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There’s been quite a lot of buzz during the past week or so surrounding rumours that Apple will be launching a tablet device very soon, and the expectation that there’ll be an announcement by Apple on January 26. I wrote a post myself, too.
What’s behind all the buzz? How did it get started? Who did the starting or at least added fuel to the fire? Apple itself?
See what you think after reading a post by John Martarello, a senior editor at The Mac Observer, following a report about Apple’s forthcoming device in the Wall Street Journal on January 4, summarized by the Mac Observer. It has all the hallmarks of a controlled leak, says Martarello:
[…] Often Apple has a need to let information out, unofficially. The company has been doing that for years, and it helps preserve Apple’s consistent, official reputation for never talking about unreleased products. I know, because when I was a Senior Marketing Manager at Apple, I was instructed to do some controlled leaks.
The way it works is that a senior exec will come in and say, "We need to release this specific information. John, do you have a trusted friend at a major outlet? If so, call him/her and have a conversation. Idly mention this information and suggest that if it were published, that would be nice. No e-mails!"
The communication is always done in person or on the phone. Never via e-mail. That’s so that if there’s ever any dispute about what transpired, there’s no paper trail to contradict either party’s version of the story. Both sides can maintain plausible deniability and simply claim a misunderstanding. That protects Apple and the publication.
Whatever you might think about the ethics of such a manipulative approach to communication – “plausible deniabilityâ€! – it gets Apple the results it wants.
25 responses to “Controlling leaks Apple style”
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[Blog] Controlling leaks Apple style [link to post] #fb #in
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[nh.com] Controlling leaks Apple style [link to post]
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[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Neville Hobson, Danny Whatmough. Danny Whatmough said: RT @jangles Controlling leaks Apple style http://tinyurl.com/y8bwa3p […]
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RT @jangles Controlling leaks Apple style [link to post]
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Hobson: Controlling leaks Apple style: There’s been quite a lot of buzz during the past week or so surrounding rum… http://bit.ly/7GczX3
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RT @jangles: [Blog] Controlling leaks Apple style [link to post] #fb #in
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Controlling leaks Apple style [link to post]
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RT @jangles: [Blog] Controlling leaks Apple style [link to post]
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Controlling leaks Apple style [link to post]
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Sounds like the PR of politics ;). What’s interesting is the leak about the leak! Apple can still play the game, even when their methods are known.
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RT @jangles: [nh.com] Controlling leaks Apple style [link to post]
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Controlling leaks Apple style | NevilleHobson.com [link to post]
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Controlling leaks Apple style | NevilleHobson.com [link to post]
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Controlling leaks Apple style | NevilleHobson.com: http://url4.eu/14Pnm
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Controlling leaks Apple style | NevilleHobson.com: [link to post]
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Controlling leaks Apple style | NevilleHobson.com http://bit.ly/5qOZ0I
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Controlling leaks Apple style | NevilleHobson.com [link to post]
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Controlling leaks Apple style | NevilleHobson.com http://bit.ly/5D01uR
RT @jangles Controlling leaks Apple style http://bit.ly/61o88l
Controlling leaks Apple style | NevilleHobson.com http://bit.ly/53yNUY
@Nilzenburger @spreeblick halte ich fuer unwahrscheinlich, die ganzen "Leaks" sind doch wahrscheinlich bewusst gestreut http://bit.ly/6bFMdj
PR, Apple style, good debate http://nevillehobson.com/2010/01/07/controlling-leaks-apple-style/
Tips Controlling leaks Apple style | NevilleHobson.com http://bit.ly/5qOZ0I
"Apple sees tablet as one device shared by the whole family – WSJ" http://is.gd/6INBC Another controlled info leak? http://is.gd/6INIr
RT @jangles: "Apple sees tablet as one device shared by the whole family – WSJ" http://is.gd/6INBC Controlled info leak? http://is.gd/6INIr