Macs.
Moderator:
Ok. What about design work?
Mac Respondent 2A:

*inaudible 00:27:40+ if you’re working in media or you’re working in design then you’ll probably have a Mac.
PC Respondent 2B: Well, my secondary school, they got a grant to be an Art College and all they did was buy
Macs. That was my only experience with Macs and literally they just had a room filled with Macs, but
everything else to do with schoolwork or whatever, or anything for the ICT department all had PCs still.
Mac Respondent 2A:

Yeah I had a similar thing [inaudible 00:28:06] at school.
Moderator:
Ok.
PC Respondent:
Yeah, exactly the same so yeah.
Moderator:
Same here, [inaudible 00:28:12].
[laughter]
Ok, so what I’m going to do is I’m going to ask you guys to fill in this small form, basically just saying were you
convinced by the other side or if you weren’t convinced by the other side, you know. So, and you need to
say which group you liked the most. I don’t know if you can remember what the other side said. What it says,
basically it says “I use...” either a PC or “I use a Mac”, and “I liked group Mac”, “I preferred the group of Mac
because...” *inaudible 00:28:41+, “I liked the second group of Mac because...” that kind of thing. And then you
don’t need to put your names or anything just again your gender and nationality and your age. And then I’m
going to put it in a sort of secret ballot envelope. So, it’s just a very quick thing. Just take like literally thirty
seconds on these. Can you also put your sheets as well where you’ve just written all your bullet points into the
envelopes. The slips of paper are going to go in separate envelopes. Cool.
So the next exercise now, what it’s going to involve is you’re going to look at a whole pile of advertisements so
what I want you to do is I want you to select the ones that you like and the one’s that you don’t like. So just
one that you like,and one that you don’t like in your groups. And I want you to write on another piece of paper
what you like about one advert and what you don’t like about another advert. One you like and one you don’t
like and you say why. So it can be because you don’t like the product, it can be because you don’t like the
advert. As long as you just say why. If you disagree on your points then you can also do separate ones but still
say in your groups. You can also say if it sells the product well. The more information you give me the better.
Can you put your adverts in your envelopes once you’ve finished with them?
Recommencing at 00:41:53
123
Moderator:
So, the next activity, again in your same groups I want you to devise an advert for footwear. And it’s only going
to be a two-minute exercise. Although I think we’re running a bit late so I’ll give you one minute to do each
one. And so, one minute to do footwear and then I’m going to tell you after the *inaudible 00:42:37+ once it’s
done next one. So it’s just stick men and I want you to think of the most important thing. Stick men or just
writing words of what you think the advert should have in it. So, footwear please.
So the next one I want you to do is an advert for clothes. Any type of clothes that you like. And you need to
describe...you know, draw again and explain what it is. If you don’t want to draw just explain how you would
advertise clothes. Any type of clothes: jeans, tops, bras whatever.
Ok, so, that’s done. So the next one: next advert is I want you to...(you’ve got one minute for this) I want you
to devise and advert for chocolate. Any chocolate that you want. Key words, that’s all it is.
What I’m going to do is after you’ve done the other two, I’m going to ask you to choose your favourite one –
the one you found best to explain – and the one that you found the hardest and I want you to say....one
minute, so to one minute to explain that all in one minute. Ok, next one is going to be washing detergent. So
any type of washing detergent, can be hand soap if you want as well, can be washing-up liquid, can be
dishwasher detergent, anything. So, washing detergent.
Alright, ok. Last one: toilet paper. You need to do an advert on toilet paper and you have one minute. Explain
what you like about toilet paper, how you would advertise it. Draw pictures again, that kind of thing.
Can you number them as well, please? Can you number your ideas, so for each exercise [inaudible 00:55:58].
Ok. Now, as I said before, I’m just going to ask you to choose one that you like that was easy for you to do and
you felt was your best ideas [inaudible 00:56:15] then choose one that you felt your...was the most difficult to
convey, the most difficult to think of ideas for. I’m going to start with first Mac group. So...Choose your
favourite and your worst one.
You are the first group for Mac [inaudible 00:57:06]please go ahead.
Mac Respondent 1A:

