大學堂英文: APPLE’S MARKETING SECRETS

科技奇才賈伯斯於2011年因癌症病逝。雖然往後在蘋果產品發表會上，我們將再也無緣見到穿著輕鬆招牌裝扮 (黑色高領毛衣、Levis牛仔褲和灰色New Balance慢跑鞋)，用為人津津樂道的生動舞台風格介紹新奇科技產品的賈伯斯，但他所立下的行銷模式仍值得一探。

精選多益 / 全民英檢中高級 / 托福單字

testify (v) 證實；公開聲明
trial (n) 審訊
confirm (v) 證實
patented (adj) 專利的
strategy (n) 策略
hold off：使不接近；拖延
advertising (n) 廣告
sit back：休息
go hog wild：行為放肆
describe A as B：把A描寫成B
philosophy (n) 哲學
product (n) 產品
hero (n) 英雄
company (n) 公司
hype (n) 公開宣傳；炒作
innovative (adj) 創新的
vacuum (n) 真空；空白
hyperventilating (adj)
極度興奮的；歇斯底里的
gap (n) 裂口
rave (n) 極力讚揚
press (n) 新聞界

coverage (n) 新聞報導
generate (v) 產生
buzz (n) 熱潮；話題
device (n) 裝置
approach (n) 方法
strengthen (v) 加強
subtle (adj) 優雅的
grip (n) 緊握；控制
celebrity (n) 名人
gadget (n) 精巧的裝置
placement (n) 安插；安置
refuse (v) 拒絕
feature (v) 出演重頭戲
visionary (n) 有遠見/智慧的人
co-found (v) 共同創立
battle (n) 戰爭
maintain (v) 維持
mojo (n) 運氣；魔力
count on N：依賴…
make N a top priority：
將…列為首要任務

字意選填

Testifying at the Apple-Samsung trial in August, Apple’s marketing chief confirmed Apple’s patented marketing strategy: hold off on the advertising, just sit back and let the media go hog wild. He described Apple’s advertising philosophy __ 1__   the “product as hero.” The company doesn’t pay for over pricey advertising and still get _ __ 2__   by creating innovative products and an information __  3 __ around its products. As always, Apple lets the hyperventilating media fill in the gaps   __ 4 __ rave reviews and free press coverage do a better job than advertising to generate widespread buzz.

Another key part of Apple’s marketing approach is putting continued effort into
  __ 5__   its subtle but powerful grip over Hollywood. The company not merely gets Hollywood celebrities to use its gadgets __  6  __ works closely with Hollywood on product placement. In fact, Apple products were in more than 40 percent of top movies last year. Yet, unlike other companies, Apple refuses to pay to have their gadgets __  7__   in films or TV shows.

Steve Jobs, the visionary who co-founded Apple, lost his    8   with cancer in 2011. It remains to be seen if the post-Steve Jobs Apple can maintain that marketing mojo.

A. vacuum

B. battle

C. as

D. but

E. strengthening

F. featured

G. hype

H. for

閱讀

Testifying at the Apple-Samsung trial in August, Apple’s marketing chief confirmed Apple’s patented marketing strategy: hold off on the advertising, just sit back and let the media go hog wild. He described Apple’s advertising philosophy as the “product as hero.” The company doesn’t pay for over pricey advertising and still get hype by creating innovative products and an information vacuum around its products. As always, Apple lets the hyperventilating media fill in the gaps for rave reviews and free press coverage do a better job than advertising to generate widespread buzz.

Another key part of Apple’s marketing approach is putting continued effort into strengthening its subtle but powerful grip over Hollywood. The company not only gets Hollywood celebrities to use its gadgets but works closely with Hollywood on product placement. In fact, Apple products were in more than 40 percent of top movies last year. Yet, unlike other companies, Apple refuses to pay to have their gadgets featured in films or TV shows.

Steve Jobs, the visionary who co-founded Apple, lost his battle with cancer in 2011. It remains to be seen if the post-Steve Jobs Apple can maintain that marketing mojo.

Q ： Which strategy doesn’t Apple use to market its products?
A. Give attractive freebies to their customers.
B. Count on media to reach the public.
C. Let the products advertise themselves.
D. Make product placement a high priority.

建議做完聽力和閱讀後, 打開播放器, 跟著一起朗讀文章, 熟悉發音和語調。

解答

文意選填解答：

1. C

2. G

3. A

4. H

5. E

6. D

7. F

8. B

本題考點為片語「把A描寫成B」：describe A as B。

「廣告」(advertising) 就是為了得到「宣傳」(hype) 的機會。

從第6句媒體報導填補了「落差」(gap)，可知發生資訊「空白」(vacuum) 的狀態。

句子結構分析如下：

Apple lets … 4 rave reviews and free press coverage do a better
[主詞1] [動詞1] [連接詞] [主詞2] [動詞2]

兩個主詞，兩個動詞、代表有兩個句子。第4格連接兩個句子，應為「連接詞」。從文意可知，產品剛上市時，蘋果不打廣告，反而先讓報章媒體大肆宣傳它的產品，「因為」(for) 媒體發文比自己花錢打廣告有效。

本題考點為片語「努力做…」：put efforts into Ving。

本題考點為連接詞「不只A而且連B…」not merely (或only) A but (also) B。詳細用法請見大學堂文法講座 6 。

使役動詞 have + 受詞「精巧的裝置」(gadgets)，因gadgets不會主動執行動作，所以後方只能搭配「過去分詞」p.p.。

本題考點為：Steve Jobs沒能「戰」(battle) 勝癌症病魔。

閱讀解答：A

中譯

蘋果的行銷秘密

今年八月，在蘋果和三星官司訴訟中作證的蘋果公司行銷主管證實了蘋果公司的專利營銷策略：拖延廣告戰，先一邊納涼去，放手讓媒體為產品大肆宣傳。他闡述了蘋果公司的廣告理念，即「產品才是主角」。藉著製造創新的產品，並在產品周圍營造資訊真空的情境，蘋果對產品保密到家。這就是為何即便蘋果不支付天價廣告，它的產品仍被瘋狂炒作。一如既往地，蘋果讓欣喜若狂的媒体填補產品資訊空缺，因極力頌揚產品的評論和免費新聞報導遠比廣告有效，且更能製造熱門話題。

蘋果行銷策略的另一關鍵：持續努力加强它對好萊塢微妙但强大的掌控力。蘋果公司不只讓好萊塢名人使用他們精巧的產品，也密切和好萊塢合作，將產品置入電影中。實際上，去年蘋果產品在最賣座的電影裡出現的機率超過四成。然而，不像其他公司，蘋果拒絕支付費用好讓公司產品在電影或電視節目中參一腳。

創立蘋果公司的天才，史蒂夫．賈伯斯於2011年不敵癌症病魔而辭世。後賈伯斯時代的蘋果是否仍能保有行銷魔力還有待觀察。

問題：蘋果未使用哪個策略來行銷它的商品？

A. 給顧客討喜的免費贈品。
B. 依賴媒體接觸群眾。
C. 讓產品為自己行銷。
D. 將「產品置入」列為首要任務。