iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks still come with Apple stickers. There are also sometimes colorful logo designs for gift cards. But why actually?
The Apple stickers in the form of the logo have been included with the company’s products for around two decades. In order to understand why Apple puts stickers with its iPhones, iPads and Co., you have to take a little look into the past.
Apple used to be the underdog
Apple and its products still have a cool image among users. Especially in comparison to Android devices, you hear that again and again from iPhone fans. But before Apple went “cool” in the 2000s, the products were the not-so-secret secret. In the 1980s, long before the iPhone, iPad and Co., Apple was not one of the most valuable companies in the world. Rather, the company with its home computer “Macintosh” was overshadowed by IBM. Apple was the underdog, with a small but all the more loyal fan base. There are rumors that in the 1990s, when Apple was on the verge of bankruptcy, Apple fans would be in stores specifically to recommend the Mac to other customers.
Apple stickers are the perfect marketing tool
Apple started its sticker program in 1990 and has included them with its products for over 20 years. While you can now use mobile devices to show everyone which brand you support, that wasn’t possible back then. Stickers were the perfect idea. Those who had them usually owned an Apple product and could show everyone, for example attached to the car, that they are part of the Apple fan base.
At that time, there was hardly any better advertising than word-of-mouth propaganda or the voluntary affixing of a brand symbol to one’s belongings. If someone is willing to put the apple on their car or a bag, then they must be convinced of the brand. In a time without Internet ratings or user reviews, this was a great advantage.
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As Apple rose to become a tech giant and one of the coolest brands in the world with the introduction of the iPod, MacBook, and iPhone in the mid-2000s, the purpose of stickers changed as well. Instead of showing that you are part of a small group of tech fans, the stickers became a cool accessory. Apple stickers brought the company free advertising around the world and still do to this day.
Iconic stickers for Gift Card relaunched
Meanwhile, the stickers with the Apple logo enjoy almost cult status, which is probably one of the reasons why the company is sticking with them. Since the end of June, the Apple replaced gift card also in this country the previous voucher cards for iTunes and the App Store. The cards come in five colorful designs – and with a hidden logo sticker. If you pull the paper with the code out of the packaging, there is a sticker on the back with the design that can also be seen on the outside. In the USA, the gift cards with stickers have been around for two years. With us, however, they are currently only available online and the designs also seem to differ slightly from the US stickers.
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