Comments on: Pepcom: We'd like to invite you to a party that we don't want you to attend

By: David Spark

David Spark — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 22:56:42 +0000

I have a few that have told me to meet them at Pepcom and I just forward them this article. :)

By: Samlevin

Samlevin — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 22:52:07 +0000

this occurred to me last year David. I have attended many Pepcom events as a tech journalist. yes, i consult as well yet i surmise over 75% of all bloggers have other consulting arrangements. Pepcom has really created an unprofessional setting. Too bad cause several companies I cover have asked me to meet them at Pepcom. It's ok, ShowStoppers is similar to Pepcom yet with zero attitude. See you at ShowStoppers!

By: sfgary

sfgary — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:03:09 +0000

David, I came by yr. blog via the ZD Net tempest in a teapot on the old PR mail spam and your post on Social media “gurus. And now this fiasco, somebody ought to write a manual. I am now taking my cue from the Pepcom PR geniuses and am going to invite and then un-invite you. This must be some sort of a new trend I missed…

By: sfgary

sfgary — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:03:09 +0000

By: David Spark

David Spark — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 06:45:11 +0000

As Renee Blodgett points out in her post, what is Pepcom doing holding onto an 11-year-old policy in this day and age? How could that policy pertain to anything today? Heck, our founding fathers knew that they'd have to amend the Constitution.

Ultimately, it's their event, and they can run it any way they want. In turn, I can publish how insulted I was to be disinvited (My first time ever!) and I can go out of my way to tell their sponsors.

I'd really like Pepcom to join in this debate, but they refuse to respond. By not talking it allows us to define the story.

By: robin

robin — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 04:55:34 +0000

Thanks for giving me the courage to come out of the disinvited closte. As a disinvited journalist myself I can see both sides of the issue.
Keep the invite list exclusive and to a degree, it creates that “I got in; I'm important” aura which both clients, who pay good $ and status conscious press both like.
It's more the way they handle it that I find distrubing, THe policy is not only arbitrary;it's vindictive. I was told that i wasn't a full time journalist anymore to which i answered “you show me a full time journalist and i'll show you someone headed for the homeless shelter.” Yet, clearly I pose a threat to John and Chris in my new lifestyle/shows capacity.
When Pepcom feels threatened they lash out. For the record, they are wlcome guests at my events anytime. And that goes double for you.

By: David Spark

David Spark — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 01:45:11 +0000

By: robin

robin — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 23:55:34 +0000

By: David Spark

David Spark — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 22:49:16 +0000

On the onset, that's what it would appear to be, but it wasn't. The staffer who contacted me had been with the company for years and had contacted me multiple times. Plus, I sent this post to the owner and controller of the company and I haven't got a response from anyone.

This is a colossal mistake as anyone who is thinking of retaining Pepcom, and searches their name, will see this post. It's become the fourth result in Google.

By: Norma Rosenfield

Norma Rosenfield — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 19:17:50 +0000

To me, this reeks of organizers who have staffers who don't know the people on their lists, number one. And number two, you just don't disinvite someone. Unbelievable. And just plain tacky.