Globalink

PR is Advertising????

Spending a week with a group of senior European editors is always enlightening, invigorating and sometimes challenging.

The debate is going on about where the marketing budgets are going: PR or advertising?

I am sad to say that a few of the European editors mentioned that PR and advertising gets more and more stirred in the same pot. How shocking to hear that PR folks in Europe now call editorial coverage “advertising”. Do these people need a new education in PR101?

I am just afraid that our profession loses sight of the value add we bring to the editorial community. Editors need us to make their job easier so they can report about new products, solutions and applications to their readers who ultimately buy the electronics components, tools, embedded system etc.. Now if the advertising folks in companies would buy some ad space to support the editorial messages, desperate PR people would not need a PR refresher.

The European Value....

It looks that not only the Euro is sky rocketing in value but US electronics companies seem to be done with their beauty sleep and are eying the European market again. Our annual European press tour to Silicon Valley is now almost full. A month ago it seemed that marketing folks in the US were not really having Europe on their radar. That has changed dramatically and companies from IC, EDA and components want to meet the Europress without travelling abroad. The smart ones talk to the press now and set the stage for a speedy recovery and will have a leg (or chip) up.

EE Times Europe back in the Globalpress game – under new editorial leadership…

I always felt it was weird that the previous EE Times Europe editorial leadership was saying our international press events in the US were not valuable for their European editors.

Why then, for 25 years, all other European publications value access to top level executives in the US, get the scoop first hand and work with the local PR folks and agencies on regional announcements. Is there a better circle of communication?

A chat with Julian Happich resulted that he sees things differently and will consider sending representatives from his staff. Maybe -- after what seems a gazillion years -- Colin Holland and some of the other old-timers might become regulars again.

Congratulations Julian and welcome back!