Over the edge of illusion: the secrets of Apple PR-Success (Part 5)

(Part 1)

(Part 2)

(part 3)

(part 4)

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.

Steve Jobs and the backstage press releases

A former employee of PR-department of Apple recalls how once Steve Jobs rejected press release, which should He was to announce a cooperation with a new partner only because he did not like the name company. As a result, it was over the fact that Apple has completely rewritten press release and actually forced the partners to change the name. When Steve was at the helm, he reared over even the most insignificant little things, which related PR. Jobs was involved in all the work of PR-department, and found fault with the individual words in a press release, not to mention the photos on the covers of magazines and critical interviews.

That Jobs came up with the strategy of the mandatory addition of adjectives to each of Apple products and use them in press releases. For example, iPad was "magical", App Store - "legendary" and iPhone - "revolutionary". These terms are mentioned not only in the press release, they also ispolzyutsya in other promotional materials Apple's, internal presentations, as well as special events for the press [remember Apple-bingo :-) ].

Together with Cathy Cotton, Steve created a rule that all the joint press releases, which involved partners of the company, must be fully written and distributed by Apple PR people. This strategy was seen in Apple's investment partnership with EarthLink in 2000 and the recent announcement of collaboration with IBM.

Before Steve Jobs to make their final touches and approved the press release, it showed Katie Cotton, some members of the PR-team and Phil Schiller. Schiller and his key subordinates are turning to PR-team, and then to delegate publicists press release the person or couple of people who write it. Say Cotton was adamant opinion that the draft press release written some members of PR-department, rather than business or marketing team managers. After the press release is ready, Jobs Cotton and polished it, copying as necessary. In the future, may change the details of such an approach, but on the whole the process is likely to remain the same.

Friendly, more open future

It is said that after the departure of Cotton, Public Relations team members of interested new opportunities and strategies that are opened in front of them at a friendly and open leader. Current and former employees of the PR-team converge on the view that Tim Cook is considering candidates with ties to the world government, extensive experience in working with the staff, understanding the Chinese market and, of course, expertise in consumer technologies and social media.

Cook has significantly expanded the ranks of executives in the last year, gathering leaders that meet the specified criteria. For example, Cook hired the former head of the Environmental Protection Agency Lisa Jackson, it will take a similar post at Apple, and manage the company's environmental initiatives. He also hired a new head of retail sales with extensive experience in China, Angela Ahrendts Musa and Tariq, having extensive knowledge in marketing and social media. Cook also lured a former employee of the Senate -Amber Cottle, who met with the important government officials more frequently than its predecessor.

Many agree on the opinion that for a refreshed approach to communication strategies for Apple, you need a well-educated man with a great vision and a profound knowledge of the above-mentioned topics. Carney, of course, meets many of these requirements; Now PR-team actually led Dowling, but there is still Kerris, with sufficient knowledge and extensive experience in Cupertino. If Apple wants to hire a new head of PR-department, to create a company face in the next few decades, it is possible that the company will pay attention to the rising stars of its competitors in Silicon Valley. Apple considered many different candidates, so that a new leader can come from anything, but on the condition that he will have the right set of skills, the experience and character. Over the past few months have begun to appear some hints on who will take over as Cotton.

Craig Federegi, speaking at the WWDC, has devoted a lot of time for jokes on colleagues, CFO Luca Maestri spoke with reporters before the elected announcement of the results of revenue, Johnny Ive shook hands with the most loyal Apple fans at the annual party the WWDC, Tim Cook and Phil Schiller publicly participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge to raise awareness of ALS - it is not surprising that all this is down to the smallest detail, organized Dowling. The big surprise for many was the appearance in the presentation of iPhone 6 and Apple Watch September 9 journalists Gizmodo, well-known in the Apple-circles as members with stories forgotten in the iPhone 4 bar, which has since 2010 been "excommunicated" from Apple. it now appears, after the departure of Cotton, the current PR-team is doing something that will help in the dissemination of information, rather than something that corresponds to the "party politics".

Apple stopped on whom and who will manage the Department of Public Relations, is still unknown, but the team of Cook, of course also intends to change the obsessive control of the regime, which according to some employees, has existed for some time just for inertia. With regard to the strategies of PR-activity, now it is also unknown whether the company will adhere to them or they will be complemented and expanded.

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