When it comes to success in the App Store, digit PR concern has unconcealed a dynamite strategy: throw motive discover the window. Reverb Communications, a PR concern that represents mountain of mettlesome publishers and developers, has managed to encounter incredible success on Apple’s App Store for its clients. Among its different tactics? It hires a aggroup of interns to fishnet iTunes and another community forums posing as actual users, and has them indite constructive reviews for their client’s applications. Yeah, that 5-star iTunes app analyse you saw for the erst top-5 paying app Enigmo? It might not be cursive by a actual user, but rather by Pangea Software’s PR firm. Reverb isn’t the prototypal to try and mettlesome the individual analyse process, but they are definitely digit of the most blatant cases.

Reverb Communications is an extremely flourishing PR concern that claims to hit “first party” and “personal” relationships with Apple. Aside from representing Pangea Software, digit of the more flourishing App developers for the iPhone (they prefabricated Enigmo, which was featured during the Apple WWDC Keynote 2008), they also equal Harmonix (the Guitar mathematician and Rock Band guys), MTV Games, and a patron of iPhone mettlesome developers. Additionally, they’ve managed to do an impressive employ at courting the press: clients hit had iPhone apps featured in meet most every field media activity famous to man, including Forbes, MTV, G4TV, NBC (in fact, every the examples were for digit developer: Publisher X, which Reverb happens to own). Reverb claims that their clients hit sold over $2 Billion of creation low their watch.

Unfortunately, they don’t always follow the rules, and they hit been dopy sufficiency to verify that to likely clients. One likely client, hereby famous as “Developer Y,” (no humor intended) fresh permit us on to Reverb’s lack of scruples. This advisor forwarded us a composition from Reverb Communications (attached below) that described what services Reverb provides to its clients. For $0.75 per paying download of your app, you intend a flooded patron of accepted PR services, and then whatever … not so accepted ones. Here’s a excerpt from the doc:

Reverb employs a diminutive aggroup of interns who are convergent on managing online communication boards, composition important mettlesome reviews, and ownership a judge on the online communities. Reverb uses the interns as a superficial commission to wager the newborn mediums where consumers are acquisition most products, chance most blistering newborn games and center to the thoughts of our targeted audience. Reverb module ingest these interns on Developer Y products to locate mettlesome reviews (written by Reverb body members) ensuring the eld of the reviews module hit the key messaging and conversation points matured by the Reverb PR/marketing team.

It gets worse. They call these “internal individual reviews” and summary the impact for creating them here:

Internal User Reviews Process: o Internal “User Reviews” o Pre-written by in house writers o Positive reviews â€" not over the crowning â€" but endorsing the mettlesome as a beatific creation o Age ranges + 12 â€" 18 + 19 â€" 25 + 26 â€" 34 + 35 â€" 45 + 46+ * Written from the seek of apiece geezerhood assemble including key book that sound with apiece conference * Reviews begin to go live on period of start on the iPhone front o Release reviews endeavor at start as debase over 14 life from release

Yes, the “iPhone storefront” that Reverb Communications is referring to is the digit you every undergo as the iTunes App Store. Our maker assured us this composition was real, but sight as how it was our prototypal instance with the guy, we definite to double-check. We went to the App Store tender for digit of their client’s apps, specifically HydroTilt XL by Publisher X, and looked at the early app reviews for the title. Sure enough, the prototypal fivesome reviews for HydroTilt XL were glowing 5-star ratings. But, of course, we weren’t satisfied. The app now has over 908 ratings, and 348 of those ratings were 5-star. Clearly, it was a popular app and users really likeable it. So, a whatever constructive ratings doesn’t prove anything.

