Apple Vacations may be 40 years old, but it's been expanding into the young world of social networking all year. Now the company has announced the launch of its interactive blog site, The Juice, just a few months after the birth of its Twitter and Facebook pages.
The Juice is designed to be a marketing and information tool with a personal twist, providing travel stories, tips and details on special offers from Apple employees as well as guest blogs from celebrities, customers and staff located in resort areas.
Apple executives, whose company has found particular success with packages to Mexico and the Caribbean, hope that the blog will give the company useful customer feedback and, of course, push their products out into the consumer consciousness.
"Our advocates can step up and support our brand, or conversely, give us their opinions on where we can do better," says senior vice president Timothy Mullen. "It's a real-time conversation that we want to have so that everyone benefits from the public discussion. And, if we listen carefully, then get the right product into a customer's consideration set, we've got a great chance at making a sale through these mediums."
In May, Apple kicked off a promotion to increase followers and fans of its Twitter and Facebook pages, offering $50 vacation certificates to all participants if the company reached its goal of 5,000 Twitter followers and 2,500 Facebook fans. That Facebook goal was reached June 6, and Apple predicts its Twitter goal will be realized June 15. Participants of both contests, once completed, will also be entered in a random drawing for a free all-inclusive vacation worth $5,000.
Visit www.applevacationsblog.com.