Apple Doesn't Do Marketing Partnerships

Have you ever seen Apple products actively promoted by Apple marketers alongside other brands? If you have, let me know, cause I never see it anywhere. Apple doesn't do marketing partnerships. Why? Who really knows, but if I were to take my best guess; I would say that they feel that they don't have to... that promoting other brands "takes away" from their proposition and hinders their brand. I'm not so sure that this is true, but who am I to argue with a company known for selling THE consumer electronics product (the iPod) of the decade. They don't do the 'Intel Inside' program on their PC's because Intel is not Apple. They don't promote non-Apple iPod accessories or music download sites that are not Apple (itunes.com) for that very same reason. They only focus on their brand and their propositions because they have branded themselves as a unique and stylish developer of consumer and computer electronic products (and services), and Apple does not want to risk having anything or anyone tarnish that image. It's a noble argument, but how has that helped them to sell more?

Apple computers are loaded with Intel processors, right? So, why not promote 'Intel Inside'? I recently read that Apple says that "everyone knows that their machines are loaded with Intel, so there is no need to place those stickers on their boxes". I guess they don't want to look like every other computer manufacture and want clean and uncluttered packaging, but it's that very same attitude that has them at 5% of the global market share for PC's (read more here: Apple doesn't do Intel Inside). If the goal is to increase their share of the pie, why not participate in the HUGELY SUCCESSFUL Ingredient Branding partnership known as the 'Intel Inside' program? I don't get it.....Any insights?

I can appreciate why Apple does not partner around the iPod and leave those who want to give them away 'in contests' to buy them at their local consumer electronics shop or online, but the lack of Marketing Partnerships around their PC's doesn't add up. Unlike the iPod, their PC's lag significantly in market share. It might be time to re-think their position and not take the same attitude on partnerships for all product categories. Just a thought... :)