Angela Chang

MKT3320
Haworth
Fall 2015

Table of Contents

Brand
Inventory
.1
Company
1
Category
..10
Products within
Category15
Brand
Analysis..19
Consumer
Profile.22
Advertising/Marketing
Communications.25
Media
.31
Promotions
.33
Digital
Strategies.36
Other Pertinent
Information..41
Brand
Value42
Brand
Exploratory
45
i

Quantitative
Research..45
Qualitative
Research.48
Recommendations
..49
References
51

Brand Inventory
Company

____

Locations
HTC Corporation is a Taiwanese multinational manufacturer of
smartphones and tablets headquartered in New Taipei City, Taiwan. Its sales
and service centers in Europe, the Americas and Asia to ensure the ability to
service clients and enhance relationships with consumers.

Headquarters in Xindian, New Taipei City, Taiwan

HTC maintains a presence in all key markets, including the United

States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, the
Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Poland, Denmark, Belgium, Russia, China,
Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Indonesia, India,
Malaysia, Australia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Brazil.
The company's North American headquarters are located in Bellevue,
Washington. HTC runs a software design office in Seattle (near its North
American headquarters) where it designs its own interface for its phones. In
2011, HTC also opened a research and development office in Durham, North
Carolina to focus on multiple areas of wireless technology.

Organization and Major Activities

Founded in 1997, HTC Corporation designs and manufactures handheld
wireless telecommunications devices, otherwise known as smartphones,
based on Google's Android and Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating
systems. (HTC is a hardware platform development partner with Microsoft.)
Originally a contract electronics manufacturer, the company now
aggressively markets phones under its own brand, ranking as the 98th top
brand on Interbrand's Best Global Brands 2011 report. The HTC Dream,
marketed by T-Mobile in many countries as the T-Mobile G1 or Era G1, was
the first cell phone to feature the Android software operating system. Other
devices include the Desire, Explorer, Rhyme, and Sensation. In 2009, HTC
moved away from Windows Mobile to expand its focus on Android and, in
2010, to Windows Phone. The stock price has fallen by 90% since 2011.

1997-2006 Logo

HTC Power to Give

HTC takes a broader approach to serving society and making life

better. In early 2014, HTC launched HTC Power To Give. By combining all of
the computing power at the fingertips of smartphone users and connecting
them to international research projects and institutes, Power To Give
creates one of the worlds largest supercomputers to advance research on
ecological and environmental issues, and to help find cures for diseases like
cancer and Alzheimers.

HTC also expanded its environmental initiatives to shape the entire customer
experience. Its product packaging is 100% biodegradable, and the HTC One
(M7) was the first smartphone in the world built to international
specifications of complete carbon footprint and lifecycle assessments.
HTC Foundation
HTC has long been committed to social care and public welfare, and supports
and sponsors the HTC Education Foundation and the HTC Social Welfare and
Charity Foundation. HTC advocates humanitarianism and have developed its
company character culture at a local level. Through the HTC Foundation and
its Summer Family Camp, HTC provide humanitarian and social support to
those most in need while also assisting in the teaching and development of a
strong sense of character and social values in youth. The company strive to

ensure that every child has the opportunity to be part of the next generation
of leaders and visionaries. From 2004 to 2012, HTC foundation held 1125
courses, providing education and training for 65,494 persons in total.

Subsidiaries
In 2011,

Brand History
6

Financial data
Brand Revenue
465,794,773

289,020,175

278,761,244

NT$

203,402,648187,911,200

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Operating Income
68,787,767

44,132,581

18,827,314
668,770
2010

2011

2012

2013

-3,970,522

2014

NT$

Net Income
62,299,048

39,514,844
NT$
17,621,793
1,483,046
2010

2011

2012

2013
-1,323,785

2014

Year

Annual Report

Explanations for any material changes in HTC's assets, liabilities, and

shareholders' equity in the most recent two fiscal years
Assets: Compared to 2013, intangible assets decreased in 2014 as a result of
continued amortization and recognized impairment loss form no future economic
benefits of goodwill for this term. Other assets for 2014 also saw a decrease as
compared to those for 2013, which was mainly caused by disposal of financial
assets carried at cost during this term.
Debt: Liabilities decreased from 2013 to 2014, mainly due to lower revenues and
related reductions in purchasing and accounts payables.
Shareholders' Equity: As treasury stocks for this period were retired, carrying
amount of these treasury stocks and capital surplus - premium were debited
according to ratios of equity. Differences in capital surplus for the debited treasury
stocks were also debited to retained earnings, which resulted in decrease of
retained earnings for this year. Other adjustments to shareholders' equity increased
mainly due to recognizing exchange differences on translation of overseas
subsidiaries. The amount of treasury stocks decreased because of the retirement of
these treasury stocks.

Explanations for any material changes in HTC's revenues, operating

income, and pre-tax income in the most recent two fiscal years
Compared to 2013, revenues for 2014 decreased as a result of changes in product
portfolio and over-competition in worldwide market for cellphones. Compared to
2013, operating income for 2014 increased as a result of changes in product
portfolio and enforced control that reduced related expenses. Compared to 2013,
non-operation income and expenses for 2014 decreased as a result of disposal of
residual shares of Associates that did not take place during this term. Compared to
2013, other comprehensive income for 2014 decreased due to recognizing
exchange differences on translation of overseas subsidiaries.

Key Personnel

10

Cher Wang is a Taiwanese entrepreneur and

philanthropist born in Taipei, Taiwan. As co-founder and
chairperson of HTC Corporation (which manufactured one
out of every six smartphones sold in the United States)
since 2007 and integrated chipset maker VIA
Technologies, she is considered one of the most powerful
and successful women in technology. Wang's father
was Wang Yung-ching, founder of the plastics and
petrochemicals conglomerate Formosa Plastics
Group and one of the wealthiest individuals in Taiwan
before his death in 2008. As of 2014, she is listed as the
54th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.

