Smartphone has revolutionized the way we do thing, the role Smartphone play in today’s society is phenomenal. Today’s Smartphone is taking the role of computer, making it possible to do a lot with this small hand held device. It has a broad use such as sharing information, paying for products, browsing, and shopping.
Virtually every activity today has a Smartphone application for it.Smartphone can be defined to be a device that enables the user to make telephone call and at the same time has some features that allow the user to do some activities that in the past was not possible unless using a computer or a personal digital assistant (PDA), such as sending and receiving e-mails, amending an office document. Nowadays brand plays a very vital role in consumer buying decision. While consumers usually go for a familiar brand, but the concept of brand transcend beyond a trademark or name.
The concept of brand encompasses much more than trademark.Consumers of Smartphone are strongly influence by brand when it comes to choosing Smartphone. According to Ahmed a strong and clear brand image can increase consumer confidence and convince consumers to purchase.The brand name signified a level of quality and consistency consumers could trust.
Thus, Quaker Oats, Ivory Soap, and Levi have instilled in consumers a degree of confidence that their unbranded competition did not, according to The Freeman Ideas on Liberty (2011). An increasing number of high –technology companies have undertaken brand-building initiatives under the premise that these initiatives can create an asset that generate long-term profit, e.g. Intel´s , Intel inside campaign, which began in 1991.
Brand equity is the value associated with the marketing activities that enhanced the overall offering such that a premium could be earned over the same offering if it were unbranded. This indicates that customers see and interpret brands in different ways, giving brands meaning and validity. Brand equity describes stakeholder response in the form of an 8 increase in customers, revenues, and margins than would otherwise be possible without marketing support to build awareness.Brand personality, is a set of characters similar to a person’s personality and characteristics that customers can associate as if it would be true companion. Consumer defines brand personality in words such as “honest”, “inspiring”, “sympathetic”, “fun” and “supportive” to illustrate their preferred brands.Brand identity is defined to be “the audio-visual trade dress of the brand that expresses, and brings to artistic life”.
The defined brand concepts are the keywords of this research study and it is vital to this research study. The findings of this research study would be significant to Smartphone producers, in understanding the bases for student’s preferences between Apple and Samsung brands of Smartphone. An understanding of brand equity, personality and identity in Smartphone is crucial, it cannot be over emphasized.A profound knowledge or understanding would provide a clue as to student preferences of one brand over the other, the motive behind brand loyalty and how brand awareness is built.
The benefit of brand knowledge is relevant for high tech companies such as, Apple and Samsung. If Smartphone producers could understand this, they would have edge over their competitors. It is also vital in comprehending the role that brand plays in consumer buying behavior, which would help Smartphone producers in building preference for their brand. The knowledge gained from this research would also provide Smartphone producers with the strategic ways they could build strong brand equity and identity that would lead to increasing their sales volume.This study would signify many prospects for Smartphone makers to take on new means with the consumers of Smartphone and to present brand utility-by understanding the basis for student brand first choice and identify the critical roles that brand play in Smartphone preference.The benefit of this research extends beyond professional field to academic field.
The reason why it was chosen to write about brand preference among students’ is because most student purchases Smartphone, they are enthusiastic about technology. In addition to that, another reason to write about student preference is that they can be accessed easily for interview and questionnaires. 9 This research study compares between two major Smartphone brands, Apple and Samsung. These are the two largest Smartphone brands producers, who are constantly competing and challenging each other and in result of this competition they are providing consumers with best quality and cheaper products.Samsung became the market leader for the yearly term, for the first time Samsung raked 20% global share for the year 2013 while Apple ranked 19%
