Business & Finance - Marketing KPI Proposal Assignment

Gianluca Mangione KPI Assignment, Fall 2023

Part A -Developing KPIs Apple Inc. is a global technology leader that operates in the technology industry. They are known for their innovations in consumer electronics, software development, and digital services across their line of products. Their leading portfolio includes their most successful product, the iPhone (generating over $205 billion as of 2022), the Mac computers, the Apple Watch, and the newly introduced spatial computing headset, the Vision Pro. Apple is also known for its user-friendly interfaces and high-quality and cutting-edge software while providing high-end experiences to its customers. Apple, however, is no stranger to partnering with Disney. Both company’s first partnership was in 2006, upon the acquisition of Pixar from Apple to Disney, bringing the companies together, which later led to more significant collaborations within the product line, such as the introduction of animated watch faces for the Apple Watch and the bringing of the “My Disney Experience App” which further enhanced the experience of visitors to Disney theme parks.

Within recent years, Apple’s vision for augmented reality has been to seamlessly integrate this transformative technology into the everyday lives of people worldwide. By committing to innovation and user experience, Apple has envisioned AR as a powerful tool that enhances how we interact with the digital and physical world. With the introduction of ARkit on iPhone (a robust development platform for AR app creation), the company is driving the evolution of AR, bringing it closer to becoming an integral part of our daily experiences.

At the WorldWide Developers Conference hosted in Apple’s headquarters in 2023, it was announced that Disney would adapt the Disney+ experience for the upcoming Vision Pro release in 2024. Through this partnership, Apple has reiterated its commitment to bringing the magic of Disney’s storytelling to life, bridging the gap between A 2D screen and encompassing users in their physical space. For that reason, both Disney and Apple have demonstrated their interest in adapting augmented reality and have bigger plans to have a more widespread impact as the technology improves. In addition, with Disney’s team of engineers already having created AR extensions to movies through the iPhone (and only available exclusively for iOS), the bringing of the “Wish” movie to this platform can be celebrated through Disney’s “100 Years” celebration. This celebration would consist of achieving one of Walt Disney's dreams of bringing animated stories to life that can directly resonate with the audiences. Additionally, Disney Theme parks across the United States and Europe have implemented AR experiences through smartphone devices to wrap the audience within the magical experience of the rides or stories they are witnessing.

For that reason, the partnership between Apple and Disney can be critical within the Mexican market as it will increase exposure for the iPhone and elevate the market share acquisitions to compete with competitors like Samsung and Motorola. With the creation and leverage of already existing technology and base for Disney AR experiences on iPhone, a significant rollout of the

content will be advertised through television (QR Codes on the screen to access the AR experience from any device), social media (Instagram, Tiktok, and YouTube with links that redirect to the AR experience), and billboards announcing the partnership. Thus, by targeting the audiences between 18-30 (more likely to upgrade or buy an iPhone), this unique opportunity can increase interest in future AR technologies (in preparation for the launch of Disney+ in the Vision Pro) and increase the viewership of the movies in theaters due to the humanization and interaction so closely with the characters.

Marketing Need & Pain Points The primary marketing need for Apple would be to increase iPhone sales or encourage existing customers to upgrade their existing devices. This increase can be achieved through the reach and success of Apple marketing campaigns involving the iPhone, primarily through the partnership with Disney. In addition, the adoption of the AR experience is also crucial for Apple, as it depends on the user's engageability rate with it, where getting the audience to enter the website with the AR settings is the primary marketing need. Thirdly, there must be a seamless integration between the AR experience and the Apple Store, with users able to transition from the AR experience into purchasing or upgrading their devices effortlessly.

One marketing pain point that can be present is the competitiveness of the entertainment and technology market. Therefore, some audiences may not have smartphones with the AR capabilities required for this experience, as they may have smartphones sold at lower prices with limited capabilities. Bounce rates may also be a pain point; if the AR experience website were to have excellent site traffic, it's equally crucial that those visits convert to iPhone sales or upgrades. Moreover, technical difficulties can hurt the product, and promotion glitches or other issues such as lack of internet or the use of older software can lead to viewers' disappointment and hinder success.

Higher-Level Conceptual Goals

Build Immersive Engagement and Awareness Goal 1: Drive engagement on the “Wish” movie AR website experience, emphasizing seamless access to AR and linking it to device purchases or upgrades.

Achieving this goal will allow for much more brand visibility for Apple, increasing their market share and market share compared to other competitors like Samsung and Motorola while at the same time increasing visibility for Disney. The AR experience linked to the movie would generate excitement and showcase Apple's technology capabilities in the iPhone. With the increased excitement and awareness, there will be increased brand recognition and recall among

consumers nationwide. Secondly, achieving this goal will also lead to high audience engagement, which creates lasting impressions and encourages viewers to share their experiences with friends and family. The user-generated content can significantly amplify the campaign's reach and impact.