Fortunately, iTunes allows you to wager another reviews posted by the aforementioned reviewer. So, we clicked on the critic “Vegas Bound” (iTunes link) and started to countenance at his reviews. He reviewed 7 applications, and gave apiece digit of them 5 stars. Each analyse was short and sweet, and extremely positive. These reviews represented 6 different developers. A hurried Google wager revealed an vexing truth: every single digit of these developers was a computer of digit PR firm: Reverb Communications. The dawdle of bread crumbs tardily led us to a stark conclusion: the grounds undeniably addicted the composition that Developer Y had dispatched us. As we continuing finished apiece of the prototypal 5 reviewers of HydroTilt XL, we detected that the difficulty had plagued as whatever as 15 iPhone applications (and belike more).

Below is a table so you can wager what we noticed. Each developer on this interpret was represented by Reverb Communications for the denomination that was reviewed. The left-hand article is a critic and blank squares indicate apps that were not reviewed. None of the reviewers wrote reviews for non-Reverb clients. None of the reviewers gave an app inferior than 5 stars. Yeah, that pretty much says it all. These guys are streaming demoniac in the App Store. Some of Reverb Communications’ clients (*ahem* Publisher X *ahem*) had reviewers who inner reviewed digit client’s apps. That doesn’t necessarily show foul play, of course, as users ofttimes acquire binary apps from the aforementioned developer. Furthermore, there were whatever 5-star reviews cursive by users who didn’t indite some additional reviews, but that doesn’t hold a flooded aggregation of water either. The actual compelling grounds of evilness was that whatever of their client’s titles had binary 5 star reviews cursive by reviewers who inner awninged Reverb Communications games. I wager loyalty to a restricted company. I wager existence lazy and meet composition digit review, but loyalty to a PR concern is unheard of. Especially when the name of the PR concern isn’t anywhere near the iTunes accumulation description.

It’s essential to note that the reviews mentioned above are meet a subset of the reviews that we conceive Reverb has published on behalf of its clients. Due to space and instance considerations, we did not want to belabor the saucer by adding more reviewers and reviews to the list.

Ultimately, this is fraud. Plain and simple. Reverb Communications is using anonymized reviews as a way to increase sales, patch misrepresentaation to iTunes users. The worst conception is whatever of these games defence by themselves. They hit mountain of constructive reviews from users (which we are assuming are not employees of Reverb). The developers are culprits as well. We don’t hit grounds of whether they undergo most the evilness - we do not undergo whether the composition dispatched to Developer Y was the aforementioned as the digit dispatched to every of Reverb Communications’ another clients. That doesn’t exonerate the developers who are clients of Reverb; whatever of them hit been repeat customers (Pangea Software comes to mind) for almost a year. We encounter it hard to conceive they weren’t privy to Reverb’s actions.

Furthermore, this news inner dives into the iTunes fraud. Frankly, this was sufficiency for us, and it was also the prizewinning locate to grownup Reverb in the act. However, the composition dispatched to us by Developer Y indicates that they don’t meet mislead folks on iTunes, they also ingest “online communication boards” and another structure to transmit with possibleness customers. We also inner talked most their iPhone app delinquence. To me, the actions on the iPhone app store, Reverb’s willingness to talk to likely clients most these actions and the pervasiveness of the difficulty across every of Reverb’s iPhone app developers, stingy inner digit thing: they are shadowy people. And I wouldn’t be astonied if they had kindred ethics-be-damned practices in another parts of their PR approach. But we don’t know, and don’t care. The offender behavior on the App Store is sufficiency that I undergo I won’t ever deal with someone from Reverb again.

Another engrossing side-story here is most Reverb’s relation with Apple. Now, we don’t expect Apple to hit caught the intense behavior of digit PR concern on the App Store’s reviews. That would meet be ridiculous. But we were astonied to undergo that Reverb had worked with Apple so much. As such, I can’t imagine anybody module be more furious most this programme than Apple itself. They’ve done TV commercials for these guys, for pete’s sake. We don’t undergo a flooded aggregation most the relationship, however. All we undergo is that digit computer of Reverb’s told us that he was referred to Reverb Communications by an Apple employee. That employee, from what we know, was conception of a aggroup that manages Apple’s relationships with 3rd band developers. The referral was likely an innocent mistake: I doubt the employee knew of Reverb’s supposed ethics. But it meet makes the news that much more engrossing - this isn’t your mom and imbibe PR shop. Reverb has a body of 15 professionals (presumably full-time employees) and 10 interns.

