2014年5月8日星期四

Goodbye to Katie Cotton, the Queen of Evil Tech PR

Goodbye to Katie Cotton, the Queen of Evil Tech PR

Article by http://www.Laptopakkushop.At/ : Subsequently 18 years of spin, Katie Cotton, Apple's magnetically brutal secondary president of worldwide corporate communications, has missing her work, and tributes from the tech press are pouring featuring in. Come again? Rebuff lone command admit is with the aim of we were all troubled of her.

Recode described Cotton, lone of Apple originator Steve Jobs' adjoining confidantes, having the status of an "impresario" who "helped smooth Apple's story." The Verge prominent Cotton had "played a large role featuring in shaping the tone of produce launches and Apple's guise, from its struggles featuring in the 90s through its enormous hits through the 2000s." To the edge Street Journal she was a "powerful gatekeeper." TechCrunch called her produce launches "epic." CNNMoney quoted A-list Apple flack John Gruber's fond memories of Cotton.

But the real tribute to Cotton isn't just with the aim of tech writers are gracious her. It's with the aim of they're gracious her despite despising her. Even by the put a stop to of Cotton's reign, journalists are still featuring in such a state of terror and awe they don't gamble have a word openly more or less her reign of silence and smokescreen.

CNNMoney's Gruber-quoting article was in point of fact the site's trice goodbye mail to dear Katie—the essential, by Philip Elmer-DeWitt, was pulled down quickly subsequently appearing remaining night, and integrated a rare instant of bluntness:

Cotton was the iconic Apple open relations expert. Fortune's Miguel Helft, who worked with her having the status of the Apple beat reporter used for the brand new York era, describes her having the status of "polite but rarely of use."

"She was at all times cold and distant. And she complained to my editors with the aim of I didn't seem to be attracted to Apple's products having the status of much having the status of she hoped I would. We tried to explain with the aim of loving Apple products wasn't part of my work sort, but with the aim of by no means registered."

With the aim of Cotton survived so lingering working used for a client having the status of not easy having the status of Steve Jobs is something of a miracle. The sanctioned line is with the aim of she's leaving to exhaust supplementary moment with her children. And featuring in her suit — having the status of the care for of twins — near might be present more or less fact to with the aim of.

But it's besides right with the aim of her work sort misused as Steve Jobs died.
I haven't heard back from CNNMoney more or less the post's desertion. But if you ask around, tech writers are supplementary than jovial to deduce you more or less Cotton's luster. Anonymously, of gush.

Lone writer I spoke with described her having the status of "pure evil," a "ruthless enforcer used for a cruel if brilliant dictator. The dangerous aspect of Steve Jobs in material form." To an extra, she was "kind of wicked witchy." an extra editor summed up his interactions with Cotton having the status of solitary being brushed rancid and directed to an subject, if near was every response by all.

My ex- Gizmodo colleague Jesus Diaz, who weathered the most awful of the storm completed the blog's primitive asset of an iPhone 4, recalls a rare returned phone call from Cotton, the "Darth Vader to Steve Jobs' royal leader," subsequently questioning more or less Steve Jobs' wellbeing: "She was angry...Livid...So angry it was challenging to understand her. And at that moment she hung up on me."

It's tranquil to take these impressions having the status of evidence with the aim of Cotton was terrible by her job—as by smallest amount lone writer does:

I get back it insane with the aim of she's held up having the status of more or less kind of PR genius. Steve Jobs did everything by with the aim of company as it came to getting attention used for their products. Apple's PR team does the smallest amount of every PR team featuring in the humankind and may well be present replaced by a voicemail with the aim of says, "No comment" and "the suicides by the factory are down this month." She was a gate keeper to Jobs and had power featuring in with the aim of role, but the indication with the aim of she's especially talented by PR and marketing is laughable.
But it's challenging to argue with the evidence: Almost two decades having the status of the chief of communications used for the the largest part talked-about company on the planet. Now and again bossy silence says a assortment supplementary than eager, polite begging.

Like the Staatssicherheit otherwise it, Apple PR operated on two highest philosophy: Silence and trepidation. But more or less companies employ publicists or else communications departments with the aim of command provide lengthy, whitewashed answers to questions, Apple went the other direction. Ask a tech reporter more or less cover Apple, and you'll grasp a gloomy, to the point tale something like a Craigslist Missed Connection. Apple refuses to answer questions almost each single moment a question is asked, and negging the media helped create the aura of Man-God worship with the aim of floated the Cult of Jobs and still buoys Apple's share value these days. Subsequently all, if they waste to sermon, near have to be present something nice they aren't chatting more or less.

It besides makes you wonder come again? The torture Katie Cotton in point of fact did. How does a communications executive by a company with the aim of largely refuses to communicate exhaust her days? This was someplace Cotton's real skill came, featuring in the trice code: Trepidation. As Apple's agent wasn't doubling-up and pasting non-responses (Google this sometime: "Apple buys lesser expertise companies from moment to moment, and we in the main organize not discuss our drive or else plans"), it was uncomforting, abusing, and confusing the live in whose work it is to mark more or less Apple. With the aim of inescapable: Finish interviews as they didn't move how Apple wanted.

With the aim of inescapable: Outright dishonesty more or less Steve Jobs' wellbeing as he was in point of fact dying of corruption.

Even Gruber, featuring in his farewell mail to the adopted care for by Apple, mentions a superbly creepy Cotton instant having the status of he waves a hanky goodbye:

Having the status of I took my seat, Katie Cotton, sitting featuring in the trice row, smiled and greeted me. "Hi John, glad you may well succeed it. How's the cold?"

I was feeling fine, the cold not much supplementary than a reminiscence by with the aim of spit, and told her so. But I had to ask, laughing, "How did you even know I had a cold?"

Otherwise she may well answer, Greg Joswiak, sitting unswervingly featuring in front of me, twisted around. "John, Katie knows everything."
Charming!

The largest part of all, Katie Cotton's tenure consisted of this cold distance from the tech press, presenting herself (and Apple) having the status of an unfriendly, hermetically sealed monolith. She disregarded calls, disregarded emails, and even untaken the vague hint at of geniality, solitary to wrench away a likely appointment by the remaining instant. It was a imposing, enigmatic meanness with the aim of helped encourage Apple's self-image of frigid supremacy.

Cotton's departure is unexpected and a crumb enigmatic, explained with a canned non-starter of an excuse: She wants "to exhaust moment with her children." (Hmmm.) having the status of the remaining a small amount of days enjoy made exonerate, a small amount of reporters command eternally badmouth her, lest they vex the angry corporate counterintelligence apparatus she spent 18 years building by Apple. (Or lest they receive an infuriated phone call from the VP emerita.)

But her inheritance is secure. The Cotton drill of open Non-Relations has coverage all through Silicon Valley. Silence, punctuated solitary by sporadic partiality and browbeating—she really was Steve Jobs' add up to two—pervades the brand new giants of Facebook, Twitter, and Google, companies with the aim of know they don't need to pitch the press, for the reason that the press wakes up each calendar day enraptured by with the aim of silence.



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