btw, yang menyelamatkan Jeff Clinton dengan membelikan tiket pesawat pulang adalah Nokia.
On Mon, Sep 3, 2012 at 5:14 AM, 冴羽獠 (Ryo Saeba) <[email protected]> wrote: > > http://thenextweb.com/insider/2012/09/02/heres-samsung-flew-bloggers-halfway-around-world-threatened-leave/ > > [image: SONY DSC] > > Let’s pretend that you’re a blogger. You’re given the chance to review > new, hot hardware from a major company. All that’s required is that you > participate in some tasks, but these tasks would fit into your coverage so > you agree. In return you get to be one of the first to go hands-on with > devices and give your opinion on them. Sounds like a good deal? Well that’s > what a couple of Indian participants in Samsung’s Mob!ler program thought > too, until Samsung threatened to leave them stranded in Berlin, Germany. > > First let’s start with the facts. Programs such as Mob!lers (or Mobilers, > for my sanity) are in place by many companies. In fact, I’ve even > participated in one, for a company called STI <http://www.drivesti.com/>, > where I’ve done reviews of > Kia<http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2012/06/14/i-got-to-drive-a-kia-soul-for-a-week-and-it-was-geek-car-heaven/> > and > Mazda<http://thenextweb.com/shareables/2012/08/22/head-head-mazda-3-vs-kia-rio-budget-geek-auto-showdown/> > cars. > But there’s one factor that differentiates programs such as STI from > Mobilers – Only one of them expects you to become a > shill<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shill> for > the company. > > The story that follows is one of those that’s going to be hard to believe. > We’ve done our very best to verify the facts, and we’ve heard the same tale > from multiple sources and the end result has been the same in each case. > That said, let’s go back in time a few weeks. > > Samsung launched its Mobilers program in India. Clinton Jeff of Unleash > the Phones <http://unleashthephones.com/>and another blogger who asked to > remain unnamed were two of the ones who were chosen as winners of a contest > and given Mobiler perks. Now before you go calling foul, bear in mind that > programs like this are imperative in some countries. Without them the > bloggers will often not get early access to devices, or in some cases will > be among the last to see them. Engaging with the programs means that they > get access and they get to bring news to their respective audiences. > > [image: 7352689988 a6505f53fe z 520x259 Heres how Samsung flew bloggers > halfway around the world, then threatened to leave them there] > > Jeff, however, reports that they made it abundantly clear to Samsung that > they were first and foremost independent bloggers and that they had no > intention of acting as brand ambassadors for the company. Even with this > restriction in place, the two were invited by Samsung to attend this year’s > IFA > conference in Berlin <http://b2b.ifa-berlin.com/en/>, a large trade show > that’s important to European and Asian mobile device coverage. Though > surprised by the invitation, they took up Samsung on its offer to fly them > to the show and to cover their hotel. > > An important point – In the invitation email, Jeff reports that he was > asked whether he’d like to attend as a reporter or as a promoter. He was > insistent that he would only accept the offer if he was allowed to do so as > a reporter. > > [image: Screen Shot 2012 09 02 at 2.19.37 PM 220x183 Heres how Samsung > flew bloggers halfway around the world, then threatened to leave them > there]Again, > a reminder – Behavior such as Samsung’s is *not* uncommon in the world of > tech coverage. It’s perhaps considered *more*normal in some parts of the > world, but even we here at TNW are regularly offered to have our travel and > accommodations covered in hopes that we’ll write about a specific brand > during our overall coverage of an event. > > Now back to the bloggers — In the days and weeks leading up to the IFA > trip there were a couple of things that happened which should have raised > flags, but the preemptive, no-compromises statement about the two refusing > to be brand ambassadors should have kept them covered. One such flag, for > instance, was Samsung contacting Jeff and asking for his clothing > measurements. > > “What? A uniform? A quick call to Samsung India to find out what was going > on. Oh it’s just for a closed door event? No proper answer, I sent my sizes > wondering what was going on.” – Clinton Jeff > > Jeff tells me that there were a couple of other clues as well, such as > Samsung insisting that they record themselves dancing in front of > landmarks, a la “Where the Hell is Matt<http://www.wherethehellismatt.com/>“, > as well as encouraging them to bring a local gift that would be exchanged > with other Mobilers. But Jeff went along with the requests, thinking that > it would perhaps be a fun activity that he’d be doing with others in the > Mobiler program. It wasn’t until after a 12-hour day of flying that the > alarm bells went off. > > “As soon as we stepped in [to the hotel], there was a Samsung Mobilers > booth waiting for us. They gave us our key, a Samsung shirt that we’d have > to wear for “orientation” the next morning, and we’d have to be down > in five minutes* *to go for the uniform fitting.” – Clinton Jeff > > They were instructed that they were to arrive at 8 AM the next day to sign > an NDA. While this isn’t an uncommon ask, it’s the kiss of death for a tech > reporter who’s hoping