Understanding Apple's success

Consumption behaviours are often linked to a desire to gain acceptance from others and more precisely to gain social prestige. This phenomenon has been acknowledged in regards to the purchase of certain luxury brands (Memushi 2013) such as Louis Vuitton or Chanel which charge thousands of pounds for a bag. However in the modern world innovations tend to be dictated by information and communication technologies and because of their highly functional aspects it is unclear whether or not their purchase can be linked to status consumption. Therefore this research will analyse the link between innovation and status consumption by looking into a predominant consumer electronics brand: Apple. The purpose of this research is thus to examine consumers’ motivational factor when deciding to purchase their products over alternatives whilst also providing insights into marketing techniques which can help the diffusion of innovative products on the market.