AMD's Final Email to Editors

Apparently, AMD’s PR team has a good feel for Web 2.0 technologies. Instead of using email to blast press releases to journalists and bloggers, the chip maker is asking media members to subscribe to AMD’s Twitter feed. The VAR Guys sees pros and cons with the move.

On the upside, The VAR Guy is tired of lame, unsolicited press releases that flood his inbox. And yes, The VAR Guy actively leverages many Web 2.0 technologies. In fact, he’s a big fan of the Web 2.0-related book, “The New Rules of Marketing and PR.”

Leveraging Twitter, AMD “will be providing product announcements and updates, as well as our own candid thoughts on competitor and industry news as it happens,” according to an email from AMD’s PR agency. The email including the compelling subject line: “The Last Email You’ll Receive From AMD.” Catchy. The VAR Guy opened it immediately.

Still, Web 2.0 technologies like Twitter aren’t for everyone. The VAR Guy suspects that fewer than 20 percent of technology journalists actually use Twitter–though that’s purely a guess. Media members who want to receive the AMD updates will need to create a Twitter account and choose a format to receive the updates (such as email, text message, RSS, IM or directly on the Twitter homepage).