World Is Flat: PR Is Local Centuries ago, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue and claimed the world was round. Yet, globalization and advanced digital innovation are proving otherwise. Yesterday's U.S. Presidential Election, shaped in many ways by global issues of terrorism, energy, trade, and more recently, finance, is another stark reminder of how interconnected we are in today's world. Pulitzer prize-winning journalist, Thomas L. Friedman, describes the world today as "flat" and wrote the bestselling book, " The World is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century."  Friedman explains that globalization and the Internet evolution are seamlessly connecting not only individuals, but also businesses and countries in a matter of seconds. Effects on PR? Despite worldwide connectedness, there is no substitute for local PR.  So much PR is relationship-based and comes from in-market knowledge (i.e. the political, social, cultural and/or media landscape).  It is difficult to develop a strategic communications plan (media relations, community relations, government relations, cause marketing, etc.) without understanding the client's situation in the context of their operational environment. At Vehr Communications, we address this in-market need through IPREX, a global partnership of nearly 70 independent PR firms in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and the Middle East.  IPREX enables us to couple local expertise with global reach.  Understanding globalization, utilizing new technologies and having local connections will give your company a competitive edge.  We can help.  Please visit our Web site to learn more about Vehr Communications.  Also, feel free to contact us if we can be of further assistance to your company on this important topic. Global Branding and Cultural Coding Vehr Communications' President, Nick Vehr, will introduce and moderate a presentation titled "Global Branding and Cultural Coding" by Ralf Weber, President of ME Brand Communication of Dusseldorf, Germany.  Vehr Communications and ME Brand Communication are partners in IPREX. The event, hosted by the European American Chamber of Commerce - Cincinnati Chapter, explores the importance of understanding how brands are perceived and the nuances of communicating across cultures and countries.  The event will be on December 2, 2008 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the offices of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber.  Click here for more information or to register. Vehr Communications launches Vr3 Blog Vehr Communications is excited to join the online conversation.  "Vr3" was launched to engage discussion about local, national and global trends that influence the communications profession.  You'll see a lot about politics, primarily because the 2008 Presidential campaigns were on the leading edge of technology to shape reputations, develop and maintain relationships and influence actions.  You'll also see online discussions about global PR and marketing, the value of PR in tough economic times, and many other issues.  Please visit, comment, challenge and share. New Face at Vehr Communications Laura Phillips has joined Vehr Communications as an Account Executive.  Laura is a veteran of  PR in Cincinnati having worked for most of the past decade as an Account Executive at Dan Pinger Public Relations and, then, at Pinger PR at Powers Agency.  Laura is a proficient all-around PR practitioner with consumer, business to business and public affairs knowledge.  A graduate of the University of Cincinnati (degrees in Marketing and Management), Laura will be instrumental in developing strong relationships with our clients.  Learn more about Laura and feel free to send a note of welcome ( contact Laura). PR News, PR Insights This edition of March Forth provides links (on left) to some excellent blog discussions concerning this important topic. As practitioners, we use communications to manage reputations, build relationships and deliver results.  The Internet is changing how we do it, but how we have always done it is just as important. We hope the connections we provide here, and the various additional news outlets and blogs we connect to on the Vehr Communications' Web site, help you to understand this rapidly changing industry as much as they help us.