Over the edge of illusion - the secrets of Apple PR-Success (Part 2)

(Part 1)

From Apple, probably the best in the world of public relations department (public relations, PR). This is especially significant during the development and launch of new products, because no one technology company can not call such a resonance with their innovations. Before the first time, users can see the new Apple product and touch it, the company carefully plans all of its public Remarks and references to it, control the leak, organizes briefings for journalists privileged, closed the presentation on which can only be accessed by invitation and, finally, early testing for pre-selected, positive-minded media representatives. Nothing ride, on those rare occasions when Apple does not control the initial promise, it corrects it using his powers to bring elaborate answers in an informal order.

Except for some moments, PR-strategy was flawless for years. But it also creates tensions between Apple and the people who cover the events happening around us. Katie Cotton, is the head of the department of public relations for almost twenty years,

He left the company this year,When Tim Cook has shown the desire to change the ways in which Apple has interacted with the media and their consumers. As the search for a replacement for Cotton is still in the process and the seriousness of the company remains unclear, we consider methods that Apple used to manipulate the press and media for all these years old.

Organization of PR-Team

Unlike Microsoft, Samsung, Adobe and mobile operators, Apple completely controls the communication with the media in the walls of your own home. And this is in many ways similar to the company's commitment to the full development of their devices, including hardware and software. While Apple continues to cooperate with the Agency Media Arts Lab, for example, to print or television marketing, the company gradually gets rid of this dependence, increasing its internal marketing resources. And according to some sources, Apple is now very strictly selects the Media Arts Lab employees who have to work in the apple company building.

While Apple is a huge growing company and its PR-department and communication department is incredibly tiny. The office has about 30 employees, plus a few dozen people around the world who We must respond to journalists' questions, organize various activities and conduct press releases. This office is located on the product marketing and is decorated with old advertising posters Apple on the third floor of the building.

Inside the offices there are different teams: Momentum (Momentum), Mac, Corporate Communications (corporate communication), iPhone, iPad, iTunes and Events (Events). Some 10 years ago, the only PR spun around Mac, Music, and corporate communications. Now, when the team expanded, attention has been paid to the iPod, and then the iPhone, iPad and services, in addition there was a special group Momentum, dealing with all Apple products.

iPad in the hands of the series "Modern Family" heroes.

Momentum and Buzz Marketing - is a little-known group of PR-department, consisting of a handful of people who are responsible for the integration of Apple products into pop culture. Momentum, for example, works with large sports leagues to propel iPad as a tool for coaches. When a new device that has not yet appeared on the shelves of stores, appears in some TV-show, you know that it is also the work of Momentum team.

This group is also responsible for promoting the application of the latest magazines, are the App Store. If Apple wants has been promoted a new magazine Golf, Momentum immediately propels him among journalists. In addition, the team is responsible for advertising the iPhone and Mac thanks to celebrities and public figures.

Momentum and Buzz Marketing Bartolomei Browne founded in New York and Jennifer Baukok in Cupertino, and now they need new skilled employees who will be able to strengthen the division data.

Mac team is headed by Bill Evans, and this is one of the largest PR-groups. The team deals with all Mac hardware and software, including OS X, amateur and professional applications. Each team member has to deal with all products designed for the Mac.

Corporate communications Steve manages Doulin. There are solved questions of corporate policy, investors and many others. Retail PR, headed by Amy Bessette - is also one of the branches of Corporate Communications.

iPhone, iPad, iOS and iCloud manages Natalie Kerris and Teresa Brewer. Of all the PR-department of most people involved in promoting the iPhone, slightly less represented in the iPad team. Issues iCloud iPhone is often involved in the team.

In iTunes, iTunes Store oversee issues, iBooks Store, App Store, Apple TV, iPod and CarPlay. A team led by Jennifer Ramsey and Tom Neumayr. Recently, the department deals with issues related to the recent acquisition of Beats.

The team responsible for different events, like Momentum, includes a small handful of employees. She takes the lead in organizing various conferences, for example, the WWDC in San Francisco, and and internal activities of the company, such as official visits and beer Friday evenings «Beer Bashes ».

Some employees of PR-department in tandem with the leaders hold press conferences and give interviews to journalists. Doulin and Currys are working closely with Tim Cook, Amy Bassett - Jonathan Ayvom, and Bill Evans - Phil Schiller.

