Apple virtual reality

This artificial view goes well beyond studies, it is brilliantly crafted through marketing, PR and events. Even the top executive is a guy named Steve Jobs who plays a character named Steve Jobs that was created by their agency.

IBM does this as well, but not as completely and not as expertly (in fact, I think IBM's skills in this regard have been declining ever since Louis Gerstner left). Microsoft, on the other hand, doesn't control its image well at all. Sometimes, you can hear people calling Microsoft "evil empire" and it appears to be the most common thing on earth. But you typically don't hear terms with a negative connotation describing Apple - justified or not.

If you look at the current Apple campaign, PC and Mac, Apple is positioning the PC as the boring, nerdy, nearly crippled product, while the Mac is a new, trendy, and very likable friend. Now think back, when was the last time you saw Microsoft create any image around Windows whatsoever? You may recall that Microsoft did put dinosaur heads on actors and used them to make fun of folks that didn't keep office up to date (making fun of customers is on the list of really foolish things to do).

Microsoft's image is largely created and maintained by competitors, Sun in particular used to be an expert at this, although Sun managed to mess up their own image in the process as well. Apple does it much more elegantly and their image remains intact.

But it isn't just Apple, Steve Jobs himself is a construct of their agency this is one of the reasons Apple tried very hard to stop "iCon the Greatest Second Act in the History of Business". In fact they not only barred the book from Apple stores they barred the publisher (who also does the "Idiots" series). Of course, that just meant I had to buy it, I'm funny that way, and, in this case I actually read it. By the way, this reaction of Apple actually backfired and the book went into a second printing as a result of Apple's actions suggesting even they aren't perfect. But the effort to maintain the artificial image of their CEO is a critical part of their efforts. And, as you can imagine, this image is vastly different inside the company than it is on the outside.

Of course, we also remember they went after their own fan sites to prevent them from prematurely talking about unannounced products and, as a result, these blogs now have the same protection as the New York Times. OK, maybe Apple really screws up sometimes, but it showcases how rabid they are about controlling things.

In addition, Apple is surrounded by an enviable fan base, which tends to support, almost blindly, everything the company does. Many companies would probably kill for that kind of loyalty; on the other hand, the more militant aspects of that fan base may actually be more of a barrier to Apple's return to some market segments. Still, it creates a solid and visible penalty for anyone who speaks of Apple badly and does a decent job of keeping negative coverage on the company to a minimum.

What it means

On one level this means that Apple Marketing is executing on a level that few companies in any industry achieve. On another, it also means that Apple has unprecedented power to cover certain things up. We've seen what that can do to companies and executives in the past. Remember that Apple too has backdated options but, so far with little or no impact.

It means that, particularly with Apple, you shouldn't take things at face value. Instead, take a moment to see if there is anything you may not be recognizing at first sight and that could be important to you. Some companies have glaring faults; Apple's require a little digging.

By the way, one of the ways to maintain an image like this is to create a reality that meets it, and Apple typically does a good job of that. But, from time to time, it may be wise to look behind the curtain and we need to make sure the great and powerful OZ is there and not the Wicked Witch of the West.

Like the horse said to the pig, "if you let someone lead you by the nose to dinner, don't be surprised if it is you who is on the menu".