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Apple Macworld Snub a "negotiating tactic"
Nick dePlume writes "Apple Computer's decision to not endorse the move of the east coast Macworld Expo convention from New York to Boston is a "negotiating tactic," albeit a shockingly public one, reports Think Secret. Sources believe Apple had firmly endorsed the move, which was announced today."
The only possibility that makes sense to me is that Apple wants to cut back to one U.S. MacWorld per year--to cut costs; to reduce the product release straitjacketing forced by the desire to make trade show announcements; to ensure that there's plenty to announce and always a GOOD "one more thing," etc.
And they seized on this as an excuse.
Still seems mystifying and lame, though.
I bought my first Mac in February 1984 (OK, I was a late adopter) and have attended EVERY Boston MacWorld. Why does Steve want to break my heart?
"How to Do Nothing," kids activities, back in print!
Not sure if its Czechoslovakia, or Poland, but somewhere in between.
... trade shows represent all sorts of targets.
Regardless, no doubt Apple need the break, with their losses this quarter. Yeah, Boston is cheaper, and purportedly Apple had agreed to it, so why're they getting fussed about NYC, which would be more expensive?
To negotiate a lower floor price in Boston? Well, good. Seems shrewdness on Apples part is apt, imnsho.
Of course, the *real* question that needs to be answered is which city (Boston or New York) has the best security
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
No doubt people will claim that this is Steve Jobs being mercurial.
But to be honest, I'm surprised-- I would think Apple would welcome the move to Boston, especially given that it is supposed to make the show cheaper for exhibiters. I don't really think that Apple has a real strategic advantage of having MacWorld in NYC-- after all Boston is less than a days drive away, and is also a big hub of computing types.
Furthermore, if what they really want is to be in NYC, why threaten to boycott NYC 2003?
One thing thats perplexed me is that Think Secret talks about a press release from Apple, but I have not been able to find it.
Is this really not a public issue- and merely something thats gone on in the back rooms of negotiating that someone (possible IDG) decided to make public to make Apple look bad? OR was I just poor at finding the release from Apple? A reference to Apple actual statement would be valuable (think secret mentions it but doesn't link to it.)
To be honest, one thing thats odd about the situation is that I would expect the show to be apples show-- not Macworlds. Or put another way, this is the kind of thing that Apple would create themselves and then hire a company like IDG to manage for them-- rather than something that Apple will likely want to have owned (and the profits going to) an outside entity (Which I believe is the people behind the Macworld magazine.)
Since Apple is a niche market, what they may really want is their own show-- or enough control that this show serves their marketing needs. It doesn't seem like it would be viable to have two major competing shows.
Furthermore, these shows are really a profitable thing, even after paying the convention center and the union guys, the organizers clear a lot of cash. And they are making that cash based on the fact that Apple will have major announcements-- and indirectly, companies will exhibit there because of Apple's presence.
When I was looking at MWSF 2003 booth space, it looked like not much of the show had sold out, so the recession may well be changing the economics of the situation.
This may be the beginning of a reshuffling that has the shows moved to different times of the year (Possibly fall and spring) to better suit sales cycles (the christmas rush is more important than back to school, so MW in the summer may be bad timing.) We may end up with Macworld going away and Apple Expos replacing it... its not clear whether that would be better or worse.
Apple runs an excellent show for WWDC, but then, that's a much smaller affair.
Yeah, and you guys panned the ipod too: http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=01/10/23
"Furthermore, if what they really want is to be in NYC, why threaten to boycott NYC 2003?"
I'd bet NYC 2003 is a strawman. What they want (and what ThinkSecret seem to imply) is that what Apple *want* to do is go back to Boston, but at much cheaper rates.
Playing bluff, in other words.
Of course, there's also the rampant possibility that I'm reading to much into this. A common sin.
; -- the corruption of government starts with its secrets. a truly free people keep no secrets. --
This isn't Apple's convention. It is a convention for Apple.
