Back in the Saddle

After a short hiatus, we are back here at PR Insights.  The time that we have taken off has not been squandered, but spent in service to the arts and to education - traveling in Italy, art shows in Reno and here in Sacramento as well as a photographic workshop with the world-famous Elizabeth Opalenik in Santa Fe! 

What has inspired me to post again is the Apple iPhone 4 flap.  Apparently the device has an antennae built into the metal band around the phone.  The only problem is that when you hold the phone, you block the antennae.  One 2nd  hand news report has Apple chief Steve Jobs just telling people to hold it differently!??!.  Here's but one other reason I have for not joining the cult group of Apple fanatics, even though the iPhone looks pretty cool and I thought by now all the bugs would be dealt with.

So after a major mainstream media outlet like Consumer Reports gave it the thumbs down, the PR staff at Apple is FINALLY swinging into gear, but in their own selective way.  "Selected" media have been invited to a special news conference that is just getting underway now in Cupertino. 

Apple has gone through a transformation from the little David of the first Macs to the Goliath that it is today having a value bigger than Microshaft Microsoft.  The giant is now beginning to feel the pinch with Wired reporting that stock shares tumbled significantly on Wednesday morning. 

All because of neglecting a PR problem.  This would have turned out far differently I'm sure if the Apple executives had actually listened to consumer feedback.  Could this arrogance be caused by Apple getting a bit too big for it's britches?  If they had held a news conference open to ALL media IMMEDIATELY after getting several reports, this tale could have had a different ending. 

Let this be a warning to all businesses big and small - you will be in a good place in consumers minds if you immediately own up to a product's flaws.  Just remember the Toyota debacle.