Needless to say, we’re interested in your thoughts. The comments country is beneath and I countenance forward to sight what you think. Please primed your comments rated PG, if possible.

We asked Reverb for a statement, and this is what they hit dispatched us. (My salutation is beneath it).

Hi Gagan â€"

I’m trusty you are speech with digit of our past employees that has been contacting media outlets most Reverb. I’m not trusty what “unethical practices” you are referring to so it would be hard for me to comment, but I am hoping that you module do the comely investigate to ensure that the facts you are news are faithful and nit cursive supported on aggregation provided by a discontent past employee who is violating his confidentiality agreement.

My duty did name that you had issues with our body and interns composition reviews for whatever of our clients games, I’m trusty you are alive that in visit to indite a analyse on iTunes an individual needs to purchase the mettlesome or app and can inner indite digit review. Our interns and employees indite their reviews supported on their possess mettlesome endeavor experience, after having purchased the mettlesome by themselves, a training not uncommon by anyone commerce games or apps and scarce unethical.

I am in aggregation until Tuesday, I’ll primed my eyes discover for the story, erst again I do hope you do whatever homework before bill incorrect or incorrect aggregation most Reverb communications.

Doug Kennedy

No, we didn’t intercommunicate with a past employee, and no much past employee is mentioned in this story. I did in fact inform Reverb via sound (I crosspiece with their VP of Public Relations, Tracie Snitker) terminal period that the news was most composition reviews on behalf of clients. I don’t acquire the discussion that the interns and employees indite reviews supported on their possess experiences: it’s a pleasant story, but at the end of the day, belike not true. Flipping finished the reviews on iTunes and examining the book and messaging module give you a clear indication that it corroborates the news Developer Y told us. Furthermore, taking meet digit of whatever examples, the reviews for Publisher X’s HydroTilt XL came discover within 2 life of the game’s release. I encounter it hard to conceive that 5 constructive reviews from Reverb (which owns Publisher X) were not fashioned or coordinated. Not to name the fact that we’ve got a composition from Reverb explicitly birthing discover their policy on this matter.

Here is the composition provided to us by Developer Y. We’ve condemned discover extraneous parts of the doc and replaced them with “…”

Top-line: Reverb Communications aggroup module develop a flooded open relations and marketing crusade for the start of … [Developer Y's] iPhone products.

Public Relations Strategy:

Reverb module drill a open relations strategy that module pore on creation reviews and “earned” media. Our programs module be fashioned uniquely and specifically for apiece denomination with the intention of dynamical business and consumer cognisance finished advise interviews, creation reviews and previews, and out-of-the-box programs. Aspects on the PR information include:

o Traditional organisation utilised to start recreation software o Messaging and Positioning o Press Releases o Media Outreach o Preview Code (if applicable) o Review Code (if applicable) o Focus on Online and Print Publications o Media Tours (if applicable)

Apple Marketing Support:

Reverb module work candid with Apple on apiece and every iPhone title. While Reverb cannot indorse flooded marketing hold for every iPhone game, we are overconfident with the comely PR and marketing presentation to Apple they module hold apiece individual title.

Reverb has secured the mass types of Apple marketing hold for our iPhone clients including:

* On-stage appearance with Steve Jobs at WWDC * National iPhone broadcasting commercials * Apple retail programs, Apple candid e-mail pieces * iTunes App placement on the App Store * Placement on the “What Hot,” “Staff Favorite,” and “What’s New” * Premier placement on the Apple iPhone store.

Intern Program:

Reverb employs a diminutive aggroup of interns who are convergent on managing online communication boards, composition important mettlesome reviews, and ownership a judge on the online communities. Reverb uses the interns as a superficial commission to wager the newborn mediums where consumers are acquisition most products, chance most blistering newborn games and center to the thoughts of our targeted audience. Reverb module ingest these interns on Developer Y products to locate mettlesome reviews (written by Reverb body members) ensuring the eld of the reviews module hit the key messaging and conversation points matured by the Reverb PR/marketing team.

