Apple is too S.M.A.R.T. for us.
My first experience with Apple was when I was gifted a bright green iPod nano with my name engraved on the back. Every chance I could, I would ask for Itunes gift cards as presents for birthdays, holidays, and life celebrations. When I tell you I wore that piece of technology to the ground… I had Taylor Swift, Chris Brown, Selena Gomez, and Lady Gaga blasting through my eyes at all times, even when I was sleeping.
Once I had gotten a taste for the Apple brand, almost every single technological purchase following the iPod nano came from the company. Now I have a collection- a smartphone, laptop, tablet, PC, smartwatch, and wireless earbuds all from Apple. I appreciate the company’s simple but cutting-edge style of branding. Their style of branding doesn’t stop at just the advertising- it follows through their mission, products, and services too! The late CEO and co-founder of Apple, Steve Jobs, stated, “Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works.” This exact statement is what I feel and expect to get from Apple products, and it is why I continue to be a loyal consumer.
Upon some reflection, I would not be where I am without this company. It sounds dramatic and very “first world problems,” but it is true. Whether it be needing music to get me through my day, creating designs for my future business, or having the opportunity to communicate with the people I care about, especially after this year’s pandemic, Apple products have been able to provide for me. I am excited to see how the company progresses, pursues SMART goals, and what other categories it taps into.
What are SMART goals? They are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-based. I think it would be a great idea for Apple to track and share more about their ConnectED program that provides technology to schools and students. They could do a 6-month campaign specifically targeting HBCU college students. Social media would make it easy to measure hashtags, clicks, and engagement. Considering how grand the company is, something like this is very attainable. For example, Apple could have a goal to provide technology to 6 schools in that 6 month period.
As far as social media tracking, Apple should use the key performance indicator (KPI), student engagement. A simple way to track this is through hashtags on social media platforms such as Instagram. Apple has many followers so it could be easy for those who want to be noticed in the campaign mentioned above to show their interest. The thing for Apple to do is to choose appropriate hashtags for the campaign, start conversations, and ask the target audience to join in!
I love Apple and I am looking forward to their future advancements in the technology space!
Connected. (n.d.). https://www.apple.com/connectED/#:~:text=Apple%20has%20been%20part%20of,Apple%20TV%20to%20every%20classroom.