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Recent News
Declining Smartphone Maker HTC Booted From Blue Chip Index
Taipei, Taiwan- Sep 21, 2015 /ABC News/
Taiwan's stock exchange has removed smartphone maker HTC from its index of blue
chip companies, signposting the dramatic decline of a business that once ranked as
Taiwan's No. 1 brand and dazzled consumers with some of the world's first Android
handsets.
The exchange removed HTC from its FTSE TWSE Taiwan 50 index on Monday after
the company's market value declined below the level required for inclusion in the
market benchmark. The index lists Taiwan's 50 biggest companies which together
represent 70 percent of the market's value.
It's a humbling comedown for a company that once sold more than 1 in 10 of
phones worldwide, received plaudits for innovation and represented Taiwan's
ambitions to spawn its own globally recognized electronics brands.
In the past several years, HTC has struggled because of marketing and supply chain
glitches as well as intense competition from Apple, Samsung Electronics and
Chinese makers such as Xiaomi. Last month, it announced a 15 percent cut in its
staff of about 15,700 after a second-quarter loss of $247 million.
HTC to out One A9 in October, Butterfly 3 and updated One M9+ This
Month
Sep 23, 2015 /GSMARENA/
HTC has scheduled an event for September 29. At this gathering it's so far been
assumed that two devices would make their debut: the Butterfly 3 and the One A9.
However, according to some new information from a couple of leakers of all things
HTC, that may only be partially correct.
The Butterfly 3 will reportedly be announced on that occasion, but the One A9 will
not be at the event. Instead, HTC will reveal an updated One M9+ model. That said,
the camera should be enhanced, with OIS and faster focusing, if we go by one
previous leak. The Butterfly 3 will apparently only be launched on the Chinese
market.
Moving on, the much-leaked One A9, at one time thought to be HTC's next flagship
device, is said to become official in October at a major multi-city event in the US.
After that, expect to see a big marketing campaign accompany the handset's
launch.

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On the other hand, past leaks had the One A9 coming with Qualcomm's recently
announced Snapdragon 617 SoC, which is part of the chip maker's mid-range line.
The One A9 could also sport a 5-inch 1080p touchscreen, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of
expandable storage, a 13 MP rear camera with OIS, a 4 MP UltraPixel selfie shooter,
and a 2,150 mAh battery. The handset will have a fingerprint sensor, and it might
run Android 6.0 Marshmallow. As for pricing, it probably won't be cheap.

Category and Competition

____

Category
HTC Corporation is under the category of handheld wireless
telecommunications devices, known as smartphones, manufacturers.

Size of Category
There are 100+ brands under the category of smartphone manufacturers.
Below are the some of the top known smartphone brands besides HTC:

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History of Category
2007
January - Steve Jobs of Apple introduces the iPhone which he refers to as a
"revolutionary and magical product."
April - Gartner, a technology research company, shares that Microsoft's
Windows Mobile, in the first three months of the year, has an eighteen percent
share of the smartphone market.
November - Google announces that they will offer the Android operating
system for free and anyone will be able to use or change it.
2008

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October - Apple announces sales of iPhones for their summer quarter, stating
that they have sold 4.7 million devices, giving Apple almost thirteen percent of
the smartphone market.
November - The G1, the first Android phone is launched. It features a sliding
keyboard and limited touchscreen capabilities.
December - Microsoft stops Windows Mobile after realizing they cannot
compete with the Android and iPhone. They then develop the Windows Phone.
2010
January - Apple launches their first edition of the iPad which is a ten inch tablet.
February - Android phones begin to appear that feature the same full
touchscreen interaction as the iPhone.
April - It is announced that Google's Android has gained slightly less than ten
percent of the smartphone market in the first three months of the year.
September - Another tablet, the Samsung Galaxy is introduced. It is slightly
smaller than the iPad, at seven inches.
October - Microsoft introduces their first phones running on the Windows Phone
operating system. Sales are initially very low.
2011
January - It is announced that research has shown that smartphones actually
outsold personal computers in the last three months of 2010.
April - Apple takes the lead, becoming the largest smartphone vendor, and
Android becomes the highest selling smartphone platform.
June - Nokia and Apple settle a multiple year dispute by signing a patent
licensing agreement, and Microsoft starts demanding payments from Android
phone makers, with the claim of patent infringements.
July - Android takes over forty three percent of the smartphone market in the
year's second quarter.

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October -According to estimates, Samsung is the largest smartphone vendor at

this time.
November - Android takes over fifty percent of the smartphone market in the
year's third quarter.
From 2011 to current times, smartphone technology has become even more
advanced and technology continues to improve at a rapid pace. Smartphones
have more features than ever before including touchscreen capabilities, GPS,
cameras, and much more.

Methods of Distribution

Shop at online retailers and the device will be delivered to your house

Shop at traditional brick-and-mortar electronics retail stores or wireless

communications carrier stores

Ex. Best Buy

Ex. T-Mobile

Major Players

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Major players in the smartphone industry include manufacturing

suppliers, competing mobile companies in and out of the category, and
consumers.

Seasonal Factors
Smartphone purchases may vary as consumers may just need a new
upgrade on their old phone, or they broke/lost it and need a new one.
Seasonal peak times to purchase a smartphone might be during the
Fall/Winter time when Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Christmas occur. The
seasonal peak also depends on when a mobile company releases its new
phone device. For example, Apple releases its new phone annually in
September. New phone release attracts large amount of buyers who have
been waiting for the new device all year long or just curious of the new
features and want to try it out.

Regional Factors
Smartphones usage varies across countries, but they are more widely
used by consumers in developed countries.

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Looking at the graphs above from 2011 to 2014, big brands, such as
Samsung, Apple, LG, and Sony, still make up the largest market segments in
North America and Europe. However, year on year growth for Apple hit a
brick wall come the end of 2013. The company ended up on just 9% growth
in North America compared with 2012, and 13% in Western Europe. This year
Samsung has faced similarly slow growth of just 9% in the second quarter
and also saw shipments in Europe fall by a massive 27%. Samsung is far
from disaster, it remains the largest manufacturer in every regional segment.
LG was the best performer in North America last quarter, in terms of growth,
and managed to increase its market presence to 11.9%. However, HTC, Sony,
and Motorola have seen their shipment figures remain virtually flat, partly
due to the lack of new device releases. Familiar brands in the West, such as
LG, HTC, Mortorola, and Sony, each occupy 2% or less of the Asian Market.

