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Apple Bolsters Online Retail Team With Former Delta VP

Tuesday March 25, 2014 1:06 pm PDT by Juli Clover
bobkupbensApple 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.”
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.

[ 37 comments ]


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msimpson
66 months ago
Love brand?

I love that Target allowed my credit card information to be stolen.
Rating: 7 Votes
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dauby88
66 months ago
Delta has done a great job with their marketing in recent years. This looks like a strong hire.
Rating: 5 Votes
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Rogifan
66 months ago

So did this guy turn Delta around? It used to have a rather mixed reputation at best...


He wasn't the CEO of Delta.

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Bad Hire all-around


He worked at Target prior to Delta. Isn't that where Ron Johnson came from?
Rating: 4 Votes
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mfvisuals
66 months ago

Bad Hire all-around


And the award for vaguest MacRumors forum post ever goes to...
Rating: 3 Votes
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Analog Kid
66 months ago

"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."


Hmm. The VP of Marketing basically playing the victim because the brand isn't "loved"? That's your job-- to make people love your brand!

**sigh**

I will not fly Delta unless I'm going to Atlanta-- and then only because I figured out that no matter where I'm traveling on Delta my bags end up in Atlanta, so I figure that's the one safe destination.
Rating: 3 Votes
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fontman
66 months ago
What could an airline guy do for Airline ? Nothing !!!!!!

Bad Hire all-around
Rating: 2 Votes
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EW800
66 months ago
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?
Rating: 2 Votes
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keysofanxiety
66 months ago

And the award for vaguest MacRumors forum post ever goes to...


...who does the award go to? Stop being so vague! :p ;)
Rating: 2 Votes
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jmoore5196
66 months ago

Unless you define 2010 as long ago (which would be pretty strange), you have no issues with this guy, who only joined Delta then.


Early 2011, to be precise. That's when Delta cancelled on us for the last time and left us sitting in LaGuardia with no reason and no apology. The same thing had happened to us on six occasions starting in mid-2010.

Pal, at my age, every month is an event!
Rating: 2 Votes
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iLoveiTunes
66 months ago

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.


you should go out often...
Rating: 1 Votes

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