to break news about new devices. But what’s more, the > 8 AM session was for “orientation”. Samsung told them that, over the course > of the event, they’d “have to be in uniform, in the Samsung booths, every > day. Showing the products to members of the press.” > > “This was really a shocker. For a month before departure we were > continuously reminded that we were being sent to IFA to cover the launch of > the Note 2, every little detail was taken care of and we were even updated > on a daily basis with the situation of the stay , tickets etc.” > > [image: Screen Shot 2012 09 02 at 2.33.44 PM 220x161 Heres how Samsung > flew bloggers halfway around the world, then threatened to leave them > there]The > red flag just became a stop sign. > > Jeff told Samsung again, in no uncertain terms, that they were not there > to be product demonstrators for the brand. They reiterated that they had > agreed to the trip so that they could cover Samsung, but also the other > brands that were launching products. They were shuttled off to a meeting > where they once again stated ,this time to a stern-faced PR person, that > they had no interest in playing Samsung’s employee for the event. They were > told that they had some free time while the company made its decision, so > they headed to the local Starbucks to grab a pre-show coffee. > > Then things got nasty. > > “We got a call from Samsung India saying ‘You can either be a part of this > and wear the uniform, or you’ll have to get your own tickets back home and > handle your hotel stay from the moment this call ends… > > A few minutes later, we got a call from the Samsung India guy who said > that our flights on the 6th have been cancelled, and that they’re bringing > us back on the 1st instead. But this is only if, and only if, we agreed to > wear atleast the samsung branded shirt at the unpacked event, and not blog > about any of this incident. > > “*None of this should leave Berlin. Or Reach India*” – Clinton Jeff > > This might come as a surprise, but we blogger types aren’t exactly rolling > in cash. Jeff tells me that he’s no different. His weak local currency, > combined with high rent in South Delhi, has prevented him from saving much > money. In short, they were trapped and their tickets were essentially being > held for ransom. In fact, emails between Jeff and I were exchanged prior to > his return home and he practically begged me to not run the story until he > returned, stating without any uncertainty that he’d be trapped in Berlin. > > In short, their hands were forced. They attended the event, in the Samsung > shirt, but did opt to not stand and demonstrate the phones “while getting > dirty looks from some of the other Samsung mobilers who were present in > their white pants, Samsung shoes and the Samsung shirt, all stationed next > to a device, presenting it to press. And presenting it to us.” > > But the hits just keep on coming. The next morning, Jeff awoke to the > following email: > > [image: Screen Shot 2012 09 02 at 3.07.09 PM 520x205 Heres how Samsung > flew bloggers halfway around the world, then threatened to leave them there] > > Instead of being in Berlin until September 5th, covering the rest of IFA, > they were to be shuttled home as soon as possible. They had only been in > country long enough to cover Samsung’s Unpacked event, but missed almost > everything else from the show. They didn’t have tickets in hand, and had no > assurance that they’d get them. The only confirmation that they had was > that their initial return tickets had been cancelled. > > In the end it’s a cautionary tale – There were a few instances in which > the bloggers perhaps should have seen too many flags raised and backed out > of the event. But when the bloggers had been covering bases and stating > their position time and again, Samsung had every opportunity to explain its > position and cancel the trip as well. Instead, it opted to play hardball, > threatening to leave two bloggers stranded thousands of miles from home, in > a foreign country. > > So take care, bloggers and those hoping to be. The next time that you’re > offered a trip in exchange for coverage, you might find yourself being > fitted for a uniform, signing NDAs and demoing products upon which you’re > supposed to be reporting. While this will hardly be the end of the Mobilers > program, in India or elsewhere, Samsung’s scummy tactics should serve as a > warning to anyone who thinks the Korean manufacturer is playing fair. > > We’ve emailed representatives from Samsung, and told them the story that > we are working on. It’s been a few hours, as of the time of this > publishing, and we’ve still not gotten a reply. We’ll update this story > when or if we do. But for now, Jeff tells me that another company has > offered to fly him home and get him to a hotel, so he’s still able to cover > the event as it should be. > > -- > http://ryosaeba.wordpress.com ~ things left unsaid -- http://ryosaeba.wordpress.com ~ things left unsaid -- "Indonesian Android Community" Join: http://forum.android.or.id =============== Download Aplikasi Kompas versi Digital dan Keren https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.kompas.android.kec -------------------------- Download Aplikasi AR "MONSTAR" dari Indosat https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ar.monstarunity --------------------- Sale Gadget Android paling heboh hanya di Multiply! 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