Legal Considerations
Like other manufacturing businesses, mobile manufacturing companies
have to follow rules and guidelines like safe manufacturing environment,
reduced environmental effects, secure workplace, and safe products. The
mobile companies also have to make sure to monitor disclosures, sort out

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privacy issues, accept consent or permission from consumers, prevent

hidden charges on phone bills, and avoid patent problem.

Products within Category

____

Share of Category by Product

Product-Form Description
Smartphones comes with different sizes, shapes, and thickness.
Usually they are rectangular-shaped with front & back camera and touch
screen. A good smartphone has a long-lasting battery life, fast speed
processing, clear display, great camera, and plenty of storage space.

New Product Introductions

Wireless charging has become a new feature in more and more Android
devices lately. Wireless charging is a way to charge your phone, tablet, or
other device without using any wires.

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Benefits and Appeals of New Product

Greater convenience and ubiquity for charging of everyday devices

Reduce cost associated with maintaining mechanical connectors
Safe powering or charging devices that need to remain sterile or
hermetically sealed (waterproof)
Prevent corrosion due to elements such as oxygen and water
Eliminate sparks and debris associated with wired contacts

New Packages
HTC phone packages are square-shaped with round edges.

Innovations
HTC begins to branch out from the mobile world with its first lifestyle
camera. The HTC RE is a small, handheld camera that works as a standalone
device, as well with Android and iOS. It's a 16-megapixel shooter using a
Sony DSC sensor that is pretty fun to use just hit the button up top to start
shooting. It does still pictures as well as video and includes a slow-motion
mode, and time-lapse mode.

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Recent News about Product Category (Competitors)

iPhone 6s & iPhone 6s Plus Arrive on Friday, September 25
CUPERTINO, California September 21, 2015 /Apple.com/
Apple today announced iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the most advanced
iPhones ever, will be available at 8:00 a.m. local time on Friday, September 25 at
Apples retail stores. Stores will have the new iPhones available for walk-in
customers who are encouraged to arrive early. Both models will also be available on
Friday from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, additional carriers and select
Apple Authorized Resellers. Apple also announced the fastest iOS adoption ever,
with more than 50% of devices already using iOS 9.2
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus bring a powerful new dimension to iPhones
revolutionary Multi-Touch interface with 3D Touch, which senses how deeply you
press the display, letting you do essential things more quickly and simply. The new
iPhones introduce Live Photos, which bring still images to life, transforming instants
frozen in time into unforgettable living memories. Live Photos, 3D Touch, 12megapixel iSight camera, 5-megapixel FaceTime HD camera with Retina Flash
and more are powered by the Apple-designed A9 chip, the most advanced chip ever
in a smartphone, delivering faster performance and great battery life. iPhone 6s and
iPhone 6s Plus are designed with the strongest glass on any smartphone and 7000
series aluminum, the same alloy used in the aerospace industry, in gorgeous
metallic finishes that now include rose gold.
iOS 9 brings more intelligence to iPhone with proactive assistance, powerful
search and improved Siri features, all while protecting users privacy. Built-in apps
become more powerful with a redesigned Notes app, detailed transit information in
Maps, and an all-new News app for the best news reading experience on any mobile
device. The foundation of iOS is even stronger with software updates that require
less space to install and advanced security features to further protect your devices.

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Brand Analysis
Brand Analysis

____

Top brands by dollar or unit sales

Growth trends of top brands

1) The release of the new Apple Watch is leading the mobile tech to enter
a brand new phase when it comes to wearables.

2) Mobile payments will grow

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3) Larger screens and thinness

4) 4G devices

5) Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge- Curved glass screen feature- able to show

time, notifications and messages.

Category share by country and by region

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Pricing trends
The pricing policy of HTC is typically skimming price which is typical of
most mobile manufacturers nowadays. The pricing is implemented with lot of
background check of the markets, their competitors and the consumers who
will ultimately buy this product. It has faced a lot of debate relating to the
fact that whether it is interested in desiring high revenue within the first few

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months of the launch of a product or it desires revenue that is long term

based with some cost cuttings.
Usually the introducing prices of mobiles are very high and later they
tend to drop but by that time, the sales figure also drops so HTC has flexible
pricing policies for different products depending on their search results.
Technology has also made a huge impact in cutting down the costs of
products with better manufacturing and subsequently better management
processes. In order to maintain pricing policies with the current market, the
company provides various discounts so that the cost of the mobile comes
down.
Over the last two years, there has been a dramatic shift in sales, as
more people are buying affordable smartphones that cost less. Meanwhile,
Samsung and Apple can get away with charging top-shelf prices for their
popular, flagship phones. In the end, its all about supply and demand.

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Recent news about competitor brands

Apples Smaller iPhone Could Launch in February
Max Slater-Robins- Dec 2, 2015 /Yahoo! Tech/
Apples smaller iPhone, rumored to be called the 6c, could be announced in
January 2016 ready for a February launch, according to Chinese blog TechWeb which
cites Foxconn insiders.
The 6c would follow on from the 5c, an unapologetically plastic device that
the company killed last year. Both iPhone models the 6S and 6S Plus have
large screens which some users find hard to use. The device would feature an allaluminum design, making it light and, most importantly, putting it in-line with
Apples higher end iPhones. Beyond the aluminum body, the 6c would be unlikely to

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support 3D Touch, the headline feature of the iPhone 6S, according to the report.
The device could support TouchID and Apple Pay.

