Scott Van Camp
Senior Editor/Brandweek, Managing Editor/Technology Marketing
Technology Marketing
770 Broadway, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10003
svancamp@brandweek.com
www.technologymarketing.com

-> Reach
Print: 30,000 (Contained within Brandweek
Technology Marketing Online: 63,000 page views per month, 22,000 unique visitors
Insider Pass newsletter: 20,000 opt-ins

-> Van Camp's background

"I started as a sports writer in California," Van Camp says. "I worked at place called Touchdown Publications in San Francisco; they do programs for sports events." After awhile, he says, "I got sort of into consumer magazines, was assistant editor and music editor for Audio magazine."

When that "went down the tubes," he covered the Internet section of Adweek -- called IQ -- during the big boom, then started helping out with Technology Marketing.

Although the print edition of Technology Marketing folded in December 2003, it continues on as a page in Brandweek, as its own Web site, and as a weekly email newsletter called Insider Pass. As senior editor of Brandweek, Van Camp also covers these new iterations of Technology Marketing.

-> Current editorial coverage

Technology Marketing is geared toward the professionals directly responsible for corporate marketing, positioning and reputation management in the technology sector.

Here's how Technology Marketing breaks down (bear in mind this is all relatively new -- Van Camp and his team are still working out the kinks):

o Technology Marketing page in Brandweek
Because the magazine is consumer-focused, the Tech Marketing coverage also tries to stay focused on B2C. "We run whatever we have, but we hope to get into the pure consumer thing in the next few months," he says.

The page covers the top money-making tech companies, Van Camp explains: Intel, Dell, IBM, Apple, covering all the bases in technology as far as marketing goes.

"With Brandweek, there's a real emphasis on breaking news that hasn't been seen anywhere else, and we want to establish ourselves in that mode," he says. "New campaigns, new strategies about the big brands."

They also cover tech trends, offering views on what's happening and what might happen in the future with certain technologies in marketing.

Occasionally, the single page will be expanded, such as in May when the Icon Awards are happening in conjunction with CeBIT in New York. "We'll have a special four-page section in Brandweek that week, highlighting technology and marketing throughout the year," says Van Camp.

o Insider Pass newsletter
This is a combination of B-to-B and B2C stories, Van Camp says. It includes interviews with corporate marketers, agency people, anyone who has something interesting to say about tech marketing.

The interviews cover new campaigns, how companies will be branding their products in the future, or "after-the-fact" case studies. It also includes guest columns.

o Online: the Web has a B-to-B focus. "We'll have as much breaking news as possible (remember, breaking news on consumer side will be in Brandweek).

The site also covers results of marketing campaigns.

Van Camp aims to update the site with breaking news three to four times a week.

One thing Van Camp wants people to understand: Technology Marketing is about the marketing of tech products and services, *not* about the technology involved in marketing. For example, they're not focused on subjects such as software for marketing agencies.

"It needs to involve a tech company doing the work," he explains.

-> Best way to pitch Van Camp

"Shoot me an email," he says. "That way I can look at it and stew on it for a couple of hours. I will answer the phone but I prefer email." He'll call if he's interested in running the story.

You can also pitch staff writer Jonathan Angel at jangel@brandweek.com. In fact, "include both on the same pitch because right now we're still breaking up the beats," Van Camp says.

Angel is in San Francisco, so anything that covers Silicon Valley definitely should go to him.

-> What Van Camp looks for in a story pitch

Make it short and sweet. Give him a couple of paragraphs summarizing what the press release says and how it could be a suitable story for Technology Marketing. Then include the press release either as an attachment or in the body of the email.

"Just get to the point, so I can take a look at it and say, 'This is not for us, this is something for Adweek…' Get to the heart of the matter,'" Van Camp says.

For the newsletter, submit outlines for stories that you'd like to write: new marketing strategies, wild or interesting ideas.

For the Web site and magazine, send press releases of breaking news and announcements.

For trend pieces, send a couple of paragraphs with the story and why it's interesting to his readers. However, he says, getting trend stories from a pitch is not the usual way they get ideas. "We usually come up with them through the knowledge that we've gained," he says.

Three tips:

#1. Give him exclusives
Let Van Camp know if it's an exclusive story and if so, when you need to hear back from him before you take it somewhere else.

#2. Include the words "story pitch" or "idea for you" in the subject line.

#3. Don't bother to call to follow up.
"It's hard to just drop everything and start talking," he says. "If it looks good, I'll look at it." And if it catches his eye -- if it's really interesting -- he'll call you.

-> Pet peeves

Overkill. "I've gotten calls where I've explained to people why I'm not going to run their story, and then I keep getting stuff from them. People go overboard in trying to pitch. (They) say, 'I just don't understand why you're not doing this,'" says Van Camp.

He adds, "But basically, I'm pretty easy-going."

-> Pre-written contributions

Only for Insider Pass. Send an outline about what you want to write about and the key points, "and we go from there," Van Camp says.

Chances of a bylined article in Brandweek are pretty slim for right now. "If we got some extra pages, possibly," he says.

-> Becoming a regular columnist

In the near future, the Web site will revive some of the columnists from the print magazine. However, Van Camp probably won't be looking for new columnists, though he mentioned that it's still difficult to tell at this point.

-> Where you can meet Van Camp

He doesn't attend many except the big ones in New York. But he is open to meetings. Let him know when you'll be in the City, who you are, and what type of insight he'll gain from you by getting together.

-> Deadlines

The deadline is Thursday for Brandweek, so Van Camp needs ideas by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.

For the Web site, send info any time, as they update it as often as possible.

Insider Pass comes out on Tuesdays, but they have no set deadlines. "We just like to have a few things in the well to go to," Van Camp says.

-> Favorite professional publication
Business Week