The names of many of the staff that will tell you a little, but they form the shape of Apple in the media. PR-department controls every word spoken by employees of the company, and all the major press, tells the story of Apple.

Full press control

Generally, PR-department behaves very cool towards the press. They respond only to questions they need meet only when they see fit, and determine what should be said representatives of Apple. This unit looks like a rich, wise and not particularly welcoming the Queen, who is too busy to be bothered about trifles.

Some members of the PR-team is constantly looking for photos of celebrities holding the iPhone in the hands of others at this time actively browsing blogs that write about Apple. A former employee of the company says that the team likes to be censors and monitors everything that is written about them media. When Apple does not like the style of the narrative, it may be asked to rewrite the text, and even, if necessary, to undermine the authority of the major news organizations.

When Apple has learned that the newspaper The New York Times won the Pulitzer Prize for dubious for her series of articles iEconomy of the company's supply chain, its PR-team then produced a number of publications that criticize other journalists edition. Some say that in the same way Apple tried to refute some information about Steve Jobs, Mentioned in the book by Walter Isaacson, and which did not provide any founder, neither the apple company. Another journalist shared that Apple will always present the story in a particular way and will be dissatisfied if the publication wants to deviate a little away from the affected subject.

More recently, Apple has used the same technique to cover up the story told Reuters. In his article, it's called apple company champion closed companies and asked to make more moves in the direction of openness. The article has been cited a speech by Tim Cook in 2013, in which he said that the company understands the importance of it to be more transparent. A person familiar with the situation, said that Apple will then be asked to include in the Reuters article more quotes from a speech by Cook. Reuters has denied this request, saying that this information is freely available. Rather than comment on the situation, Apple simply to incite the agency of friendly bloggers. As wrote in Fortune: «Friends [Apple] did not need much time to strike back."

Here's what they say about the classic strategy Apple PR-team: "Their strategy - not to say anything to all wondered what Apple is now engaged to appear free advertising, "- said one of the approximate journalists. In the words of a former Apple PR-team, this strategy always works when journalists communicate with the PR-department, to get answers to their questions or to confirm one or the other history.

Others say Apple may indirectly confirm or deny the claim, providing a track record of past achievements. On the other hand, she warned journalists that if they want to avoid problems with the company, they must cease to affect some of the topics. Such conversations are always beneficial for Apple, which wants to create a certain image of themselves.

In recent years, Steve Jobs and Katie Cotton met with major publications and well-known journalists to tell them about the plans of Apple. According to one of the journalists, as all the discussions had been held without recording, they were all useless. Nevertheless, the data editor PR company continued.

Brian Lamb, founder of The Wirecutter and former head of Gizmodo, said that the PR-department of Apple likes to push the different editions with one another. When the dominant paper press, Jobs could clash with Newsweek TIME in the struggle for an exclusive interview. Lam says that just as it is impossible to get the cover of the magazine, but it is possible to win, plunging the publication in the fight against competitors. When came to the fore a variety of blogs, Jobs came face to face Gizmodo and Engadget. "It was not a demonstration of weakness or manipulation, it was a powerful game," - says Lam.

However, this strategy did not share neither the Lamb, no other journalists. "The media - is only part of their plan. They think big, and do not always think about the people, it's a business. "

Another journalist, tells of Apple's, shared: "If they want you, they come to you. But when they do not want to answer your question, or it is outside the scope of their needs, you are lucky if they call you again. " The relationship between the PR-department of Apple and journalists, rather one-sided and not always beneficial to the journalists themselves.

But Apple has always supported the criticism of their competitors. If suddenly someone bad to write about Android, Apple can easily spread this information. Just one example, Apple has recently sent two letters to journalists 9to5Mac, which highlighted the failure of one of the applications on Android.

Although the strategy of PR-department apple company seems manipulative, other technology companies are using the same tactics. «Apple understands that doing a favor for journalists know what they want, - says the employee of one publications, writing about a variety of IT-giants - the game is the same [as in other companies], but the motivation different. "

Often, Apple is absolutely ruthless. Actions bloggers Reuters The attackers, were sweeter because they ruled it kupertinovtsy for a particular purpose. Apple - is a war machine that can strike at any time. And each requires a powerful machine in the present leader.

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