Samsung Sells More Phones but for Less Money

Jonathan Cheng- Nov 1, 2015 /WSJ Tech/
Samsung Electronics Co. is selling more smartphones than it was this time
last year. Last week, the South Korean smartphone giant celebrated its first quarter
of year-on-year mobile profit growth since 2013. Samsung has been selling more
cheap smartphones, and fewer high-end premium devices, than it did even
compared to Samsungs rocky 2014, according to numbers from data firm
Counterpoint Technology Market Research. Samsung shipped 84 million
smartphones in the third quarter of 2015, 6.3% more than during the same stretch
last year and more than the No. 2 and No. 3 players, Apple Inc. and Huawei
Technologies Co., combined, according to Counterpoint. But while 55% of its
smartphones were priced at $301 per unit or more at this time last year, that highend segment has fallen to just 40% of Samsungs overall smartphone sales,
Counterpoint said. Phones priced $200 or below now account for 38% of total units
shipped at Samsung, versus 30% this time last year.
While Samsung is indeed shipping more smartphones, it isnt charging as
much for them or making as much money from them as it may have during the
days of 2012 and 2013. The numbers also suggest that Samsung is willing and able
to take the fight to the low-cost Chinese competitors that emerged in 2013 and
2014, eating away at its market share and profits.

Consumer Profile

____

Demographic of users
Just over half (51%) of Smartphones used by online U.S. adults are
being used by Millennials, according to the latest survey results from
Metafacts Technology User Profile.
These subscribers born between 1977 and 1994 and age 18-35, make
up the highest share of HTC Smartphones, and index at 115, with a
statistically higher share than Apple, Samsung, LG, Motorola, or RIM, at a
99% confidence level.

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Frequency of purchase/usage
Nearly two-thirds of Americans are now smartphone owners, and for
many these devices are a key entry point to the online world. 64%
of American adults now own a smartphone of some kind, up from 35% in the
spring of 2011. Smartphone ownership is especially high among younger
Americans, as well as those with relatively high income and education levels.

Place of purchase
Most smartphone shoppers convert in stores, while tablet shopping
tends to be completed online (56 percent). The report says that 77 percent
of smartphone-based purchase activity occurs in-person, offline.
The majority of smartphone users expect retailers to be within five
miles of their location (57 percent). 24 percent of smartphone users consider
local proximity of the business to be the most important search variable.

Heavy-user profile
Smartphones are right up there with wallets and keys as items
consumers cannot leave home without. On average, consumers spend 3.3
hours each day using their smartphones, according to new data from digital
marketing firm ExactTarget. 85% of smartphone owners say mobile is a
central part of their day-to-day life, with 90% of those ages 18 to 24 in
agreement. One of the biggest reasons consumers spend so much time with
their smartphones is to virtually interact with their friends. 75% of
smartphone owners say they check a social network at least once a day from
their device.

Awareness and attitude

During the height of its popularity in 2011, HTC gained plenty of public
awareness as it was ranked 98th on Interbrands Global Best 100 Brands and
#1 on Interbrands Top Taiwan Global Brand. However, even with these
public recognitions of its innovative HTC One M7, HTC tumbled in profits and
28

sales these last few years. There is a lack of marketing in HTC as it needs
new brand awareness. General public are aware of the HTC brand but few of
the brands features stand out in consumers minds that rival Samsung and
Apple.

Decision makers vs. purchaser

Based off of the Mobile Path to Purchase research by Nielsen, xAd
and Telmetrics, they found that more than half (55%) of mobile retail
shoppers ultimately make a purchase. It also found that over 30% of
smartphone owners and 25% of tablet users had immediate needs and
wanted to make purchases within an hour. However, most tablet shoppers
have longer purchase cycles with deeper research intent as 41% percent
take a month or longer to make a purchase.

Normal purchase cycle

Beside from losing or breaking their phones, Americans replace their
cell phones every 2 years when their 2-year contract ends. This habit has
helped rank Americans as the people who change their phones the most
often in the world, according to latest data from Recon Analytics. It shows
that Americans change their cell phones every 21.7 months, while Finns in
contrast have one of the oldest devices in their pockets and are changing
phones every 74.5 months. The UK and Korea also treat cell phones like
disposables with a 22.4-month and a 26.9-month handset replacement cycle,
respectively.

Brand loyalty/switching

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Based on a research from BI Intelligence:

Smartphone brand preference tilts toward Apple devices

among the respondents. About 52% of respondents say they own
one of the iPhone models. Apple ownership is even higher among US
respondents, at about 57%.

Already 12% of respondents own one of the new iPhone 6 or 6

Plus handsets. These models had only been on the market for three
weeks when we finished our survey at the end of October.

Almost half of the total respondents plan to buy a phone in the

next six months, and a majority of them, 55%, plan to buy an

30

iPhone. In second place behind Apple is Samsung, garnering about a

22% share of purchase intent.

The iPhone 6 Plus is already seeing fast adoption. Of the future

iPhone buyers, one-third said they would buy the super-sized iPhone 6
Plus. The larger screen size was the big selling point.

Platform lock-in and loyalty is very high: 90% of consumers say

they want to stay on their current mobile platforms, whether
that's Android or iOS. Only about 8% of respondents planning to buy
a new phone in the next six months say they plan on switching from
one major mobile platform to the other.

Advertising/Marketing Communications

____

Creative strategies of your top brands

Apple
Apples Your Verse campaign of 2014 makes the story all about you. The
campaigns hub showcased stories of how different people were using the iPad to do
amazing things, like how a hearing-impaired user travels the world with the help of
translation apps and how a choreographer shapes his Bollywood routines. When it
comes down to it, some say Apples products are so ubiquitous the company
doesnt even have to do any content marketing. Apple creates the devices that help
others create content marketing.
In 2015, Apples new iPhone 6 advertising campaign puts the focus on
consumers creativity, not theirs. The outdoor campaign was called Shot on iPhone
6. Apple also created a World Gallery where all of the images and videos shot on
an iPhone 6 are housed. There was no claims in the campaign about Apple. By
focusing on actual films and images created by actual people, Apple avoids making
any gratuitous and tired claims about the number of pixels the camera delivers, how
cool the slow motion feature is, or how epic a landscape can be. The campaign
doesnt try to convince the audiences of anything, yet convinces the audiences of
everything at the same time. It shows what others have done with the iPhone 6,
credits each creator, which is powerful.
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Samsung
Samsungs strategy is based as much on groundbreaking marketing as on
groundbreaking technology. The company has spent lavishly on advertisements
featuring celebrities, innovative marketing partnerships, and training employees.
During the launch of The Samsung Galaxy S4 back in 2013, Samsung created
a staring contest called Stare down campaign to promote its new product line. To
promote the Galaxy S4's eye-tracking feature you can scroll on the phone without
touching it Samsung installed a booth on a busy platform in Zurich railroad
station and offered any passenger a free Galaxy S4 if they could stare at it for a full
hour without the phone detecting they'd looked away. It was not easy as there were
several forms of distraction such as police dogs, arguing couples, stunt motorcycles
and even hot dog vendor on fire. One guy eventually make it through the hour and
got himself a S4.
Meanwhile, Samsung also got artsy with user-generated content by launching
its Incredible Art Piece campaign to promote the Galaxy Note Pen Stylus. Breaking
the Guinness World Record for most artists working on the same art installation
(300,000+), Samsung Mobile India invited participants to submit a digital drawing
through the Incredible Art Piece microsite, Facebook app, or email.

