Apple is no longer cool among teens in the US, according to research conducted by the Buzz Marketing Group.
The youth marketing agency found that Apple is just too popular to be popular. "Teens are telling us Apple is done," says Buzz Marketing's CEO and founder, Tina Wells.
According to the research, teens favour Samsung's Galaxy smartphones, and would choose a Microsoft Surface tablet over the Apple iPad.
While Apple has done a great job of embracing Generation X and the Millennial generation, it has failed to connect with Millennial kids, Wells says. Microsoft and Samsung, on the other hand, have spent millions on advertising campaigns that portray the iPhone as a device for older generations, sending a message that teens should move on to the "next big thing".
The fact that many parents tend to pass older Apple products on to their children when they upgrade to the latest technology reinforces this perception, according to Forbes. Samsung's marketing team has also targeted Apple culture, regularly poking fun at the absurdity of waiting in line for hours to get a smartphone.
According to a separate survey, conducted by Y Combinator start-up Survata, US teens are still logging onto Facebook, but are slowly turning to other social networks. Tumblr was used regularly by 59% of teens surveyed, while 54% said they use Facebook on a regular basis.
South African teens are quite different. According to the 2012 Sunday Times Generation Next Brand Survey, Apple was voted the best computer brand and Facebook was ranked as the best socialnetworking site, Web site and cellphone app. When it comes to smartphones, BlackBerry is king among local teens. Research In Motion (RIM) was voted the best overall brand of 2012, and BlackBerry the best cellphone and the best hi-tech gadget by South African teens.
"This widespread conversion to BlackBerry by South Africans has not been unexpected given the appeal of the BlackBerry flat-rate data structure," says Isis Nyong'o, VP and MD of InMobi Africa. What is surprising is the speed with which consumers in SA appear to be migrating to BlackBerry, Nyong'o adds.
Despite these results, Wells asserts that Apple need not be concerned. "Everything moves in cycles and you can't rest on your past glory. You've got to evolve to maintain relevance. Apple just needs to focus on innovation and teens will come back."
Share