The front of the recent UK edition of Wired magazine features Apple boss Steve Jobs. In technology terms this is like Vogue having Coco Chanel herself on the front cover. For its readers, Jobs is a name to be revered, and I suspect many members of the Wired community genuflect at the mention of his name.
The 'ideas, technology, design, business' bible has divined 37 lessons that mere mortals can learn from Jobs. Even God only needed 10.
One of the articles in the feature is entitled Dazzle Your Audience, which discusses the man from Apple's superlative corporate storytelling technique. A technique that can be seen on display in a bizarre video which records a recent city council session in Apple's hometown of Cupertino, in which the technology giant wants to build an office.
This being Apple means that we're not talking any ordinary office block, but a giant white donught/space ship that will house 12,000 workers in the kind of aesthetically pleasing environment that only Apple can create.
The tale Jobs tells has it all, a childhood dream, an encounter with one of his idols, a desire to stay in a city that is close to his heart. He manages to lay on the sentiment without sounding insincere, and you can't fault his technique. The councillors are obviously thrilled to bits to have St. Jobs in their courtroom, one of whom proudly gets out his iPad 2 to demonstrate his enthusiasm. Members of the audience even get out video cameras to capture Jobs' presentation. I suspect there has rarely been so much excitement or celebrity in the Cupertino council chambers.
Something tells me that planning permission is not going to be an issue.
Written by Mark St. Andrew, as spotted on the Right Brain, Left Brain on Cream.