Dr. Joe Webb and WhatTheyThink.com sign Exclusive Deal for Premium Content
Press release from the issuing company
LEXINGTON, KY and HARRISVILLE, RI -- January 13, 2003 -- WhatTheyThink.com announced today that they have signed Dr. Joe Webb to an exclusive agreement to become a weekly columnist for the graphic arts online news outlet. Dr. Webb, who is a 25-year veteran of the graphic arts industry, is best known for being a founding partner in the research firm TrendWatch. According to the agreement, Dr. Webb will provide a weekly column which critiques and analyzes industry happenings and events. The articles, which are scheduled to be released every Friday, beginning January 17th, will be available to the site’s "Premium Access" members.
What Makes Dr. Webb Special?…
Dr. Webb offers WhatTheyThink.com a unique yet founded opinion grounded in years of primary research and trend analysis of the industry. His experiences and background offers a unique perspective about industry happenings and trends. In addition, his years as an industry consultant allows Dr. Webb to view and understand the graphic arts industry from the suppliers’ vantage point. His experience, exhibited through his volume of works, have led many to consider Dr. Webb to be one of, if not the, most accurate of industry forecasters in the last ten years.
Recently, Dick Vinocur, President of Footprints, noted in his newsletter that Dr. Webb was the only analyst to correctly predict the recent economic downturn of the printing industry. He wrote, "…I thought I might review what they said at the end of 1999 and how their forecasts changed at the end of 2001, a very short two year period. In all fairness, there was one person, Dr. Joe Webb, who at the time was a principal at TrendWatch, who correctly forecast the state of the economy."
Dr. Joe Webb Quote…
"I’m pleased to be working with WhatTheyThink.com," notes Dr. Webb. "Their service has become one of the industry's most essential news outlets, and I have become increasingly impressed with the steady improvement in the richness and quality of their content. This is evident by their daily delivery of news and feature articles. Success on the Internet demands persistence and a strong desire to maintain and build an audience with compelling content. WhatTheyThink is committed to these goals."
WhatTheyThink.com Quote…
"Through the years, Dr. Webb’s insightful commentary about the practice of graphic arts marketing and management has been mostly reserved for consulting clients and research subscribers," said Randy Davidson, President of WhatTheyThink.com. "We are delighted to bring Dr. Joe's writings about industry news and business analysis to a much wider audience. His reputation for industry forecasting is unmatched and his presentation approach is able to enlighten the novice yet give new insights to industry veterans. His input will significantly increase the value of our content offering. We’re proud to welcome Dr. Webb to our online family."
About WhatTheyThink.com’s Premium Access Program…
In addition to offering many free services, WhatTheyThink.com offers a premium service for dedicated graphic arts professionals. For about 40 cents a day ($159 per year for individuals), premium members are treated to exclusive and unequalled content. In addition to the weekly columns of Dr. Webb, members are offered exclusive special reports, access to primary and secondary research of print buyers, vendors and suppliers, as well as feature articles and exclusive interviews of industry newsmakers and dominant players.
Free 15-day previews of WhatTheyThink.com's premium service are available by visiting http://www.whattheythink.com. The company also offers attractively-priced site licenses, web site news feeds, and custom content development products.
About WhatTheyThink.com…
WhatTheyThink.com is a leading print and publishing industry online community. Started in March of 2000, the site provides unbiased, real-time market intelligence to print and publishing executives. The site offers a mixture of free and subscription-based content for industry executives, as well as provides a robust content syndication program serving related web sites. For more information about WhatTheyThink.com, please go to the website (www.whattheythink.com) or contact Randy Davidson at 229-291-7023.
About Dr. Joe Webb...
Dr. Webb, one of the industry's well-known consultants, recently announced his retirement from private practice. Most recently known for his development of the successful and influential TrendWatch information service, his commentary, speeches, and lively Q&A sessions has been featured attractions of industry trade events for over 15 years. He is a Ph.D. graduate of the NYU Center for Graphic Communications Management and Technology (1987) and serves on the Center's Board of Advisors. He holds an MBA in Management Information Systems from Iona College (1981) and was a magna cum laude graduate in Managerial Sciences and Marketing from Manhattan College (1978).
He started in the industry with Agfa's Graphic Systems Division (1978-1980) and was a marketing executive with Chemco Photoproducts (1981-1987). He also served the industry as chairman of the NPES Statistics Committee and was an active member of the GAMIS special industry group of Printing Industries of America. Dr. Webb’s web site is www.drjoewebb.com.