TABPI wraps up 4th Design Challenge

The challenge was open to all b2b art directors and designers and is meant to reward graphic creativity in the b2b industry, as well as serve as an educational exercise for other artists. Bryant will receive US$250 for his winning submission.

Honourable Mention winners included submissions from the US, UK and Canada. View them all at www.tabpi.org/designchallenge.htm.

'The new church & state' is focus of upcoming Twitterfest

The separation of editorial and sales used to be a simple thing to describe. However, today, there is much more to that old equation. For starters, add marketing to the mix, and you have a triumvirate that's not always easily disjoined.

The third TABPI Twitterfest will be held over two days, from 14-15 March 2011, in conjunction with the American Society of Business Publication Editors' Ethics Committee. Some of the topics to be discussed include:

• What are the pro's and cons of editors engaging in marketing activities? Today, a "hands off" policy seems incorrect. Editors can lend much to the marketing effort without undermining ethical concerns, can't they? Some form of marketing involvement has been in demand by publishers for quite some time-so what is the best way to proceed?
  
• Many staffs initially were charged with delivering timely e-newsletter content once a week. That requirement has risen to twice a week, daily and sometimes twice daily - often without additional staff to get the job done. This burden undoubtedly produces a domino quality effect on other digital or print projects. Things might be okay if marketing pulled the plug on plodding projects. However, is that happening fast enough?
  
• Is today's heavier digital/social media workload forcing editors to loosen quality standards in order to meet a greater array of deadlines? How can we make it work?

TABPI Twitterfest is similar to an open chat room, where b2b editors across the globe can talk about issues and ask questions. You can participate in several ways:

1. Join Twitter (www.twitter.com) and post Tweets on 14-15 March. Your 140-character messages must contain the hashtag #tabpi in order to be a part of the Twitterfest feed, so that other editors around the world will see your Tweets.

2. Point your browser to www.tabpi.org, where we'll have a widget with the live feed from Twitterfest. You can also go to http://search.twitter.com/search?q=tabpi and watch what other editors worldwide are talking about.

3. After watching online what others are saying, you can also join in on the conversation at any time. While we're encouraging editors to talk about the main topic, you're free to discuss other b2b topics that might come up.

The first two Twitterfests were a rousing success, with hundreds of Tweets from around the globe, and many people watching the activity.

We understand that time zones across the globe make things a little more difficult for an event like this, hence the two-day window. All editors are encouraged to start Tweeting with #tabpi starting on Monday morning 14 March when they arrive at work.

Tabbie 2011 nominations close to wrapping up!

Claimed to be the only global b2b editorial, design and online awards program, this event is proving as popular as ever, but time is running out! Show the world what hard work you did this past year.

Go to www.tabpi.org/awards.htm to see the details and browse through great galleries of past winners. Deadline for submissions to be postmarked is Wednesday, 17 March 2011.