it’s time every Apple Computer nut lives. CEO Steve Jobs is working through a presentation full of summaries, market share updates, and some minor product announcements, and then he makes everyone hold their breath.
“One more thing,” says Jobs, and a new object of technological lust ascends to the pantheon.
Just what the legendary showman is hiding this time has the rumor mill in full force after Apple said it will hold a surprise “one more thing” product reveal Wednesday morning in San Jose.
Some think an iPod with video is on the way. Others involve upgrades to Apple’s Power Mac desktop computers or PowerBook laptops. Regardless of what Apple publishes, the event attracts all the attention of the world’s media, technology bloggers and die-hard Mac purists.
Apple declined to comment on its marketing strategy, but the role of secrecy and speculation in generating excitement for the company’s launches is undeniable.
Douglas Atkin, partner at the advertising agency Merkley + Partners and author of The cult of brandsHe said Apple’s secrecy about unannounced products is characteristic of cults, both branded and otherwise.
“Maybe the reason Apple is so secretive and possibly paranoid about it is that they are not the market leader (in computers),” he said. “Many cults begin to develop paranoia because they fear being crushed by the overwhelming force of a monopoly.”
That’s a stretch, said Guy Kawasaki, former Apple marketing evangelist and founder of Garage Technology Ventures. Apple’s interest in secrecy is simply about perfectly timed updates.
“It’s not just about good marketing, but also about good inventory management,” he said in an email interview. “The reality is that if everyone knew that a new iPod or Mac was coming out, they would stop buying existing ones. Sales would go down. Inventory would pile up. Ideally, you would run out of product by Friday night at midnight, restocks after closing and opens on Saturday with the new model.
Buzz marketer Seth Godin argued that Apple isn’t hype at all. The company believes in its products and wants to be the first to tell the world about them.
“I think the people at Apple are sincerely excited about what they’re doing, they challenge themselves to do great things, and it hurts – it actually hurts – when they feel like their idea has been stolen,” Godin said.
