4 Event Marketing Tactics You Can Steal from Apple Product Launches

No amount of marketing helps sell a bad product. 

With that being said, a terribly executed product launch can put a dent in early sales of a very good one. If you have a launch coming up, you need to ask yourself some fundamental questions! (nope, doing something out of the box isn’t one)

Apple is known for its spectacular product launches. Case in point: Their recent iPhone 15 launch event….

But let’s ask ourselves the big question: What makes Apple’s launches so successful? And what can you do to emulate their success?  

Let’s take a look at what sets Apple’s event marketing apart from its competitors.

1. Impressive PR

Chances are that you will hear about Apple’s next big launch from a third-party news site and not Apple itself. The insane amount of news pickup surrounding the tech giant’s name is something out of a PR dream. 

From bigwig tech influencers like Marques Brownlee to every other news outlet across the world, everyone will be talking about the new Apple product and speculating its possible feature list. They even have access to the product before it hits the market as Apple gifts it to them to create a stronger resonance and promote the new product. 

And all that happens even before Apple says a word! 

The takeaway: People buy from people, not companies. Building strong PR ties through influencer marketing helps you put your product in front of your target market in a more organic way and influence buying decisions. So, build a PR campaign, involve influencers, promote user-generated content, and get the conversation going! 

2. The Mysterious Buildup

Apple’s launch events are a huge part of their brand’s success story and are a testament to how much they invest in their marketing strategy. 

Apple often leaves clues about its upcoming product launches in its marketing collateral and promotional designs. Their team makes sure that the event’s buildup starts months in advance and is surrounded by mystery.

Apple has historically preferred to market its products this way. They even built up a massive structure in the Apple HQ compound that was covered with white curtains in 2014 before the iPhone 6 launch. All they wanted to do was to create a buzz and everyone was more than excited to see when the curtain would be raised and what they’d find inside. We even see the mysterious theme in almost all of Steve Jobs’s launch event keynotes.

As a result, Apple’s products are booked even before they’re launched!

The takeaway: Start talking about your event sooner rather than later. You can leave clues and tidbits of information here and there but don’t reveal everything! 

3. The Less is More Approach

Apple is notorious for keeping their actual event presentations extremely pared down. The event imagery on social media usually has a minimal design aesthetic. Even the event stage has no props and screen backdrops are usually all-black.

The audience hangs on to every word the CEO has to say because there is no fluff, no distractions. Just good old storytelling magic!

The takeaway: Focus on what’s truly important about your event and skip the shenanigans! 

4. Pivot to Hybrid Launch Events

Hybrid events have helped major enterprises double and triple their audience reach and Apple is one of them. Going hybrid might have been one of the best calls for Apple and they’ve stuck to it. Millions of people tuned in to the iPhone 15 launch event from across the globe.

The numbers are not only impressive but ensure that the word gets out – and goes viral! 

The takeaway: Go hybrid if you haven’t already – you’re still not late to the party!  

Need more event marketing ideas? Let our event marketing guide help you out in planning and executing a killer marketing strategy for your next product launch.

Have any other event marketing tips you swear by? Let us know by replying to this email.