Specific promises
HTC has confirmed that its 2014 One M8 handset will receive an
Android M upgrade. Google has promised to release the software this fall, but
it will take longer for HTC and other third parties to prepare the software for
their own devices. With that in mind, there wont be too many Android M
updates for non-Nexus devices until early 2016. HTC promises that HTC One
M8 & M9 can expect the Android Marshmallow update starting by the end of
2015.

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Appeals
Latest HTC One M9 appeals to Samsung Galaxy S6 and iPhone 6 lovers.
The new device have Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 octa-core chipset inside
made up of a 2GHz quad-core Cortex A57 running alongside a 1.5GHz quadcore Cortex A53 setup. All this will be joined by 3GB of RAM as well as Cat 6
LTE connectivity. BoomSound speakers will be returning alongside Android
Lollipop and HTCs Sense 7. The camera has been bumped up to 20MP and
features a new set of filters and overlays to customize photos. One thing the
HTC One M9 has that other smartphones dont is stereo speakers. The
manufacturer upgraded the Boomsound speakers from the One M7 to
the One M8, continuing to do the same with the latest iteration in the One
series.

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Claims
The new HTC One A9 looks a lot like the iPhone, but HTC claims that
the iPhone 6 copied its phone designs. HTCs president of North Asia
operations Jack Tong addressed this issue saying Were not copying. We
made a unibody metal-clad phone in 2013. Its Apple that copies us in terms
of the antenna design on the back. Hes referring to the HTC One M7, which
uses bands at the top and bottom of the metal body for antenna function,
the same method Apple adopted with the iPhone 6.

Comparison

HTC One M7

Special effects
Zoe Camera
Zoe is a section on the HTC camera app where you holds the shutter
for long enough to take a video, you'll also get up to 20 frames of stills,
including a few from before you actually pressed the shutter.
Duo Camera Effects
The HTC One M8's Duo camera setup uses the standard 4-megapixel
"Ultrapixel" sensor in tandem with a smaller depth-sensing camera to
capture distance information along with standard photos. It knows how far
away the stuff in your pictures is. And it lets the phone add intelligent
defocusing and artistic effects because it knows what's closer and what's
further away. On top of that you can add stickers such as hats, glasses and
crazy hair to your shots, and touch up faces to remove blemishes. And

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there's an array of filters you can apply to your photos, along with the usual
options for cropping, rotating and framing shots.

Examples of your past and current executions

Past
With sales plummeting, the company retired its ineffective Quietly Brilliant'
tagline in 2013 in favor of a bolder, more aggressive approach.
In 2013, HTC unveiled a new marketing campaign that feature a series of
YouTube, cinema and TV spots starring actor Robert Downey Jr. Called HTChange,
the new brand platform is a long-term investment for the troubled Taiwanese
manufacturer that will try to get people interested and talking about HTC. In the ad,
Downey injects some energy and ambiguity into the brand by exploring other
products and objects that share the abbreviation. A Hipster Troll Carwash, Hot Tea
Catapult and Humongous Tinfoil Catamaran all feature prominently, which
concludes with the words "Here's To Change."
Aiming at rebuilding the companys lost brand power around the HTC One,
HTC allegedly spent $1 billion for this ad campaign, which some doubted whether
HTCs decision was worth it in bringing in sales. After a brutal sales slump that has
continued for years, HTC seems convinced that the problem isn't really in the
products themselves, but rather - the lack of media presence. Meanwhile, the
company's biggest rival, Samsung, has been pouring tons of marketing dollars over
its mobile devices, and those investments have obviously produced the results the
Korean company has been looking for. HTC will be trying to counter this with the
'Change' brand platform. Featuring Robert Downey Jr. did created a great buzz and
sensation on the Internet, spreading brand awareness of HTC. However, the
campaign didnt really drive as many customers as HTC wanted in buying its
devices.

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In 2014,

Gary Oldman, a

well-respected actor of many, became HTC One M8s spokesman. Oldman, replaced
Robert Downey Jr, sitting at a desk in a glass-and-chrome house as he talks about
the new HTC One. The HTC One (M8) has great design and performance, but the
question will be whether it's enough to rescue HTC, who has seen its market share
drop precipitously over the last few years as competitors such as Samsung have
encroached on its areas of business.

Present
In the summer of 2015, HTC released three new blind test adverts comparing
app loading speed, audio and selfies. One of the many reasons companies tend to
utilize blind trials is when they feel that their product is comparable or better than
its competitors. This leads to the assumption that the reason sales are down is a
lack of knowledge of their product and/or misconceptions. These blind trials are
then shown with the hopes that potential consumers will decide to interact with the
product next time they are in the market for a phone. The 3 blind trials focused on
the front cameras performance in low light conditions, the sound quality and finally

36

the speed when switching apps. In this case, it is claimed that the trial includes
three leading smartphones. We know that in the speed test the M9 was pitted
against an S6. The Selfie and the audio test were against the iPhone 6. The tests
were not accurate with each having bias and not being representative of real world
scenarios, however it was clear that these were targeted at a non-power user
audience.

Info on competitive brands

Apple posted a new iPhone 6s commercial to its YouTube page touting

the handset's new Siri Hands Free feature with the help of comedian
and actor Bill Hader.

Samsung has gone back to bashing Apple in its new ads for the Galaxy
S6 Edge and its wireless charging feature.

