Apple's Expert Leaking Preserves Plausible Deniability

Apple (AAPL) is known as one of the most tight-fisted and controlling companies in the world. However, while it generally doesn't like to let anything slip without a firm grip on the process, according to a former senior marketing manager, it does orchestrate leaks, but in such a way that there is never written proof of what happened.

According to John Martellaro, Apple uses the approach to maintain its reputation of never discussing strategy or unreleased products while achieving some palpable end. Some of the ends he mentions, with some logical additions of mine, are:

• testing a concept or price
• disseminating fear, uncertainty, and doubt among specific competitors
• artificially driving interest in an announcement event to pack the house with analysts and reporters who now want to get the inside scoop
• goading reluctant partners into action
• increasing and extending press coverage, which becomes a key part of its marketing strategy

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.

Image via stock.xchng user steved_np3, site standard license.