The only thing I really hate about Apple is the extreme arrogance (and I am a switcher on the client side!).
If they don't want to go then to hell with them. I was considering paying the $1295 for the convention in January in SF but now... ah, who am I kidding, I need the write-off vacation.
I am a switcher as of 2001 and I lived in NYC when MacWorld was there. I tell you, it was pretty much like crack for Apple nerds.
Not only was Jobs there but virtually every hardware and software maker was represented. People were giving out free stuff (from throwaway brochures to full software packages) and there was generally lots of excitement.
I don't think those things will change by moving it back to Boston, but what could is the image of the show. No matter what anyone says, New York is the capital of commerece in the western world. All major US media is based there, even the Daily Show. Apple should WANT to be there, regardless of it being more expensive. Everything is more expensive there. It's New York.
Sadly, With IDG signing on for three years in NYC, Apple has but two options -
(1) Have their own AppleGalaxy in New York or
(2) Give in, prehaps with other consessions, and go to Bean Town
I only came here to do two things; kick some ass, and drink some beer...looks like we're almost out of beer.
If this ThinkSecret source is correct, then Apple is just playing hardball for more money, or better footing?
They intentionally told IDG they were behind the move then suddenly pulled the carpet out from under them?
Sure, New York is where the "scene" is, but the extra money that it's going to cost to keep it there (if Apple truly wants it there..who knows now) could be used towards development or better Apple products.
Is there an eclipse going on somewhere in the universe that only effects Marketing/PR people? Apple and MS seem to have gone mad in such respects.
shame on us / for all we have done / and all we ever were / just zeroes and ones
6 months before any Apple keynote there are rampant rumors about new G6's, Mac's that make toast, or whatever, getting so many people excited that they will now be able to replace their old Quadra because the latest rumored model is fast enough.
So instead, Apple comes out with a really kick ass G4 and some cool app and people then whine and complain about how much Apple sucks. Apple sells maybe 20 new G4's.
Remember, the iPod was release with out a trade show. If fact, releasing products without any hyper fanfare of a Apple show seems to get people more excited and act more like consumers instead of critics.
So until the rumors die down, or until Apple becomes processor chip god, people are going to be disappointed with the keynotes and Apple.
- MacWorld likely to return to Hub
- IDG World Expo's Charlie Greco Appointed to Massachusetts Lodging Association's Stamas Commission
- Shows wait for Hub move
These are just a few articles that mention Greco's hometown-boy status. Particularly interesting is his appointment to the Stamas Commission. That seems like a pretty obvious ploy to get in with the political/tourism wonks of the city...and is probably not something he could have done had he been considered an "outsider".
This whole thing sounds to me like he didn't ask for Apple's opinion on the matter, or ignored Apple if/when they told him they would prefer the show stay in NYC. Personally, I hope the jerk gets burned by his own egotistical needs, rather than doing what's truly best for the Macintosh community...keeping MacWorld in the the financial and media capital of the States for at least a few more years.
There is no gravity...the earth just sucks.
Apple has always liked to tease it's competitors. Remember C:>ONGRATULATIONS.WIN95 ad that Apple ran? Or the "Welcome IBM, Really" ad. Apple keeps that edge to them because it sets them apart (for better or worse) from all the other computer makers.
T Money
World Domination with a plastic spoon since 1984
Sure, you can see some examples here
http://www.redlightrunner.com/appleads.html
(notably, 1984, Lemmings, Crowd Control and y2k)
From this site
http://applemuseum.bott.org/sections/ads.html
Examples include snail and toasted bunnies. It also has the links for the other ads, but some of them appear to be broken.
T Money
World Domination with a plastic spoon since 1984
So, you're called Nick de Plume and you're the Publisher and Editor in Chief of a site called "ThinkSecret". All fine by me. But why do you post messages about your own news/rumour site on /.? Will we get daily postings now, all CCed from ThinkSecret? Reeks like shameless pluggin to me.