Apple was named the world’s most valuable brand by Millward Brown’s annual survey and I am not surprised, because Apple is a case-study example of several of the key pillars of customer loyalty 3.0.
Product: Apple’s cutting edge innovation, functionality and design build loyalty right into their products. That’s why from iPhones to iPads, people line up around the block to be the first to get their hands on a new product release.
Community/Affinity Group: A short second to product, Apple has created an affinity association with its brand. Think of the commercials- I’m a Mac; I’m a PC. Being an Apple user is more than just a casual relationship, it’s a brand identity wrapped in community/affinity. If you want to be identified as cool, hip and indie, you want to be using Apple’s product.
Other: Apple even touches on some of the other Customer Loyalty 3.0 pillars, creating experiences at their Apple stores and bridges with apps developed by others.
Apple is a fantastic example of leveraging customer loyalty pillars, but the most important takeaway is that it is relevant to their customers. They know who their customers are, what they want and how to make them feel like Apple understands them. You can’t just try to mimic Apple- you need to know what pillars are important to your own customers in order to generate loyalty.