Media

____

Category and brand spending

Seasonality
The seasonal considerations for a given campaign go beyond the exact
products being promoted and extend to the chosen media (e.g., TV, mobile,
signage, etc.) along with how the target consumers are engaging with that
platform.

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Examining North American usage data, seasonal changes impact the

mobile technology. The smartphone user base is much larger, requiring some
additional creativity on the part of marketers when mapping out campaign
timing, format, and focus in order to maximize their efforts.

Regionality
If using phone device in a different country, the user may need another
carrier ID that works in that region. Different regions have different phone
trends, usage of apps, and language on the device.

Media employed by top brands

Apple has invested in creating commercials for television, billboards,
and magazines that showcase their products in such a way that their
customers feel an affinity towards Apples products.
Samsung spent lavishly on advertisements featuring celebrities,
innovative marketing partnerships, and training employees in phone stores
to become experts of their devices.

Spending patterns
Like with the seasonality of media, there is similar trend with spending
patterns. Spending increases during new product launch to market and
advertise its new product out to the public with various campaigns. Also,
spending increases during major sports events like the Super Bowl, which is
the time for brands to stand out and raise its brand awareness with its
creative advertisement.

Spending compared with market share

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Competitor spending

Promotions

____

Promotions used in category

When releasing a new, innovative smartphone product or product line,
launch events are held to create awareness and publicity. A launch will be

39

directly responsible for the level of immediate and post-launch sales that is
generated. The product launch is meant to generate a lot of buzz and aim to
build sales momentum.

Major brand promotion types and examples

Usually, the major brand promotion types include rebates, app store
gift cards, one week coupon & promo codes, discount deals, free offers etc.
Most deals are within a specific time period and require some sort of actions
from the consumers beforehand.
Examples:
Apple offered a $60 iTunes Gift Card that can be used towards an

Apple Music membership when you buy an eligible Beats speaker

or Beats headphones.
Samsung will give a free wireless charger for activating Samsung

Pay.
HTC offered $100 credit for old phones with purchase of new HTC
One

Success rates of promotions

HTC has become a sponsor for numerous sports activities as part

of its promotional strategies. It became a sponsor for the
professional cycling team, called HTC- Highroad Cycling Team,
from the year 2009 to 2011.

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In the year 2012, it became the official sponsor of UEFA Europa

League and the UEFAChampions league. It also became their
official supplier of mobile phones. This three-year contract has
been a huge promotional boost for them.

In honor of reaching one million subscribers, TIDAL announced

TIDAL X: 1020, the first in a series of philanthropic music events
curated by the streaming service. Sponsored by HTC, The charity
concert took place on Oct. 20, 2015 at Brooklyns Barclays
Center. An all-star lineup included Beyonc, Prince, Nicki Minaj,
Usher, Lil Wayne, T.I., and so on. The show streamed live on
TIDAL.com and HTC.com. All proceeds from ticket sales will
benefit the New World Foundation to help charities with civil
rights causes.

HTC partnered with HopeLine from Verizon as it is raising

awareness about domestic violence through a compelling video
that issues a rallying cry for more resources to help domestic
violence survivors heal and rebuild their lives. People can make a
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difference by purchasing the exclusive Verizon HTC pre-paid

Desire 526 bundle at any Walmart store and HopeLine will make
a donation to help survivors of domestic violence.

HTC

launched

promotion

with

Verizon,

customers

who

purchased a One M9 on Verizon received $100 in Google Play

credit. The $100 credit is good for content purchases through the
Google Play Store for apps, games and media content. This
promotion runs until the end of October 2015.

Competitor Promotions

For its 2015 Back to School promotion, Apple will let qualified buyers
get a free pair of $200 Beats headphones with the purchase of an iMac,
MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air or Mac Pro. Qualified buyers
which include K-12 faculty, staff, students, and parents that are
individual end users can choose to receive a $200 credit for either
a pair of Beats Solo2 On-Ear Headphones or Beats Solo2 Wireless OnEar Headphones.

Samsung is getting into the holiday shopping spirit by kicking off its
"Gifts of the Season" promotion. Beginning Friday and running through
November 22, US customers who purchase the Samsung Galaxy
S6 , S6 Edge , S6 Edge+ , or Galaxy Note 5 at full retail value can pick
up goodies worth a few hundred dollars each. In addition to the gift
promotion, customers who activate Samsung Pay on these Galaxy
smartphones can score a $50 cash rebate. The two deals work
together, and applies if you've already bought one of the phones, but
haven't yet activated Samsung Pay. Moreover, Samsung will give a free
wireless charger for activating Samsung Pay. Samsung is also forking
over $100 in Google Play credit to anyone who trades in an iPhone for
a Samsung phone.

Digital Strategies

____
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Website

Purpose of Site
The site has more information on product lines and the latest product
such as One A9. There is more details for the features of each HTC devices
and the ability to purchase off from the site. There are also tabs for HTC
device accessories, software & apps, and customer support.

Ecommerce Activities
Online retailing has become a popular alternative distribution channel
and experienced significant growth in recent years due to its convenience.
HTCs website is well-designed for consumers to navigate and purchase their
devices. HTC devices can also be purchased on other ecommerce sites like
Amazon, Best Buy, Frys, etc.

Social Media Activities

Hashtags: #BeBrilliant, , #HTCOneA9
Facebook:
Followers-HTC 5.84 Millions, HTC USA 1.4 Millions
Twitter:
Followers-HTC 1.47 Millions, HTC USA 216K
Instagram: 437K followers, 673 posts
Youtube: 344K Subscribers, 507 videos

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Vine: 57.4K followers, 1+ Millions loops

HowSociable.com is a site that measure a brands influence via social

media platforms. It provide a social score which is a numerical
measurement of the level of activity on your social media account during any
given week. The score ranges from 0 to 10 0 meaning your brand had no
influence on social media, 10 equaling a complete domination of social
media influence. For the week of November 23-30, the magnitude came to
5.3.

SEO

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45

46

Market Automation Efforts

After searching HTC on Google, the brand will appear as an ad on the
sidebar in other sites, assuming you are interested in their devices. HTCs
sponsored post is also spotted on Instagram once in a while.

