One of the most interesting brands in the world is the Apple brand, not only because Apple develops innovative new products but also because it has just been found by the global research agency Millward Brown to have become "the most valuable consumer-facing brand in the world"-even superseding Google (Indvik). In fact, Apple's brand value soared by 84% to $153.3 billion on the basis of its success with the iPad and iPhone 4, while Google's declined 2% to $111.5 billion (Indvik). A vital component of Apple's stellar success is its brand image. This paper will examine what the company's brand means to consumers, the three levels of its iPad product, its relative brand equity and valuation, and the implications of co-branding and brand development strategies.
What Apple's brand means to consumers is identified by the words that are commonly used to describe Apple's products-"cool," "slick," "innovative," "fun to use," "high-quality," and "impressive." Consumers regard Apple as the epitome of electronics gadgetry, and they expect the brand to produce better and more elegant solutions with each new iteration. The Apple logo of the apple with the bite taken out of it is sleek but whimsical, with its rainbow coloring. The bite suggests the subliminal message-taste and see that this is good. It is appealing, uncomplicated, and recognized worldwide as Apple's logo.
The three levels of a product include the core product, or benefit; the actual product; and the augmented product, which refers to the additional value items that come with the product ("Three Levels of a Product"). In the case of Apple's iPad, these would be represented by the benefit of portable WiFi computing, the iPad itself, and the many apps and gadgets made for the iPad in addition to its warranties. Portable WiFi computing is an outstanding benefit in this age of wireless communication, and because the iPad is so flat
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