Steve Jobs’ Reputation Management Gives Apple a Green Sheen

Steve Jobs has had a change of heart.

His approach to Apple Computers’ image has long been to keep tight control on information about the future, and to personally introduce new products at major gatherings of the Mac faithful.

Now he’s trying a more open approach, explaining Apple’s position on issues by speaking directly to the public.

In February, Jobs defended Apple against criticisms of the DRM that’s built into iTunes.

In an undated posting to the Apple site this week, he defends the company’s environmental record, which has come under attack in the mainstream media and from advocacy groups like Greenpeace (links courtesy Gizmodo readers).

The post, called A Greener Apple, is a masterful piece of reputation management. He refutes criticisms of Apple’s environmental record, mentioning specific past, current and future efforts to reduce the use of toxic materials, excess packaging and excess metal and plastic in their products.

Here’s the telling quote, showing that Jobs is starting to understand that his aloof approach to the media, Apple fanboys, bloggers and advocacy groups, is eroding the ‘cool’ factor that drives the Apple brand:

"Whatever other improvements we need to make, it is certainly clear that we have failed to communicate the things that we are doing well.

"It is generally not Apple’s policy to trumpet our plans for the future; we tend to talk about the things we have just accomplished. Unfortunately this policy has left our customers, shareholders, employees and the industry in the dark about Apple’s desires and plans to become greener. Our stakeholders deserve and expect more from us, and they’re right to do so. They want us to be a leader in this area, just as we are in the other areas of our business. So today we’re changing our policy."

This is a seismic shift in approach for Jobs, evidence that the news reports and urban myths about Apple’s supposed "atrocious environmental record" was taking a toll. See also Gizmodo, Techmeme.

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Tags: apple, steve jobs, environmentalism, greenpeace, criticism, brand, news, pollution