3 important lessons from the former PR-director of Apple
Makradar Technologies / / December 19, 2019
May 7 Katie Cotton He announced his resignation from Apple. She served as vice president of international corporate communications. Often, employees of PR-department staff are not valuable, but it can not be said about Kathy. It controlled communication Apple around the world and created the image of the company for media coverage and representation of the people. We all saw the crowd of people standing in front of Apple Store and have heard a lot of rave reviews about Apple, but few know that most of it is - the work of Cotton, and this will be her legacy.
Kathy began her career in not the best of days for the company, in the '90s, when Apple was on the verge of closing. She has worked with Steve Jobs, helping him to make the most amazing comeback in business history. During the work of Cotton, Apple has done a difficult path of loss-making enterprises to the most influential tech companies with the largest capitalization in the world.
Certainly, it was an interesting and at the same time a difficult time, and I hope that Cathy ever write a book about his work at Apple. In the meantime, I suggest you read the three lessons from the great PR-manager.
The first, and probably the most important piece of advice: "Less is more". Kathy practice what is considered to be Antipiar. She made presentations for journalists, and quite the opposite, communicated with only a few lucky ones.
Cotton did what many PR people can not repeat until now - she realized the significance of the mystery. Of course, Kathy found out about it from Steve Jobs. Steve was the real mastermind of Apple marketing strategy and the entire PR department. But Katie was the man who kept Jobs' vision and improved it.
Apple is now unbearable for journalists. It has a staff of PR, but God knows what they do there. But just to say what they do not - do not talk to journalists.
Previously, I went the joke that is the warmest place to work - in the department PR Apple. All you need to do - is to check your mail, no one to answer and listen as the phone rings, but not to take up.
Maybe sometime you still need to pick up the phone, but the answer is: "No comment." In rare cases, when Cotton visited emotional, you could allow to read pre-written test consisting of three proposals, which did not carry a no useful information. When a reporter asked a question, then you have to read the text again. Once again. Once again.
So that's been running PR Katie Cotton. And you know what? He worked. According to brand consultancy Interbrand, as of fall 2013 Apple was in first place in the ranking of most popular brands. What company does not want such a loyalty to your brand?
Apple gets more accolades in the press than any other company in the world. It is not contrary to the complete disregard by the press, but partly because of this. A little secret is that journalists like to be them running around and offer to write about a particular company. Because deep down, they feel that they deserve it.
If you follow the tweeters popular bloggers who write about technology, we can see their complaints about being too boring PR people, who do not want to leave them alone.
These journalists and would live in his world, if not for Katie came and turned everything upside down. She did not suck up to him, but on the contrary, they had to collect information on grains and try to learn at least something.
And that really caught the attention. She really does not want to have anything to do with you. You are not worthy. She's the queen, and you're just a bunch of losers.
After this, the real fight between the journalists of the Apple love. They praised the company, write rave reviews, to protect her when she makes a mistake. Slowly, step by step, they prove that they deserve a place in the sun and can give a final award, for which all the fighting - the ability to take an overview of the new iPhone and iPad models before anyone else others.
Gave an overview of the unit, which has no one, you can not publish it until a certain time and a certain day, while Apple does not allow. Usually, this happens on the day of the launch of a new product. You control, but you are happy and grateful!
You see, what happens? Apple keeps everything under control and says journalists when they can publish their own articles and indirectly ensures that they can say. After all, believe me, if you write a bad review about the new device, then the next time you get it earlier than others.
Under the leadership of Steve Jobs and Apple Cotton could manage even large logs. Apple company forced to fight Time and Newsweek. Who among them will offer the best conditions, taking into account the requirements of Apple, the timescales needed? Who will be worthy? The winner in this "war" was getting Steve Jobs on the cover and the ability to send their journalists to write in Cupertino interview. In fact, they wrote to Kathy, and journalists had to do was follow the script.
It's a brilliant PR. And other companies have to follow it, even though many do the opposite. They just beg some publications write about them. If it is a start, it is he wants to be in TechCrunch and VentureBeat, and if it is a serious company, then they need to get on the cover of Forbes, Fortune and BusinessWeek. They want to be on television.
Ironically, the best way to get in a magazine or on TV - to pretend that it does not need you. Be secretive. Be mysterious. Talk less. Make people lyubopytnichat.
Of course, this is easier to do when you imagine a man like Steve Jobs, but nevertheless, it is a lesson for all.
When you're dealing with the press, you have to know exactly what you want to get away from them, and also need to be sure that you will get it. Of course, you can not be 100% sure, because each has its own "cockroaches in my head," and you can unsubscribe at any time, but in your power to reduce the chances that it will happen to a minimum.
Apple is working with a reputable publications only when references in magazines will help to create buzz for a new product. Thus the company gets free advertising in the media, complements its paid advertising in other places and it sums up to a good effect.
You must remember that media coverage will not help you sell more products. I had a good friend who worked in the PR department of the IBM, where Sam Palmisano was CEO. Palmisano has never appeared in the press, and it was impossible to interview. My friend explained that it's nothing personal, just Sam wanted to take the time to help IBM sell more devices, and the presence of his face on the cover in any way that would not have helped. He would prefer to spend time talking to customers and not to journalists. Palmisano was right. And Katie Cotton had the same opinion.
If you work in the PR department, you should always think about it before you talk to the press. What does this give you? What tangible results do you get? Under the tangible result, I mean money. Sent whether communication with journalists to sell more devices?
Cotton defended the company in difficult times. All you remember little things like "antennageyt" and trouble with Greenpeace? Or bigger problems, like a string of suicides among workers at the factory in China or from the bustle of the Securities Commission, when stock options were issued retroactively. But the biggest problem was the deteriorating health of Steve Jobs. From the depths of the problems the company is helping to pull Katy.
The lesson is this: forget what you heard from the anti-crisis experts. Sometimes it is better to do the opposite: ukolnitsya, divert, postpone - everything you need.
During all these problems Cotton Do not panic. Apple has always followed that says and tried to say as little as possible. One has only to recall the case when Jobs left for treatment of hormonal disorders, and in fact he received a liver transplant.
For many years, the head of Apple was ill with cancer, but Katie managed to keep it a secret. It was not a PR. It was antipiar. When I read this as a journalist, it becomes not very nice, but the marketing motives is quite effective.
Over the past few years, Apple has lost very important people: Bertrand Searle, Scott Forstall, Ron Johnson. All these guys were very important, but Care Kathy could affect Apple moreSince it is PR is central to the company's activities. Her departure marks the end of an era. Does this make Apple more open to the press? Do not expect.
(via Hubspot)