Could 7, 2014: Katie Cotton, the fearsome, much-admired head of Apple’s worldwide publicity machine, steps down from her VP put up after 18 years with the corporate.
Throughout her stint at Apple, Cotton labored in lockstep with Steve Jobs and proved instrumental in controlling the corporate’s portrayal within the press. Her departure supplies yet another reminder that the Jobs period is over at Apple.
Katie Cotton: An essential participant in Apple’s success
If you consider profitable partnerships in the course of the Jobs period at Apple, you probably consider ex-design chief Jony Ive or present CEO Tim Cook. Ive labored with Jobs to create a sequence of hit merchandise. Prepare dinner labored with Jobs to verify Apple might manufacture and ship these merchandise in adequate portions.
Katie Cotton‘s function at Apple outlined the corporate’s id in one other means. Whereas Ive and Prepare dinner labored immediately with the merchandise, she managed the way in which the world considered Apple.
Earlier than coming to Cupertino, she labored for a PR company known as KillerApp Communications, which dealt with some initiatives for Jobs’ NeXT. Whereas Cotton by no means labored on the NeXT account, she did choose up contacts there. When Jobs arrived back at Apple in 1996, Cotton landed a job supply with the corporate.
Her work at Apple outlined the bizarre anti-PR area the corporate cultivated. Nobody can say that Apple is dangerous at PR (that might be ridiculous). Nevertheless, the corporate doesn’t attempt to be notably good at it, both — not less than not within the conventional means.
Loads of PR executives endlessly flatter journalists to attempt to safe favorable protection. Cotton was greater than able to pushing to get the publicity she needed, however her job was additionally about courting solely the protection Apple needed. Like Jobs, she prided herself on saying “no” to way over she stated “sure” to. It was a distinct college of PR, and it labored flawlessly.
How hard-nosed PR helped form Apple
Cotton proved notably protective when it came to Jobs’ health problems. Her hardline tactics usually served as a source of humor within the hilariously widespread parody weblog, The Secret Diary of Steve Jobs.
As Cotton as soon as advised journalist Kara Swisher, “I’m not right here to make buddies with reporters, I’m right here to place a light-weight on and promote Apple merchandise.” (Swisher’s article about Cotton’s departure from Apple is properly value studying for one thing extra nuanced than the numerous tales denouncing the publicist as a “depraved witch” of Apple.)
When Cotton introduced her retirement, Apple spokesman Steve Dowling described her influence.
“Katie has given her all to this company for over 18 years,” he wrote. “She has needed to spend time together with her kids for a while now. We’re actually going to overlook her.”
Cotton finally left Apple on the finish of Could 2014. Her departure supposedly marked the beginning of a kinder, gentler era of PR at the company. Whereas that is arguably true, there’s additionally little doubt that the PR ethos Cotton instilled at Apple stays. Like Jobs, her affect continues lengthy after she stepped down from her function.
R.I.P. Katie Cotton
Almost a decade after leaving Apple, Cotton died on April 6, 2023, on the age of 57. The New York Times’ obituary stated Cotton “constructed a tradition of thriller by saying comparatively little, if something, to reporters.”
And tech journalist Walt Mossberg posted a (now-deleted) Twitter thread paying tribute to Cotton and calling her a “formidable determine” in Cupertino.
“Katie brilliantly led the media technique for the historic run of massive merchandise throughout Jobs’s second tenure operating Apple,” he wrote. “She was a key associate to Steve Jobs, who trusted her judgement.”
Apple additionally issued a statement about Cotton’s death.
“We’re deeply saddened by Katie’s passing,” the corporate stated. “She was a unprecedented particular person and she or he made numerous contributions over the course of her two-decade profession at Apple. Our ideas are together with her family members and everybody who had the chance to work together with her.”