Ideology in Branding: Apple and Kentucky Fried Chicken - Case Study Example

Ideology in Branding Ideology is the fundamental principles, rules, goals, or spirit that a business venture regards for their success. It is the prudent basis for foundation, sustainability, and development of a business enterprise. Ideology affects managerial and strategic decision-making. Branding is a way that underlines what makes a given service or product different and appealing to customers in presence of competitors (O’Grady, 2008:5). It therefore means that ideology go hand in hand with branding. Good ideologies make a business enterprise to prosper despite the strong wave of competition in the world of business today. Thos paper highlights how ideology helps in branding in Apple and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC). Ideology in Apple Apple Company is among the best performing companies in the world. Its brands such as computers, tablets, and mobile phones continue to dominate the market. There is an increase in usage of the Apple’s products in the world. The Company enjoys a continued flow of loyal customers from all over the globe. Mobile phones such as iphone, ipad, and ipod touch users have a wide range of applications. The secret behind the big leaps of success in Apple lies in its branding strategy (O’Grady, 2008:5). The sound ideology in branding has propelled the Apple Company to enjoy enduring success in the competitive business environment. Apple business strategies and practices adapts to the ever-changing world. The branding ideologies in Apple Company preserve the core values while stimulating its progress to achieve superior long-term performance. To keep them strong in the market, Apple manufactures products that suits customer demands and preferences. The branding ideologies constantly changes to fit the people’s lifestyles. The branding ideologists have developed a glossy product with a simple advertisement that captures the attention across all ages (O’Grady, 2008:23). The Company has product that is customer friendly. The Company makes sure that all consumers regardless of their social status can afford a wide range of products. The branding ideologies embrace innovative ideas and brands. Apple Company does not confine to a single thought or a brand. The branding ideologists have the needs of their customer in every business activity they undertake. This has helped the company to monitor and respond to the customers’ demands. Apple Company considers and cares its consumers. The company demonstrates this through taking the product beyond the basic function. It has transformed its products into a status symbol that accommodates the requirement of the customers (O’Grady, 2008:35). Ideology in Understanding Brand and Methods The branding ideology helps the Apple Company to compete in very competitive and vibrant markets. The participants in the electronic markets include personal computer industries and software, the consumer electronic industry that sells ipod. Other players comprise of digital music distribution through the iTunes, smart phone market with the Apple iphone, and ipad tablet-computing device. Apple Company is in the process of establishing an advertising tool in the presence to its competitor Google in the advertising markets through its Appications business and iAd network. Apple has concentrated in creating innovative products and services that are in line with technological advancement for a long time. The Apple Macintosh computer products functions as digital for hub for digital services. These include the Apple ipod, cellular phones, digital video, and cameras. The company has advanced and has incorporate customer experience in their strategies. The company offers harmonised, synchronised, and integrated user experience across all its principal products. It uses iCloud as the hub. This is in line with their competence to deliver exceptional experience through quality user interfaces. The company bases its strategy around this goal with the iTunes, the iPhone with touch screen re-used on iPad. The Apple Apps store all the playing roles (O’Grady, 2008:93). The branding methods of the Apple Company target the emotions of the customers. The company is interested to provide affordable products and quality services to their consumers. The company endeavours to continue to give technological conforming products, which are not complex during usage. To keep the high load of customers, the company concentrates on design elegance, quality, and excellent customer service. The company outsources its products from genuine manufactures of original equipments for the durability of the product. In addition, the company gives invaluable information to the manufacturers to manufacture products that are simple for customers’ use. Some of these manufacturers include the vista Operating system and Macintosh. This has seen improvements since Macintosh has manufactured personal computers that are ease to operate (O’Grady, 2008:75). The company employs sound marketing strategies to create enough awareness to its customers. The company has invested a lot on advertisement. This keeps the consumers abreast with any new product that is in the market. This is in the effort to protect their brand and reputation. This is extremely important to maintain the confidence of the customers for continued growth of the company. Apple is aware that without a brand the company is subject to failure. The company knows that the products are insignificant when the brand is in jeopardy (O’Grady, 2008:45). Ideology in Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) Kentucky Fried Chicken is a giant chicken restaurant. The restaurant specialises on original recipe, extra crispy, Kentucky grilled chicken, and original recipe strips with home-style sides. Other foods this restaurant offers comprise of fresh chicken sandwiches and Honey BBQ Wings. The restaurant has its head quarters in Louisville, Kentucky. KFC restaurant offers its services in 109 countries worldwide with a flow of over 12 million people. The success of this hotel is attributable to good ideologies of the management (Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant, 2011). The management of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has set good ideologies to keep its service to a high standard in the global spheres. In the light of failures of most restaurants due to lack of specialisation, KFC has specialized in chicken. The ideologists have set manageable menus that provide the best quality of food in all the branches in the globe. The restaurant concentrates on few-ingredient dishes rather than multi-ingredient ones (Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant, 2011). This has enabled Kentucky Fried Chicken to design and cook foods that appeal to customers tastes and preferences. The customers identify and acknowledge KFC restaurant because of its specialisation in chicken dishes. The ideology in KFC emphasise on smooth interaction of the chefs and the customers. The chefs in this restaurant have a good relationship. This yields well for this restaurant because the chefs attempt their cooking with soberness and respect. The chefs extend this oneness to their customers. This leaves a positive impact in customers. The satisfaction of customers builds a reputation for the KFC restaurant. This close-knit relationship between the customers and the restaurant personnel aide the management to improve their services upon consumer demands. KFC restaurant continues to outshine other players in the hotel industry. Ideology in Understanding Branding and Methods Used Ideology plays a very big role in understanding the response of consumers in KFC restaurant. Satisfaction of consumers or their dissatisfaction helps the management to restructure their ideologies. This is an effort to provide consumers with the best service in this restaurant. Ideology is a reference point for management to incorporate ideologies that considers customers’ demands (Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant, 2011). This means that the management can set ideologies that conform to culture or the likings of the customers. Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant uses various methods to provide excellent services to the customers. The restaurant uses the quality ingredients in the preparation of chicken. The hotel has certified chefs who make delicious chicken for their customers. This leaves the customers yearning for more chicken. The customers acknowledge that their money goes to a worth service. The restaurant offers nutritional guides to its customers in each meal. This enables the customers to make an informed discussion before they purchase their food. It therefore means that Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant place the customer needs first before the money. They hold that providing a health diet is the first step in preventing non-communicable diseases. The restaurant menu contains foods that are low in fat and calorie. In addition, the restaurant provides information on foods that may elicit allergic reaction to the customers (Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant, 2011). The services at this restaurant are very fast. The chefs serve the customers in a cheerful mood and a lot of etiquette. The restaurant offers their services to their clients outside the business premises. For instance, the restaurant provides packed meals for their consumers. They restaurant accommodate conferences in their buildings. The meetings range from informal to formal ones. Informal gatherings comprises of family reunions. The restaurant provides dinners for the customers. This is because Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant values its esteemed customers. The restaurant offers the security and comfort that families need to reconnect with each other. Moreover, the restaurant keeps in touch with their customers. The aim of this connection is to inform the consumers about promotions that happen occasionally (Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant, 2011). Bibliography Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant., 2011. Today Tested So Good. Available from http://www.kfc.com [Accessed 23 Apr 2012] O’Grady, J., 2008. Apple Inc. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Read More