Hootsuite
Keyword Streams: HTC, One A9, One M9
Hashtags: HTC One A9, HTC One

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Social Media Strategy & Executions

HTC is trying to move away from its old logo Quietly Brilliant to the new
logo BeBrilliant. The company is trying to reposition itself as a playful, innovative
company which you can tell through their social media content. They mostly post
pictures of people having fun and going on adventures. HTC keeps on emphasizing
itself as innovative, ever-changing futuristic device. I can see the brand being
playful, bold, however, I dont see the innovative, futuristic side of the brand. In the
consumers minds, there is few features of HTC that stands out compare to its
competitors. Its recent update on its products has hardly any changes, nothing
innovative or big change of their device. Even their latest new One A9 was criticized
for copying iPhone, due to the similarity of the design. Monitoring the comments on
Hootsuite, I saw a lot of people talking about the same thing as in HTC is not
innovative and changing like it says. The playful, bold strategy and executions suit
the brand, but the innovative, ground-breaking part of it does not. If HTC wants to
be seen as an innovative brand, then it needs to come up with new, cool features
that can clearly set it apart from its competitors and market its brand well.

Other Pertinent Information

____

Personal Interview
I interviewed Aaron, a T-Mobile retail store associate, about what his thoughts
on HTC are and his knowledge about the brand based off of the customers he
interacted with. Aaron has been a T-Mobile retail store associate for 8 months so far,
so he has a pretty good understanding of where each smartphone brand stands in
the market. I asked him how often do customers buy HTC, he said that within 10
customers, 4 will buy Apple, 4 will buy Samsung, 1 will buy LG, and 1 will buy HTC.
In short, usually 10% of customers will buy HTC. I asked him, what are most of the
reasons when customers choose HTC over other phone brands? Features that stand
out? He answered, Definitely the metal casing. The customers love the feel and
quality of it. Also the dual front speakers as it has great sound quality. I asked him,
Where do you see HTC stand in its market right now in terms of its competitions?
He said that he sees LG as more of a competitor of HTC than Samsung, since
Samsung is the ultimate, top-notch Android brand. HTC definitely needs to improve
more on its innovation, awareness, and marketing. Their products are good but it is

48

just that not many people know about the brand. In terms of pricing, Aaron said
HTCs price is better compare to LG.

Brand Value

____

In the past, the HTC One had unanimously received top reviews and was
considered by smartphone enthusiasts as the phone to beat. Superior build, solid
camera, and a novel user interface make it the best, most well-rounded
smartphone on the market today, according to Engadget columnist, Zachary Lutz
However, HTCs brand value has decreased as past quarter sales in the
US have been less than stellar and global sales have continuously declined for the
last ~8 quarters. Meanwhile, consumer electronic powerhouses, Samsung and
Apple, continue to drive strong sales in the US, collectively holding approximately
60% of total smartphone market share, according to data from comScore.
HTC, the brand, failed to address that smartphones have become as much a
status symbol as they have a utility. HTCs first major campaign promoted Quietly
Brilliant, which was the brands understated yet high quality appeal. While the
concept embodied the brands positioning, it may not have created enough
emotional resonance to give consumers a good reason to consider the brand when
shopping for a phone. To make matters worse, variations of the same model of the
HTC smartphone were released across four different US carriers. Each phone had
slightly different specifications that created a lack of product consistency, which
diluted the effectiveness of marketing individual product brands.
Despite missteps in brand management, the current state of HTC presents
marketers with a unique opportunity. While brands such as Apple and Samsung are
in the 99th percentile in brand equity performance, HTCs BAV brand equity pillar
composition positions it perfectly for movement into a Leadership position on the
BAV PowerGrid. As shown below, HTC portrays an ideal pillar pattern for future
momentum, leading with high Energized Differentiation, which measures a brands
magnetism and ability to stand out from competitors.

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HTC did try to change their brand image by kicking off a $1 billion dollar
brand campaign titled, Heres to Change, starring Robert Downey Jr. as
spokesperson. The campaign is intended to, demonstrate HTCs role as a changemaker. Critics of the campaign say that the big push in spend may have come too
late, nearly half a year after the release of the flagship HTC One. While the success
of the campaign remains to be seen, the BAV data indicate that HTCs decision to
increase spending on advertising is necessary to move the brand into the
smartphone category. As illustrated in below, Brand Strength is strongly correlated
to advertising spend.

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HTCs bold move to increase ad spend amidst continuous declines in sales

performances highlights a significant shift in the organization. It is a sign that the
HTC brand is now being treated like an asset that needs persistent investment and
attentive management.
HTCs recent trading which has seen a 60 percent devaluation in the stock
price this year has effectively left the brand with no value, as its market
capitalization of NT$47 billion ($1.5 billion) is less than its cash on hand position
(NT$47.2 billion).
As a result of this trading, the companys trading means the only thing
valuable to shareholders is HTCs cash position and effectively means the Taiwanese
companys brand, factories and buildings are worthless. Its a far cry for the
company who was once the best selling brand in the U.S. and its product
strategy has played a large part in this decline.

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Brand Exploratory
Brand Analysis

____

Quantitative Research
Created an online survey with 10 questions. There were 33
respondents who answered the survey.
Questions:

1. Gender

2. Age

3. What brand is your current smartphone device?

52

4. Where did you buy your smartphone?

5. Which mobile operating system do you prefer?

6. What qualities do you look for in a smartphone? (Check all that applies)

53

7. Do you have a strong brand loyalty to your current smartphone brand?

8. If given the choice to choose an Android phone, which brand will you
choose?

9. What do you know about the brand HTC?

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10.

Have you ever considered buying a HTC phone?