Our first one that we quite liked and was quite easy to come up with was our shoe one. And we thought we’d
do like a sort of glamorous shoe but take it out of the glamorous situation and put [inaudible 00:57:19]
and...but she’s wearing a really nice shoe, she’s got really sexy legs so *inaudible 00:57:25+ in daylight so she
could just be going to work or maybe she’s going out in early evening you don’t really know. She could be
going anywhere and it’s supposed to show the practicality combined with like the glamour of the shoe.
Mac Respondent 1B:

She’s got a very...she’s got a beautiful tanned leg and she’s wearing stunning, sexier things [inaudible
00:57:44+. She’s maybe going to work, shopping, or going out. There’s a lot of daylight [inaudible 00:57:58] or
she could be walking down the street in the morning.
Moderator:
Ok. Cool. So, what’s your most difficult one that you had to come up with?
Mac Respondent 1A:

I think the detergent one.
Mac Respondent 1B:

Yeah.
Mac Respondent 1A:

We had basically, we thought it would be like a TV ad, and you would see there would be like a white flash,
like a really, really, really bright white flash and then it would fade out and there [inaudible 00:58:26].
124
Mac Respondent 1B:
Like the product would shine through...
...and it like emphasises the power of it, of the product.
Moderator:
Why was it so hard?
Mac Respondent 1A:

I don’t know.
Mac Respondent 1B:

[inaudible 00:58:40] I know we had like one minute for each but it felt like we had [inaudible 00:58:47].
Mac Respondent 1A:

Moderator:
Ok, so then I’m going to go for the second PC group, that’s you guys.
PC Respondent 2A:
Yeah, the second PC group. We thought better on the shoe one. I just got the image straight away in my head.
Basically it’s a TV advert where you see the foot just close up on the shoe of the foot walking and the
background just keeps changing to different things, and the person’s on the street and they’re going through
like woods, like getting a bit muddy and then going through like a puddle, snow, all loads of different
conditions but the shoe just looks like a [inaudible 00:59:29] it looks really good. And like it’s not affected by
anything. Just a good, strong image. Yeah like durable, like a slogan “for all seasons” or something like that.
Thought the hardest one to do was probably the toilet paper just because I don’t really care much about it, I
mean...
Moderator:
[laughter] do you care about it, then? Do you care loads about it?
PC Respondent 2B:
PC Respondent 2A:
What we ended up doing with Biola was we needed to come up with basically our own ideas [inaudible
01:00:15] but for that one we literally just copied another advert.
Moderator:
What was that?
PC Respondent 2A:
It was...I’ve forgotten which one it was. It’s the one where they’re in the factory and there’s just toilet paper
everywhere and like people are falling off and just landing in it.
Moderator:
I know that one. Yeah I think that’s Charmin isn’t it? Or no, Bounty? Isn’t it? Or...
[general discussion about which company the advert refers to]
Mac Respondent 1A:

...with the little boy who’s the boss of the company [inaudible 01:00:45]. I like that one.
125
Moderator:
[laughter] Why do you like it?
Mac Respondent 1A:

Because it’s like, it’s funny like *inaudible 01:00:50+ you know, it’s cute *inaudible 01:00:56+.
Moderator:
Would it convince you to buy it?
PC Respondent 2A:
No.
Mac Respondent 1A:

No, I buy Tesco’s home brand. *laughter in background+. Toilet paper, like it doesn’t matter.
Moderator:
It’s cheap.
Mac Respondent 1A:

Exactly.
Moderator:
Ok.
PC Respondent 2A:
Mac Respondent 1A:

Moderator:
Ok, that’s interesting. So then it’s going to be the first PC group, so explain the one you like.
PC Respondent 1A:
Ok, the one we like was the clothes one. We decided to do bras and lingerie. We decided that...have you guys
all seen the “Bad Romance” music video by Lady Gaga?
[agreement from others in the room]
Ok, well a lot of people love Lady Gaga right now so we decided... you know at the end when she’s like
coming out with the polar bear fur thing, whatever that is? And so we like...it’s sort of shocking, it’s the end of
the set you know, it catches your attention [inaudible 01:001:50] and like she has a white polar bear fur coat
thing. And her like bra and underwear are like either red or black or something that like, you know, obviously
stands out or something. You know, we just thought that was...
Moderator:
What made you think of that? What does it try and convey as well?
PC Respondent 1A:
I don’t know. Usually...
PC Respondent 1C:
The popularity...
PC Respondent 1A:
Yeah, like something you can associate with immediately like almost *inaudible 01:02:18+ and it’s like shocking,
something that makes you like step back for a second like the polar bear.
126
Moderator:
Ok. And what are you trying to convey, what message are you actually trying to convey about the actual
lingerie?
PC Respondent 1A:
I mean, lingerie I think generally tends to be more like suggestive. [inaudible 01:02:45]. Yeah, and I think Lady
Gaga is pretty you know. You could argue she’s quite controversial.
Moderator:
Is it about the cool look? [inaudible 01:02:53]
PC Respondent 1A:
Yeah, yeah.
Moderator:
Ok. That’s cool. And the one that was difficult for you guys?
PC Respondent 1A:
The shoe one.
Moderator:
The shoe one? Why?
PC Respondent 1A:
Yeah. We just, I mean like we wanted to do like some sort of sneakers, but we didn’t know...like it took us a
while to figure out where it would be and what would be happening and we just like didn’t really know.
Moderator:
Ok, so what did you come up with in the end?
PC Respondent 1A:
Like, you know, there’s a pavement and it’s near some sort of either field or lake or something and like we
couldn’t decide really if there like was two people running or one person running or like what colours there
would be or anything [inaudible 01:03:28].
Moderator:
Ok, ok. That’s cool. Alright then. So, last group.
Mac Respondent 2B:

The washing one...
Moderator:
Was your best one?
Mac Respondent 2B:

...was the best one.
Moderator:
Why?
Mac Respondent 2B:

Because it was much more easy to say about [inaudible 01:03:54] like helping us to clean stains [inaudible
01:04:00].
Mac Respondent 2A:

[inaudible 01:04:00] concept was picture is very massive photo of detergent.
127
Moderator:
I’m picturing it now *laughter+
Mac Respondent 2A:

[inaudible 01:04:18], cleans nice environment, nice smell, all that.
Moderator:
How would you sell it? What’s the main thing that you’re going to sell with that?
Mac Respondent 2A:

Basically there are other detergents around so what we’re looking at...and obviously they [inaudible 01:04:49],
so we’re looking at scent. I think it’s a detergent but at the same time it’s also a fragrance for your room. It
gives you a nice smell that lasts long. So using it over a normal detergent it just gives you...just cleans and the
smell goes off easily.
Moderator:
Ok and the hardest one for you guys?
Mac Respondent 2B:

The toilet roll. [laughter]
Mac Respondent 2A:

We couldn’t just figure out what toilet...the only way you can sell toilet paper is if it’s cheap.
Moderator:
Yeah.
Mac
Respondent 2A:
You can’t really sell...do you want to make this toilet paper scented or do you want to change the colour of the
toilet paper.
Moderator:
Yeah.
Mac Respondent 2A:

It doesn’t go out of the toilet. [laughter] Nobody needs to buy maybe a flowery toilet paper because it is not
going to leave the toilet. [inaudible 01:05:49] so there is no advantage.
Moderator:
There’s no advantage to selling...
Mac Respondent 2A:

Yeah, the cost...yeah it’s a necessity. It’s the cost and maybe because it’s soft [inaudible 01:06:05] like the
Tesco ones are very hard.
Moderator:
So you would sell it as different from the others: soft?
Mac Respondent 2A:

Yeah soft.
Moderator:
Ok.
PC Respondent 1C:
Our group had a very nice idea for tissue paper.
128
Moderator:
Tell me, please.
PC Respondent 1C:
It was like, we were basically trying to tell them that we like more like highlighting [inaudible 01:06:30]
Moderator:
Yeah? So yeah, alright, alright I see ok. Ok, that’s interesting. So how would it be different to other toilet
papers then?
PC Respondent 1A:
Like a modern sort of issue that a lot of people talk about a lot is helping the environment [inaudible 01:06:54].
Moderator:
Yeah, that’s quite an interesting point I mean it’s now it’s a great thing because you think about how much
toilet paper you use in a day...
[laughter]
Mac Respondent 1A:

That’s what our advert kind of highlighted [inaudible 01:07:11] you use it a lot. It is quite cheap. [inaudible
01:07:27]
Moderator:
That’s interesting, yeah. That’s a really, really fascinating insight that you’ve just given me because the thing is
there’s a lot of theorists out there and what they say, they think that...specifically one guy specifically had a
look at toilet paper, this is why I’ve actually brought it out for you guys because it’s a funny one to look at. But
toilet paper in particular is because...well he said it’s Andrex the famous brand *inaudible 01:08:03] it all used
to be one called Delsey, I don’t know if that still exists in any...yeah, does Delsey still exist anywhere? No? You
see Delsey, this is back in the seventies, and he said that Delsey was going down because it sold itself on cost-
cutting. Whilst Andrex was selling the brand, it was pushing the brand and people buy the toilet paper for the
brand. Basically, he thinks you can expand that to everything. You buy something for the brand. So, the most
important thing about buying something is how it makes you feel.
PC Respondent 2A:
It’s a bit like Compare the Meerkat as well.
Moderator:
Compare the Meerkat?
Mac Respondent 1A:

I don’t really, I would never use comparethemarket.com but if I was going to use one I might use that one.
PC Respondent 2A:
The amount, how popular that became...
Mac Respondent 1A:

That go compare guy is really annoying.
Moderator:
Yeah.
Mac Respondent 1A:

PC Respondent 2A:
Exactly.
129
Moderator:
In that sense there the brand does...
Mac Respondent 1A:

Yeah it does, but I think at other times [inaudible 01:09:13]
PC Respondent 2A:
You’ve got to be careful with it.
Mac Respondent 1A:

Yeah.
Moderator:
So it depends on different products?
Mac Respondent 1A:

Well like in fashion and stuff sometimes it depends like what kind of person you are, because sometimes you
want to look good based on the fact that something is really nicely designed, or like an interesting pattern or
something, but then at other times you might just buy a t-shirt like if you bought like a Fred Perry polo shirt it
would literally be just like a black polo shirt with a Fred Perry logo on it and that’s, you know, a really boring
Moderator:
So does it depend on [inaudible 01:09:47] your background, does it depend on the way you’ve been brought
up? What you’re more like to choose or does it depend on...
Mac Respondent 1B:

I think it depends on where you live, your society and like people around you, if you’re encouraged for
example to buy branded clothes.
Mac Respondent 1A:

I find like boys prefer, like more so than girls, prefer to buy branded stuff. Like I had to buy Christmas presents
for my boyfriend and I knew that if I bought him something from Fred Perry that would be ok because
whatever I bought it would be ok because he likes that brand and everything in there is quite simple and like,
but if I just bought the same thing for him from Topshop he wouldn’t like it. So he finds it really hard because I
don’t really like brands and stuff I like patterns and colours.
Moderator:
Ok.
PC Respondent 1A:
I think it also depends on where you are in life. Like, as a student I’m more likely to buy a Tesco brand
anything just like I don’t have money and it’s cheaper, just because I’d rather have that money for other...you
know what I mean? I don’t know if everyone’s like that but I like save and I’m like oh, this is like ten pence
Moderator:
Any other thoughts, you guys?
PC Respondent 2A:
I was going to say definitely that being brought up because I’ve been brought up as when computers were just
starting to become popular and so I’ve known what, fifteen years of having a computer, and so I’ve used just
PCs since then. So I will probably never go to Macs just because of that reason.
Mac Respondent 1A:

Yeah, I’m exactly the same but opposite, my family would have like twenty Macs *inaudible 01:11:28+.
Moderator:
130
Interesting that, because I swore I’d never go to Macs when I was...that was before I’d started working at
Apple. I got an internship at Apple just by pure chance and I didn’t really expect I was going to get it and I just
got it and I thought I’d try it out. I wasn’t too sure, I’d heard a lot of stories, my brother hates Mac, he is such a
technical person he hates Mac. It’s like a real religion for him and he just goes on about how much he can’t
stand it and I told him I was going to buy a Mac after I’d finished the whole year working there using my work
Mac, realising how great it was for what I wanted to do. His face just went...and I’ve never seen that before in
him it was amazing. It was something which was really quite important to him and I think it’s quite important
to a lot of people [inaudible 01:12:26], which is what makes me wonder, how come there aren’t more viruses
aimed at Macs? Because there are a lot of technical people hate Macs and Mac users.
Mac Respondent 1A:

PC Respondent 2B:
How long have Macs been around?
Moderator:
Since 1977.
PC Respondent 2B:
Because first time I heard about it three years ago.
PC Respondent 2A:
They’ve only just recently become majorly popular.
Mac Respondent 1A:

Basically, like when they made iMac, they became really popular [inaudible 01:13:03] those nice coloured ones
that were really pretty. Because before they were just the same, like we used to have a PowerMac thing in my
house and it was like this big and grey with like this little coloured apple on the thing. [agreement among the
remaining people in the room]. Just really, really ugly. They looked the same as a PC, and there was no reason
why you would buy a Mac over a PC [inaudible 01:13:27].
Moderator:
Why would you buy it now?
Mac Respondent 1A:

I think Macs are different and PCs are different [inaudible 01:13:40].
Moderator:
So is it about being different?
Mac Respondent 1B:

I like the design, the sound, the colours, the way it works the whole thing, something many people identify
themselves with.
Mac Respondent 1A:

And the fact that they’re useful for design and stuff like that the types of people who buy them, like the
majority of people who buy them are creative students and stuff like that so they like them because they stand
out and they look nice in terms of designs and stuff like that [inaudible 01:14:09].
Mac Respondent 2A:

[inaudible 01:14:11] when you are comparing the Mac and the PC, now are you talking about the hardware or
the software? [inaudible 01:14:26] when you say PC I’m talking about the hardware *inaudible 01:14:37+.
Moderator:
We’re talking about the whole package.
Mac Respondent 2A:
131
The whole package, ok, including the hardware and the operating system?
Moderator: We’re talking about the whole experience of owning a PC.
Mac Respondent 2A:

But owning a PC involves a lot of different collaborations [inaudible 01:15:02]
Moderator: The collaboration being...
Mac Respondent 2A:

For the PC it’s not just one company making the hardware and software.
Mac Respondent 1A:

If I had to buy a PC I would buy a Dell. That is based on the fact that like, I know it sounds really stupid, but
[inaudible 01:15:50] adverts and stuff like that they look more fun and they look nicer and they, you know,
they’re always in collaborations like Windows Vista and stuff like that.
Mac Respondent 2A:

Moderator:
Cool, ok, so. One last question and then we’re finished. So who feels they identify with their computers? So
that’s...you have personal attachment, you don’t identify with it, it sort of identifies who you are. So that’s
three Mac users and four PC users. Ok then, alright then. Thank you very much guys, thank you. Ok, that’s
lovely.
- End -
132
Results of each activity from each group
First Mac Group
Activity two: Liked adverts
Activity two: Disliked advert
Activity three: Created adverts
133
Second Mac Group
Activity two: Liked advert
134
Activity three: created adverts
135
First PC Group
136
Second PC Group
137
Appendix Six: Consumer survey
Consumer Survey Codebook
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
SPSS outputs
General attitudes: Personally attached to iPhone
146
General attitudes: Bought Mac because it does everything
147
General attitudes: Bought a Mac because it looked cool
148
General attitudes: Bought an iPod because it does everything I need
149
General attitudes: Bought an iPhone because it does everything I need
150
Consumers’ backgrounds: Nationalities of consumers personally attached to iPhone
151
Consumers’ backgrounds: Gender of consumers who bought an iPhone because ‘it felt like me’
152
Consumers’ backgrounds: Gender who bought iPhones because of the advertising
153
Group influence: Nationalities of consumers who bought a Mac because everyone had one
154
Economic restraint: Nationalities of consumers who bought iPhone for value
155
Other product categories: Nationalities of consumers and importance of branded footwear
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Other product categories: Nationalities of consumers and importance of branded chocolate
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Lina Pio Apple, Brand or Product