SMART Objectives Goals: Website Engagement 1) Achieve a 40% increase in website traffic on the “Wish” AR website within the first two

weeks before movie release. ● KPI 1

■ Percentage Increase in Website Traffic (40%):Measures the changes in website traffic compared to the baseline. It will aim to assess the effectiveness of the marketing efforts driving more visitors to the AR website. (e.g., if the website receives 100,000 visits within the first two weeks, the KPI target is a 50% increase. Meaning there should be an attraction of 50,000 additional visitors).

● KPI 2 ■ QR Code Social Media Promotion: Promoting the AR experience via

television ads (30 seconds) with QR codes and social media posts (paid advertising and organic), ensuring that users will be redirected to the AR experience website. Unique story and invitation of characters with the innovation of Apple marketing and technology banners with a highly interactive nature to entice users.

● KPI 3 ■ Engagement-Driven Content: Implementing a comprehensive marketing

campaign leading up to the movie release, teaser trailer ads on TV, Social Media teasers, securing local influencer marketing for promotion and buzz interest (Luisito Comunica, Disney Mania Mexico, Vania Rivera, Melissa Loza)

2) Secure two million visits to the AR website within seven weeks of the campaign ● KPI 1

○ Marketing Campaign: Implementing a comprehensive marketing campaign leading up to the movie release, teaser trailer ads on TV, Social Media teasers, securing local influencer marketing for promotion and buzz interest (Luisito Comunica, Disney Mania Mexico, Vania Rivera, Melissa Loza)

● KPI 2

○ Scalable Hosting: Ensuring the AR website’s infrastructure can handle the surge in traffic by using scalable servers and hosting solutions on behalf of Apple’s technology to prevent crashes and slow loading times, negatively impacting audience experience.

● KPI 3 ○ Engagement Metrics & Website Visits:Monitor click-through rates,

time spent on AR experience and website, and bounce rates. Real-time data will be used to make adjustments to the marketing strategies. This KPI sets a specific number of visits to the website. Since the target is two million during the overall campaign, this metric reflects the goal of increasing and driving high traffic to the website, indicating successful engagement strategies.

Visual Representation of Goal 1: Build Immersive Engagement and Awareness

Goal 1: Build Immersive Engagement and Awareness Timeline

Drive iPhone Sales and Upgrades Goal 2: Increase iPhone sales in Mexico directly from the AR website

Achieving this second goal will contribute to Apple and Disney’s revenue growth. By allowing direct purchases and upgrades from the AR experience website, Apple will see a substantial increase in sales. In contrast, Disney can see an increase in ticket purchases for the movie during the release period. Secondly, both companies will gather valuable information on customers' behavior, preferences, and engagement patterns through the website sales and data. The overall success of this goal will inform future marketing strategies, the way in which content is created, and impact product development. Finally, by encouraging existing iPhone users to upgrade, customer loyalty strengthens and will allow them to remain committed to the Apple ecosystem, leading to long-term revenue streams.

SMART Objectives Goals: iPhone Sales and Upgrades 3) Achieve a 20% increase in iPhone sales in Mexico directly from the AR website during

the seven weeks following the movie release.

● KPI 1 ○ Seamless Integration: The website will be ensured to make a seamless

integration with the Mexican Apple Store, making it easy to purchase or upgrade devices directly from the AR experience.

● KPI 2 ○ Promotional Discounts: Applying the U.S promotions during the

Christmas period in Mexico can incentivize conversions of purchases or upgrades

● KPI 3 ○ Conversion Rates from ARWebsite to Apple Store (20% Increase):

KPI tracks the percentage of visitors to the AR website that successfully purchase or initiate an iPhone upgrade through the Apple Store link. KPI aims to increase the conversion rate to 20%.

4) Encourage at least 20,000 existing iPhone users in Mexico to initiate their device upgrades directly from the AR website within seven weeks.

● KPI 1 ○ User Education: Provide informative content through the Apple Store

about the latest iPhone features and capabilities, illustrating how they enhance the AR experience.

● KPI 2 ○ Promotional Discounts: Applying the U.S promotions during the

Christmas period in Mexico can incentivize conversions of purchases or upgrades

● KPI 3 ○ Increase the number of iPhones Upgraded through the AR website:

KPI quantifies the number of users that upgraded directly from the AR website within the seven weeks post-movie release. Meeting or exceeding the target demonstrates the marketing strategy successfully encourages user retention.