Analysis:
As expected, Apple and Samsung are the leading smartphone brands that
most respondents have. Apple takes up 55%, while Samsung is at 21%. Like the
place of purchase section in this audit, customers still prefer to shop for their
smartphone in-store locally with 63% in phone carrier stores and 22% in retail
stores. In terms of qualities people look for in a smartphone, the top 4 qualities from
the survey are

Screen resolution and quality

Battery Life
Camera
Storage

The brand loyalty from the respondents turned out to be not that big as 56%
of them are loyal to their brand while 44% are not. For the choice of choosing an
Android phone, 55% responded Samsung which is no surprise as it is the top player
of Android. It is nice to see some people will choose HTC, with the same amount of
people choosing Sony or Motorola. HTC brand awareness is not that strong as 34%
has basic knowledge of the brand while 16% heard of the brand but dont know
much. 58% of respondents replied No, not really when asked if they ever
considered buying a HTC phone, since most of them may be loyal Apple fans who
prefer using Apple, not Android.

Qualitative Research
Interviewed 5 respondents who are HTC users to get insights on how
consumers feel about the product they are using. The interview was
conducted by asking 6 free response questions.

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Respondents:
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.

Female, Age 22
Male, Age 20
Female, Age 23
Female, Age 22
Female, Age 21

Questions:
1) Which model of HTC phone do you have?
A. I have HTC One M7
B. HTC One M7
C. Currently HTC M8
D. One M7
E. HTC M8
2) Is your current HTC phone your first HTC product?
A. Yes
B. Yes
C. No. I used to own HTC Tattoo when I was in high school and HTC
Butterfly in my freshman and sophomore year.
D. No
E. Yes
3) How long do you have your current HTC?
A. 1 year
B. 3 years
C. Since 2015 January. Less than a year.
D. 2 years+
E. Around a year
4) Why did you choose HTC in the first place?
A. I didnt want an iPhone but I wanted something as good as the
iPhone.
B. Didn't want a large phone
C. Music player and screen quality are my main concern. HTC did
well in media part.
D. Sound and video quality+design
E. Good design and quality. I wanted Android customization
5) Do you like your HTC? What do you like about it? Don't like
about it?
A. Yes, I like it a lot. It is a very convenient phone and fast. The
camera has a glitch during night pictures.
B. HTC One M7 is less than 5 inches. It runs really well, it never
breaks from a drop. Everything about it is great, but the camera
is very very bad.

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C. I surely do. The music system is over expectation and get well
with all kinds of headphones. However, the internet connecting
speed is lower. For example, when you send pictures via SMS or
search something on Google, its slower than iPhone product in
same period.
D. I love it. Love the sound and design and the familiarity
E. Love it. The screen size is just right. Camera and sound qualities
are great. Battery life is good. Able to customize the layout. I
dont like that there is no group chat function in SMS and
pictures take a few minutes to send in SMS.
6) If you have the choice to change to a new phone, will you still
choose HTC?
A. Yes
B. Probably wont choose HTC again till they fix the cameras
C. I guess I will still choose HTC since HTC is the only phone that
can fulfill my needs. The camera, music player, screen quality
are all nice. Since media stuffs are still my primary concern, I will
still choose HTC. However, the newest model is not that amazing
and cant see a great improvement so far. I will just wait and see
the trend.
D. Yes
E. Yes, but only if it releases something new that is innovative and
appealing.

Recommendations
Once the best-selling smartphone brand in the US, HTC has hit some hard
times as it is currently struggling in raising their sales and facing a financial
downfall. HTC needs to make some major changes to get back up. People love its
devices and hardware, and HTC has a loyal fanbase, but it is not enough to save the
company right now. After conducting research and comparing what other brands are
doing, the following list are observations and recommendations that could help
improve HTCs brand image and value. To regain some ground, HTC has to step it up
to their game.

Based off of my interview with a sales associate and my quantitative

research, HTC doesnt have a strong brand awareness. It needs to put in the
effort to come out with strong marketing campaigns and spend more budget
on advertising. Just by doing celebrity endorsements with Robert Downey Jr.
and Gary Oldman are not enough. HTC needs to come out with better product
strategies and promote its product features to actually convince the buyers
why they should choose HTC. They need to clearly position its brand and
identify its target market. Based off of my research, almost half of the
respondents dont have a strong brand loyalty with their smartphones. HTC
can take this chance to prove itself by convincing prospect customers what is
good about the brand.

57

According to my personal interview and monitoring the comments on social

medias, what differentiate HTC from its competitors are its metal casing and
dual front Boomsound speakers. The sound quality of its Boomsound
speakers is top-notched as some respondents from the qualitative research
enjoy the feature. Since these two features are what sets HTC apart from its
competitors, HTC need to keep these features. Based on the latest news
about the new release of HTC One A9, HTC dropped the Boomsound speakers
to a single speaker, which is definitely the wrongdoing on their part. They
should not take off the Boomsound speakers as it is what most of its
customers enjoy. Instead, they need to focus more on coming out ideas for
other features and new designs to appeal to the general public. My research
shows that current HTC users love HTCs screen size, which is not too big or
small. This definitely stand out among its competitors as Apple and
Samsungs phones are going for bigger screens, which may not be what
some customers wanted. Also it seems like HTC did improve its camera
quality as people in my research who has HTC One M7 complained about the
camera while people who has HTC One M8, the newer model, love the
camera. HTC needs to reach out to its HTC One M7 customers, ensuring that
they have made improvements on the camera to keep their brand loyalty.

HTC need to clearly identify its own brand image and personality. The
company market its brand as in innovative and changing. However, buyers
cannot see HTC as an innovative brand if it doesnt announce any new
features. To become a company that is open to changes, HTC needs to step
up in designing a new ground-breaking model for its One device. A new
device that has a futuristic look that doesnt look like a copycat of other
brands. Based on my qualitative research, the current HTC users are
considering in buying HTC devices for their next phone, but they are looking
for a new innovative design and cool, amazing features. HTC needs to plan
out a great, remarkable design that will surely keep their brand loyalty.

HTC has struggled in the face of stiff competition from Samsung as well
Chinese brands such as Huawei and Xiaomi, which is selling a lot of midrange phones. There are simply too many Android brands on the market right
now, and some, like LG, are making only 1.2 cents in profit per handset sold.
HTC need to differentiate its brand well in terms of pricing to stay in the
market.

References
http://bavconsulting.com/why-brand-building-matters-the-htc-anomaly/
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http://marketingland.com/seasonality-mobile-device-usage-warmer-weather-temperstech-95937
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