Look What Came in the Mail Today…

So today I look into the mail box, and I got a cool surprise! The latest issue of Brian Jessel BMW magazine features an article by yours truly.

My article was mainly about how BMW was taking a serious approach to integrating digital lifestyle gadgets like your iPod and your Blackberry into your BMW Lifestyle. I learned quite a bit that I didn’t know about their vehicles from this assignment.

It was a different experience writing for print media. First off, the problems of getting artwork is never an issue with online media or tech companies. I usually take my own, but if you need a picture, the companies either have an FTP waiting, or there will be an email in my inbox with what I need minutes later. Dealing with print media, you not only need to have a high resolution photos for your articles, but they also need to be procured in the strangest manner.

First off, I had to contact BMW Canada, then BMW Canada had to contact some marketing company to get photos, or else, they would have to “BUY” the photos from the BMW International Media Pool. The time to get three pictures: Over a week. Not only that, but the third one wasn’t very good, and wasn’t even used in the article. I’m so not used to that, and I just don’t have time to chase people down. I don’t think I’ve ever made so many phone calls to follow up in my life. I hope this is an exception, and not the rule. I did learn a lot, and I now know why print magazines have their own photographers taking pictures. It’s a pain to get them from someone else so you might as well take them yourself!