Visual Representation of Goal 2: Increase iPhone Sales and Upgrades in Mexico from AR website

Visual Representation of Goal 2: Increase iPhone Sales and Upgrades in Mexico from AR website

Testing KPI Integrity

Within the Apple-Disney partnerships and the multiple objectives I outlined, there is a scenario where a particular KPI target could be manipulated by an employee enough that it doesn’t align with the broader goals. In this case, there is a scenario where manipulating the Website Traffic KPI (Objective 1) without achieving the Awareness and Engagement Goal alignment. In this particular case, the KPI outlined above is the percentage increase in the website traffic for the movie “Wish” AR experience within the first two weeks before the movie releases. This KPI is set to increase by 40%. Employees can attempt to change the KPI by resorting to more clickbait tactics sources that would generate a surge in visits without users or audience being engaged or interested in the movie.

Despite the KPI target being met in this example, it still needs to achieve the goal of enhancing brand awareness and engagement with the movie. Through deceptive marketing, users who visit the website out of curiosity will likely not engage in the AR content experience, become moviegoers, or even purchase or upgrade to an iPhone. Thus, the main objective of driving engagement and generating excitement while increasing iPhone sales and upgrades will still need to be fulfilled.

Another example would be using the second Objective, Manipulating the AR website visits KPI, without increasing the sale and upgrades of iPhones (second goal). In this example, the KPI is the number of visits the AR experience websites will receive within the first two weeks before the movie release, with a target of 1 million. An employee alters the KPI and achieves the goal using marketing tactics that can drive a massive influx of visitors to the website. However, these will only be interested in something other than the movie AR experience or the Apple products offered.

This can be done through click farms or traffic bots that incrementally and artificially inflate the visitor count. Therefore, while the manipulation surpasses the KPI expectation target, it will fail to align with the broader objectives of increasing the iPhone sales and upgrades program. The failure to convert purchases from the artificially generated traffic will result in the second goal and compromise the entire plan.

Reflection Questions

1. How did the exercise of connecting KPIs to objectives, objectives to goals, and goals to success influence how you think about marketing planning?

After completing this assignment, I realized that big ambitions and big goals are pretty much unattainable if there aren’t quantifiable and qualitative KPIs connected to the SMART goals that circle back to the main goals. As my partnership is working with two massive companies in a challenging and competitive region, it was crucial to ensure my main goals connected with the smaller objectives I wanted to achieve through the AR website.

In addition, I was shown the high importance of making sure that my marketing efforts were all aligned. This alignment ensures that no matter the action taken in the broader marketing plan, it will have to serve a specific cause and directly contribute to the desired outcomes. In this case, the selling of more iPhones and upgrades through the AR experience.

Finally, I also understood that when I connect KPIs to my objectives and goals, there is a clear distinction as to when the project can start going off track. By not meeting the KPIs, there have to be adjustments to the strategy that will shift the focus back to the marketing objectives of what I’m trying to achieve in the first place.

2. How would you determine the balance between measuring a multitude of performance details versus allowing your management teams to have flexibility in reaching objectives and goals?

In the context of my project, the balance between the performance and the management of teams is crucial for success. Firstly, the overarching goals are to create awareness engagement and increase iPhone sales and upgrades in Mexico, which provides the campaign's starting point and direction.

Then, the KPIs are prioritized based on their significance. In my case, the website traffic and visits are crucial for engagement and awareness, while the Phone sales and upgrades directly tie to the revenue and partnership objectives.

From there, the teams involved in the campaign must operate within the margins of the prioritized KPIs and strategies established throughout the seven weeks. From there, they can provide more regular updates on the performance of each KPI and strategy execution.

Since I will be using a mixture of television ads and social media ads, there has to be a clear distinction that if there is going to be an apparent change in strategy, the teams identify it with enough anticipation that it will not hinder the overall marketing efforts, especially with limited budgets and negatively affecting the images of the partners.

3. How can this exercise help you with reaching your own personal and professional goals? (Give at least two detailed examples.)

As a young marathoner, something that has been difficult for me is the creation of short-term attainable goals that impact the main goals that I am trying to achieve. Through this assignment, I learned that it is possible to balance big goals, while having smaller ones that can be tweaked along the way if they start causing problems in the long run. For that reason, and through the 12-week template, I can prepare for my future marathons in a more organized way that will allow me to keep me motivated.

In my professional life, as I have written in my raw elements assessment, I want to work for Apple. This KPI assignment can provide the basics to creating a long-term goal setting that will allow me to achieve the goal in the future. For example, my smaller KPIs can be to meet with certain representatives from the company and start doing informational interviews, while the main goal is to secure a position in their marketing department for their Augmented reality.