Apple’s incoming CEO faces new marketing challenges

Apple's next CEO, John Ternus, is set to take on a fascinating marketing challenge from his predecessor, Tim Cook.

By many standards, Cook is passing on a well-established brand to the company's longtime hardware chief. 

Data from the brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance, exclusively shared with CMO Insider, values Apple's brand at $607.6 billion, marking its peak. This figure represents the price a company might pay to license Apple's brand.

US data collected by Lippincott's Brand Aperture research-based measurement system in 2025 indicated that Apple's "momentum" score (53%) — assessing whether consumers believe the brand's best days are forthcoming or past — was beneath that of Samsung's (64%) and OpenAI's (77%).

Apple's absence of a key AI feature, the lackluster Vision Pro rollout, and their "Liquid Glass" iOS criticism might have swayed consumer confidence in its design leadership.

As AI becomes a more crucial factor in consumer brand selection, hardware — Ternus's expertise — "diminishes as a competitive edge," according to Dave Mayer from Lippincott.

Under Cook, Apple emphasised privacy as "a fundamental human right" through its marketing endeavors. 

The trust established could bolster its brand during the AI era. However, a privacy-centric approach might be disappointing for marketers expecting Apple to be more liberal with data and broaden ads across its services, like Apple TV.

"Ternus's background is in hardware, not services or ads, and he probably played a role in crafting strategies that favored a cohesive user experience over ad monetisation," commented analysts at Madison and Wall in a report on Monday.

Apple's marketing has consistently set high standards according to industry benchmarks under Cook.

In 2025, Apple was honored with the Cannes Lions "Creative Marketer of the Year Award," which the festival noted embodied "a culture that prioritises creativity and innovation" and connected with audiences on an emotional level. 

Recent recognized efforts included its enduring "Shot on iPhone" campaign and its "Ted Lasso: Fake Team. Real Partners" initiative.

Nonetheless, Apple has "consistently fulfilled its brand promise for years," remarked Richard Haigh, Brand Finance's managing director.

As Apple ventures into new revenue avenues, Ternus might consider enhancing its advertising efforts.

The company could aim to craft a "remarkably groundbreaking, attention-grabbing, and iconic advertising campaign to reassert their lead in whichever domain they choose to focus on next," suggested Haigh.