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Apple Bolsters Online Retail Team With Former Delta VP

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Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
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Apple is beefing up its online retail team with the addition of former Delta Air Lines Vice President of Marketing Bob Kupbens, reports AdAge. According to his LinkedIn profile, Kupbens is now serving as Apple's Vice President of Online Retail after leaving Delta earlier this month.

Kupbens originally jointed Delta in 2010 and before that, he spent eight years transitioning through several roles at Target, last serving as a vice president. During a 2013 AdAge conference, Kupbens spoke on the importance of "love brands" noting that every consumer has five brands "they really love."
"I used to work at Target and when you went to a cocktail party and you told people that you worked at Target, you know what they'd say?" he asked. "'I love Target! I'll give you a big hug!' You know what people say when you tell them at a cocktail party that you work at Delta? 'I hate you! You lost my bag! You had me on the tarmac for seven hours. I'm going to kill you!' It's different when you work for a love brand."
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Like Target, Apple is undoubtedly a "love brand" for millions of people, inspiring its fans to wait in line for hours and even days for new products. Many companies even parody consumer dedication to the brand, with Samsung, for example, mocking Apple fans in an array of anti-iPhone commercials.

Bob Kupbens will presumably work under Angela Ahrendts, who will begin her role a Senior Vice President at Apple in the coming months, leading both the company's retail and online teams. Ahrendts, who is currently transitioning out of her role as Burberry's CEO, will report directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook.

With the addition of Kupbens and Ahrendts, Apple will finally have strong leadership for its retail division. The company has been without a leader since John Browett was fired in October of 2012 during a significant management restructuring.

Article Link: Apple Bolsters Online Retail Team With Former Delta VP
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2014/03/25/apple-hires-online-retail-vp/
Tyler23

Tyler23

macrumors 603
Dec 2, 2010
5,664
159
Atlanta, GA
He was great for Delta, and I'd imagine he'll do great things with Apple as well. Stand up guy with a lot of smarts.

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fontman said:
Bad Hire all-around
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This makes no sense. An airline is a company, a brand, just like Apple. Airlines compete against other airlines, just like Apple competes against other computer/phone companies.

It's all about making consumers want to buy your product.

Also, he worked for Target before Delta.

I'd say he's plenty qualified.
 
T

Tiger8

macrumors 68020
May 23, 2011
2,479
649
dauby88 said:
Delta has done a great job with their marketing in recent years. This looks like a strong hire.
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Agree.

VulchR said:
So did this guy turn Delta around? It used to have a rather mixed reputation at best...
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Turning it around is strong, airline industry has it's share of bad service, but in terms of advertising and image, he significicantly helped improve delta.

I absolutely love Delta's safety demonstration video! Hands down best I've seen (especially the no-smoking chick)
 
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EW800

macrumors 6502
Jul 4, 2012
470
269
I hope this is a good hire. Just my opinion, however I do not think Delta or Target are particularly impressive.

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Tyler23: Just curious, what did he do that was great for Delta?
 
mdelvecchio

mdelvecchio

macrumors 68040
Sep 3, 2010
3,151
1,149
fontman said:
Bad Hire all-around
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thank you, Mr. Expert.

where's your company's website? dying to see how your business acumen is paying off for you...

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EW800 said:
I hope this is a good hire. Just my opinion, however I do not think Delta or Target are particularly impressive.
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if you dont think Target is a successful, loved retail brand, then you havnet been paying attention.
 
S

superliu

macrumors member
Aug 11, 2010
78
34
Calgary
He won't have much affect on the products, so this hire doesn't concern me at all.

I don't think he can do much with the Apple brand - it's already so well defined and the fan base or its community is already so matured. In my mind he got one of the easiest job. Just keep doing what the existing team is already doing.
 
bbbb4b

bbbb4b

macrumors 6502
May 15, 2011
266
203
"I used to work at Target and when you went to a cocktail party and you told people that you worked at Target, you know what they'd say?" he asked. "'I love Target! I'll give you a big hug!' You know what people say when you tell them at a cocktail party that you work at Delta? 'I hate you! You lost my bag! You had me on the tarmac for seven hours. I'm going to kill you!' It's different when you work for a love brand.”

:D I knew where he was going with this before I read the whole quote.
Made me laugh.
 
jmoore5196

jmoore5196

macrumors 6502a
May 19, 2009
840
339
Russellville AR
I look for opportunities to get 'up' on things before I get 'down' on them, but my wife and I long ago decided we'd never fly Delta again ... even if we have to walk.

Here's hoping Bob does a better job for Apple than he did for his previous employer.
 
S

Statelymwhite

macrumors regular
Apr 1, 2011
108
5
I guess the guy deserves a chance, but if an airline executive runs Apple then expect the stores to get even smaller, prices to go up, each iPhone costing a different price to a different customer, even if bought at the same time at the same store, and every now and then making you stand there waiting to check out for hours on end for no specified reason. Oh, and don't forget the body cavity searches at the door.
 
M

musser

macrumors member
Dec 16, 2004
39
1
Faith?

Why is it that I feel no faith, lately, with Apple? I genuinely, don't know. It's just this sense of impending doom I feel every time I read another story about Apple. I'm just not feeling the sense of continuity and strength when Steve was around. I'm an Apple follower (user) since 1994. Even THEN, I felt hope. I just don't get that anymore. I want this monkey off my back. I want to see some real leadership.
 
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winston1236

macrumors 68000
Dec 13, 2010
1,902
319
Statelymwhite said:
I guess the guy deserves a chance, but if an airline executive runs Apple then expect the stores to get even smaller, prices to go up, each iPhone costing a different price to a different customer, even if bought at the same time at the same store, and every now and then making you stand there waiting to check out for hours on end for no specified reason. Oh, and don't forget the body cavity searches at the door.
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For a minute there I though you were describing Comcast :eek:
 
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