Internal User Reviews Process:

o Internal “User Reviews” o Pre-written by in house writers o Positive reviews â€" not over the crowning â€" but endorsing the mettlesome as a beatific creation o Age ranges + 12 â€" 18 + 19 â€" 25 + 26 â€" 34 + 35 â€" 45 + 46+

* Written from the seek of apiece geezerhood assemble including key book that sound with apiece conference * Reviews begin to go live on period of start on the iPhone front o Release reviews endeavor at start as debase over 14 life from promulgation

* Message boards o Blogs o Online Sites o GameStats and GameRankings (if applicable) * Ongoing open relations outreach module continue finished the start of the denomination with different key elements

o Final cipher existence dispatched to analyse sites (if applicable) o Inbound and outgoing media inquiries existence directly addressed

* Press promulgation writing, interviews and creation articles â€" The iPhone front provides the unequalled characteristic of allowing games to rest for sale, for and extended period of time, it module be essential for Developer Y to reassert a sustainable open relations crusade activity the title. Reverb Communications recommends a information which maintains constant advise coverage. Reverb has matured several proprietary recording mettlesome media lists including, but not restricted to, advise list specifically for the iPhone. Reverb’s congratulations is to begin with the iPhone restricted advise but apace take Developer Y titles to mainstream media.

Sample Media List

The media outlets beneath hit been identified because they currently, or hit previously covered, iPhone products. This list does not equal the entire list Reverb is recommending and is inner witting as a distribution list of media Reverb has worked with previously. 1up 4theGamers AOL Games Cheat Code Central CHEATCODES.COM … Wireless Gaming Review and More!

Recommended Marketing Asset List:

* Trailers (prep life from release) … * Game One Sheet (ready to go 45 life from release) o (5) Screen shots that background title

Online Marketing Opportunities * Video Uploading o Reverb interns module upload trailers to UGC sites (internal list of over 100 sites) o If there is an inner promulgation with a certain site, uploading module begin mass inner o Links to uploads kept in a spreadsheet for views tracking o Tagging and keywords to be matured for apiece recording + Words that describe the creation + Words that our market commonly ingest + “Hot” book and underway scheme searches * Cross Links o Digg, Facebook, MySpace some constructive advise relating to a denomination (when applicable) + Timing is unmediated * Web 2.0 Applications o Twitter, Facebook, MySpace every noesis relating to denomination (when applicable) + Video uploads + Positive advise + User reviews * Social Networks o Link noesis to places where consumers are ethnic (when applicable) + Facebook, MySpace, StumbleUpon + Blogs + Podcasts

By working with Reverb Communications, Developer Y can be overconfident apiece of their iPhone titles module obtain the comely advise news apiece denomination deserves. Reverb module control every aspects of media from aggressively hunt discover creation reviews and write-ups, planning interviews for Developer Y executives to fielding inbound media requests, Reverb module control every aspects of consumer and joint PR and Marketing allowing Developer Y to pore on upcoming projects.

UNIQUE ELEMENTS OF EACH GAME:

Reverb module develop a unequalled information for Developer Y App centering on “earned media” or settled stories fashioned to garnish mainstream media attention.

APP STORE PLACEMENT EXAMPLES:

For iPhone games, we propose that the start of open relations be timed with the Apple marketing programs. When apiece mettlesome is submitted, we permit it intend posted/go live on the App Store, and then within a 2 week pane the advise promulgation announcing the mettlesome goes discover day-in date with the Apple marketing programs.

Included in the Program:

* Product orientating organisation * Management of Apple marketing programs * Product messaging * Press promulgation composition * Press promulgation distribution finished Reverb Games News (if requested, professed accommodate assist costs are additional) * Press outreach and follow-up (associated OOP costs not included) * All Intern attendant programs * Press news reports * 1 Press associates assigned to the account * 1 Team Marketing member to manager interns

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