Marketing Mix of Blackberry and 4Ps (Updated 2023)

The Marketing mix of BlackBerry analyses the 4Ps of BlackBerry’s marketing strategy, which includes the Product, Price, Place, and Promotion of BlackBerry mobile devices and services. BlackBerry Limited is a Canadian multinational wireless equipment and telecommunication company. The company is best known as the entity that developed the Blackberry exquisite brand of tablets and smartphones. However, the company also has a strong foothold in software development for industrial applications, mobile device management, and manufacturing of wireless telecommunications equipment.

The company is based in Waterloo, Ontario, which is in Canada. The company was founded in 1984 by Douglas Freign and Mike Lazaridis. It has annual revenue of $2.160 billion. The company was dominant in the American market but lost many of its target customers with the advent of time and new players in the market.

Currently, John S. Chen is the chief operating officer of Blackberry. The company’s employee strength is 4,534 as of February 2016. Its top competitors are as follows.

• Apple
• Nokia
• Samsung
• Google

About Blackberry

• Type: Telecommunication company
• Industry: Telecommunication
• Founded: 1984
• Founder: Mike Lazaridis and Douglas Fregin
• Headquarters: Ontario, Canada
• Area served: Worldwide
• Key people: John Chen, CEO
• Number of employees: Over 23,000

Blackberry Product Strategy

BlackBerry, initially known for its smartphones, has significantly shifted its business focus. Their current product mix primarily centers around enterprise software and services.

The new Product Mix of BlackBerry in 2023 is as follows (Source)

1. Cybersecurity Solutions: BlackBerry offers a range of cybersecurity products, including endpoint security management, encryption, and network security solutions for businesses.
2. IoT (Internet of Things) Solutions: They provide software and services for IoT devices, focusing on secure communication and data management.
3. Enterprise Mobility Management: BlackBerry’s enterprise mobility management solutions suite helps businesses manage and secure their mobile devices and applications.
4. Crisis Communication Solutions: They offer solutions for secure communication in critical situations, including crisis communication and management tools.
5. Automotive Software: BlackBerry has ventured into automotive software, offering solutions for car connectivity and autonomous driving technologies.

Blackberry Place Strategy

Blackberry stores are available in North America, Mexico, Thailand, Indonesia, and the United Arab Emirates. In 2007, a Blackberry store opened in Michigan. Blackberry stores operate at airports in several parts of the United States, like Atlanta, Boston, Newark, and Wand Houston, though most will close soon. In 2015, the company opened its first pop-up store in Germany.

BlackBerry had 85 million subscribers around the world till 2013. However, with the popularity of Android and iOS platforms, it has lost much of its following. Today, it has only 23 million subscribers worldwide.

Here’s the Place Strategy of Blackberry:

1. Online Platforms and Digital Distribution: BlackBerry delivers its software solutions primarily through online channels, allowing customers worldwide to access and download their products conveniently.
2. Global Reach with Localized Support: They have a global presence, serve customers worldwide, and provide localized support to meet the specific needs of different regions.
3. Partnerships with Resellers and Distributors: BlackBerry partners with a network of resellers and distributors to expand its market reach and provide local sales and support services.
4. Direct Sales to Enterprises and Governments: BlackBerry employs a direct sales strategy for large enterprises and government clients, offering tailored solutions to meet their specific needs.
5. Collaboration with Automotive and Tech Companies: BlackBerry collaborates with car manufacturers and technology companies in the automotive software sector to integrate its solutions into automotive systems.

Blackberry Pricing Strategy

BlackBerry Smartphones became the most sought-after due to their e-mail access on-the-go feature. The company strategized on focusing largely on enterprise sales and enabling corporations to thrust the brand within their own employees. To capture the market, BlackBerry made its smartphones affordable to middle-class professionals. The brand’s steep prices had hampered fast growth in the beginning. But later, they strategically placed phones in every price range, starting from Rs.4 410 and going up to Rs.53 200 with different attributes to suit different needs, enabling them to cut across a wider target segment. Some of its models are available at throwaway prices on e-commerce sites in India.

BlackBerry’s pricing strategy for its enterprise software and services is focused on delivering value to a specialized market. Here’s an overview:

1. Value-Based Pricing: BlackBerry’s pricing strategy is centered on the value provided by its software solutions, particularly in cybersecurity and enterprise mobility management.
2. Tiered Pricing Models: They likely use tiered pricing models for different levels of service and features, catering to businesses of varying sizes and needs.
3. Subscription-Based Pricing: BlackBerry will probably adopt a subscription-based pricing model for continuous services, providing regular updates and support to customers.
4. Customized Pricing for Large Enterprises and Governments: BlackBerry likely offers customized pricing for large enterprises and government clients, reflecting the tailored nature of solutions and services provided to these entities.
5. Competitive Pricing in Niche Markets: In niche markets such as automotive software, BlackBerry’s pricing strategy would be competitive, reflecting the specialized nature of these products and the value they add to the automotive sector.

Blackberry Promotion Strategy

Blackberry is making the best attempt possible to recapture lost ground. For one, it is focusing on its Smartphone segment to gain much of its lost glory. The current strategy of the company is to focus on their business customers. Smartphones like BlackBerry 10 are perfect for business communication with unique features like centralized messages and notification of new messages with a blinking red light. For their new Passport Smartphone, they are targeting professionals in the healthcare industry. The company is leveraging the excellent security features of Blackberry Smartphones and, therefore, branding them as the perfect phone to be used in industries such as healthcare, insurance, and banking.

Some Recent Video ads and Print ads for Blackberry are:

BlackBerry Cybersecurity — AI-Powered Cyberattack Prevention

2023 (blackberry.com)

Blackberry (BB) at CES 2023: A Look at Main Announcements (yahoo.com)

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