Trollers and Haters Work Overtime to Abuse Apple Only to Increase Its Brand Value
There are multiple reasons why people hate Apple and its products. For many, this has become the business they are engaged in around the year, while others become active when there is an Apple event, especially when Apple announces its products. But why has Apple garnered or inspired so much hate? Before we dig out the benefits Apple gets from this boorish behavior of haters, we ought to find the reason behind this colossal dislike bordering on hatred.
Where did it all begin?
Trolling and abusing date back to the heyday of Windows, when Apple systems were in the minority. In those days, hate speeches would come from Apple users for Windows computers. With the rise of social media, the verbal war between apologists of different brands has become more aggressive. The anti-Apple crowd has joined hands to target Apple users and products in the last couple of years. They launch severest rants against iPhones, iPods, Macs, iPods, and other products on social media. Slowly and gradually, Apple introduced other products like iPhones, iPads, and iPods – this has turned tables – and now it’s Windows and Android users who begin to hate Apple users and products. It is necessary to find the root cause of this hatred at this juncture. Below, I have extensively discussed why Apple products and users are subjected to the relentless bombardment of negative remarks and comments.
A man that hath no virtue in himself, ever envieth virtue in others
Jealousy is one of the negative feelings every human being harbors in his heart. Ever since humans began to live in society, this feeling has ruled their minds. We have become more material with time, and we always take pride in our material achievements. One man’s achievement is another’s jealousy. Jealousy gives birth to hate. Your neighbor has renovated his mansion, and you cannot afford new furniture. Your neighbor owns an expensive car, and you are still using your boneshaker. Our inability to buy something pricey inspires us to hate the expensive car and renovated house possessed by our neighbor. It is now universally accepted that Apple has created a nearly perfect mobile device, which the world knows as iPhone. Even the strongest Apple critic acknowledges Apple’s unbeatable mobile technology. Apple users know what they get against the money they spend. Unlike other smartphone brands, Apple releases only two-three smartphones every year. The company naturally wins the tag of a premium brand. In the third-world country, there is a stark class conflict; people are divided geographically and economically. Those who belong to the upper stratum of society can afford premium devices like iPhones. Android phones offer a wide variety in terms of price and technology. With their limited budget, they seem to be happy with a mid-range Android phone, but they always pine for iPhone in the heart of their hearts. But they cannot afford that premium device. This dissatisfaction turns into hate for iPhones, sour grapes for many users. Go back to the sub-heading above; this quote of Francis Bacon tells everything. If you don’t have something valuable in the public eye, you begin to envy that thing. The same happens with the iPhone; many cannot own this valuable device, so they hate it.
Apple’s powerful advertising campaigns polarize users
Apple’s advertising campaigns have shaped the superiority of having Apple products like iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It has naturally infuriated Android and Windows users, as they began to see themselves as stupid and losers. We need to study one of its most successful campaigns to understand how Apple has polarized its users. “Think Different” – the advertising campaign helps Apple establish itself as a prominent brand. First, watch the video and then read the copy of this TVC. Ad copy: “Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things, they push the human race forward. And while some may see them as crazy, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” While the visuals show footage of iconic personalities of the twentieth century, the voiceover reads the above copy. Upon careful reading, the text means if you are using Apple products, you are a genius; you seat next to the world leaders, as shown in the ad. If you are using Apple products, you will be first seen as “the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes,” but then you will be regarded as a genius by the world. At the end of the TVC, Apple says, “Think Different.” It was an answer to IBM’s “Think” campaign. With this TVC, Apple polarizes its followers and users. They are genius, superior, smarter, and better than others. On the other hand, users, who use Samsung, LG, Motorola, Nokia, HTC, etc. (Android users) feel insulted. The message clearly states that if you are not using Apple products, you are buffoons feather-brained customers living happily with mediocre products. Another such campaign was “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC.” The advertising agency created two characters for this campaign: a smart and young one representing Mac. Another one is a middle-aged wantwit, who acts as a PC. Both are shown engaged in funny arguments over who is better in the ads. As expected, Mac wins the debate, and PC has to bite the dust in the end. Again, this instigates Windows users, who feel inferior to Mac users. Remember, in its two advertising campaigns shown above, and Apple never claims that they make better products. The hidden message is that people, who use our products, are superior to others. With its smart marketing campaigns, Apple has infused a superiority complex in users’ minds – if you are using Apple products, you are better people. In 2011, Apple rolled out three TV commercials to promote its iPhones. The commercials showed viewers how they could use App Store, iBooks, and the built-in iPods & access to iTunes. All the three ads would end with a voiceover, “Yup, if you don’t have an iPhone, well, you don’t have an iPhone.” When you are planning to buy a phone, it has to be an iPhone as it is far superior to the competition, and thus, it is your only choice. The TV ads are produced to project the iPhone as a desirable device. The message hidden in the commercials is that if you don’t own an iPhone, you don’t have access to the world-class App Store, iBooks Store, and iTunes. Apple’s advertisements have been quite effective, as they have polarized users into a group of people who believe they are superior to others just because they use Apple products.
Apple’s success brings out hate speech
Successful people have always faced intense criticism from all corners. Similarly, when a brand enjoys astounding success, it receives long diatribes and hate speeches. Android and Windows users have done the same; they launched into a tirade of abuse against Apple products. It was indigestible for them that Apple’s iPhones are relatively analogous or inferior to many Android phones, and still, Apple gets most of the pie of the mobile phone market. Though Apple doesn’t introduce any technology, it is a fact that Apple does it with greater perfection. It makes users believe that Apple is the first to introduce many mobile technologies. Android and Windows users see injustice as Apple is rewarded for reintroducing some technologies already introduced by others. This perceived injustice fills people’s hearts with hate.
Benefits to Apple
Despite the countless trolls, abuses, and hate speeches from anti-Apple groups, Apple has recently become a $1 trillion company. It Means Apple has always remained calm and impartial of all that criticism. Apple is a bright star of the brand firmament. If you spit at the sun, your face will get tarnished with your dirt. Trollers and abusers who spew hate speeches and write snide remarks on Apple products are not aware of this fact. Apple believes in spending less on marketing and advertising its products & services. The brand resorts to hypes, rumors, and gossip before launching new software, service, or product. It gives Apple free publicity. Similarly, trollers and abusers give negative publicity to Apple by writing & speaking bad words for Apple. All in all, Apple stood as firm as a rock against the heavy winds and waves of condemnation from the anti-Apple community. The brand grew leaps and bounds under the aegis of Steve Jobs and then Tim Cook. You can see how Apple is making a clean sweep of laurels in products & services. Summing up… Apple doesn’t care about its haters and abusers. Everybody wants to pull your legs to bring you down when you are at the top. Apple think tank knows this fact; for the company, abusers are no-hopers, as they will not be successful in their motive. On the contrary, people who hate and abuse Apple and Apple users have become brand ambassadors. The lot (haters and abusers) mostly comprises Android and Windows users, who opened blogs and penned articles to deride Apple endorse products like iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Everybody knows that finding a glitch in an Apple product is like finding a needle in a haystack. So when people read or listen to anything against Apple, they believe that haters and abusers are just venting their frustration as they don’t own or cannot afford Apple products. You may like to refer:
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