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Lina Pio Apple, Brand or Product

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Brand or Product?

An investigation into the importance

School of Management, Royal Holloway,

Glossary of technical terms ............................................................................. viii

Review of theoretical framework....................................................................... 4

The first theory ................................................................................................................................... 4

In depth interviews with Apple staff................................................................................................. 15

Discussion and conclusions .............................................................................. 58

Analysis of findings ........................................................................................................................... 58

Appendix one: Email template to Apple staff for Access ................................................................. 69

Figure 2: Own diagram of Maslow's (1943) hierarchy of needs ..............................................12

Figure 21: Adverts respondents liked in activity two ..............................................................53

Figure 22: Adverts respondents didn't like in activity two ......................................................54

Table 1: Research methods overview ......................................................................................14

Table 3: Interview respondents' profiles .................................................................................19

Table 4: Focus group respondents' profiles .............................................................................21

Table 5: Summary of statistical findings of OAPB and OAPF tests ..........................................28

Table 6: Apple staff opinions of Apple as either a brand or product ......................................29

Table 8: Focus group findings of consumers' reasons to buy a Mac or PC .............................32

Table 13: Focus group insights on consumer backgrounds .....................................................41

Table 15: Apple staff insights into group influence .................................................................44

Table 16: Consumer interview insights into group influence ..................................................44

Easton-Ellis’ (1991) psychopathic Bateman is, thankfully, pure fiction. However,

A particularly important issue, it is largely absent in the field of branding and

The first theory

Ultimately, King believes that consumers see ‘brands as personalities [and]

- ‘Does it enhance the brand’s total personality?

On criticising the postmodernist views on consumption provided by Baudrillard

The second theory

Further, adoption of brands as forms of expression may not apply to all

Figure 2: Own diagram of Maslow's (1943) hierarchy of needs

H1: People are motivated by Apple’s brand to buy its products.

Motivations or triggers behind purchasing an Apple

Basic Functional (tangible):

To establish the validity of these theories, more research was therefore

Time period Type Research Method Quantity/Size

Researcher’s observational research

Access was gained through employment of the researcher by Apple, as an intern.

In depth interviews with Apple staff

The interviews focussed on key questions (see Appendix) designed to

Respondent General role Nationality

In depth interview with Dr Martens brand owner

This research activity was interesting as it compared and contrasted the

A possible issue with a self-administered survey was the potential for

Sampling and respondent error

In depth interviews with consumers of both Apple and Non Apple

Respondents were selected via convenience sampling, and were chosen as

The advantages of in-depth interviews meant that individuals were able to

The null hypothesis for the statistical analysis is:

Results supporting the null hypothesis

Results supporting the alternative hypothesis

Figure 4: iPhone owners who felt personally attached to their iPhone

The null hypothesis for the statistical analysis is:

The Alternative hypothesis for the statistical analysis is:

Results supporting the alternative hypothesis

OAPF tests further revealed an extremely significant association between owning

Similarly, in the OAPF tests, an extremely significant association between

Table 5: Summary of statistical findings of OAPB and OAPF tests

Interestingly, Figure 9 a recent advert produced by Apple to advertise the latest

The majority of both Apple and non-Apple consumer respondents revealed

Qualitative insights: Interviews

Age 23 Male Asian British 2 ‘I think it’s weird being locked in - 1

Qualitative insights: Focus group activities one and four

Respondents’ private evaluations of each others’ arguments