The client’s product offerings included wireless laptop connectivity to TVs and touch screen control of devices in rooms, commercial buildings, and homes. Once unique, these products represented millions of dollars in annual revenue. With the introduction of Apple iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, these features became ubiquitous and inexpensive. The company struggled to differentiate its products from these popular consumer products. As a result, sales began to slip.
Additionally, the client was an engineering partner of Apple, and Apple was a major customer of the client. Even the slightest suggestion that the client was directly competing with Apple would severely and irrevocably compromise the relationship.
To the average consumer, there was little or no significant difference between the iPad and Apple TV and the relatively expensive “professional” products the client offered. There were some differences, but they needed to be clearly and consistently articulated in a way that the target audience would understand and value, while not appearing to directly compete with Apple.
Language was carefully crafted to simultaneously accentuate the value of Apple products and the client’s products. The new messaging clearly positioned Apple as the premier consumer brand ideal for personal use. The client’s products were purpose-built for “enterprise-grade” commercial use. Relatable stories were developed that resonated with IT managers and AV integrators. The new value propositions focused on security (both physical and network), remote management, reliable power, and accessibility. Narratives were shared through various content marketing and collateral over several months discussing lost phones and stolen iPads; constantly recharging batteries or limiting installation near electrical outlets; network security policies and protocols; receiving phone calls, texts, or alerts on personal devices that interrupted presentation features during meetings; wireless laptop sharing limited to Apple users while PC and Android users were unable to present; and personal devices leaving the home with the owner but without a controller.
The perceived promotion of Apple strengthened the partnership, and the overall unit sales and revenue of the client’s touch screens, control systems, and wireless presentation devices skyrocketed to the highest levels in company history. Leveraging the awareness and demand for the features and functionality of Apple products, while clearly positioning the client’s products in the professional market and offering compelling narratives to the target audience proved very successful.
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