Next week will be new Apple CEO Tim Cook’s first headlining of Apple’s regular press event/product rollouts. Nothing too mysterious about this one — it’s gonna be all about the new iPhone. As it relates to PR, what should we be expecting?
• A nod to Steve. No doubt, even a few weeks after Steve Jobs resigned as Apple CEO, the event will likely have some acknowledgement of the work he did to make Apple one of the greatest modern brands.
• Nothing too over the top. This is Cook’s first public foray as the new CEO, so don’t expect too many fireworks or razzle-dazzle at this event. It will likely be fairly straightforward, and let the new iPhone, ahem, speak for itself. Once Cook gets a good run on future events, then the format may evolve more to fit his speaking and presentation style.
• One more thing… It’s been a while since an Apple event ended with a major, mind-blowing surprise product announcement. Will we see the return of a hyper-cool “one more thing” next week?
• Keeping it simple. No matter who’s doing the talking, remember the essential, critical element to Apple’s branding success — keeping things simple for the consumer to understand. If you don’t believe that, check out this video of a Microsoft parallel universe.
What else would you expect that we see next week?
Apple’s PR victory is already won. The evidence is the plethora of articles and blog posts speculating about next week’s event.
Apple is a company that sells electronic gadgets. Yet, the media attention that accompanies its product announcements is enough to make you think it was feeding the world, solving global warming, and curing cancer.
Well played, Apple!
Excellent point, H.K. Perhaps the reason the events succeed is because they’ve become less about technology, and more about the hype?