Hello Reader,

I was in Japan for a couple of days earlier this week. The occasion? A media trip to introduce Lenovo's "Aura Edition" of AI PCs. Also invited were several scores of analysts, journalists and influencers from other parts of the Asia Pacific, including a handful from further afield.

You can read the stories I wrote in The engineering behind ThinkPad's legendary reliability and My first look at the 986-gram ThinkPad X1 Gen 13 laptop.

Do media trips work?

A media trip is an organised tour of an event or conference. The idea is for opinion leaders and media representatives to learn about a product or organisation, with the hope of some positive coverage.

Do such trips still work in today's hyper-connected and AI-infused digital landscape, where information is readily available? I would think so. There is additional nuance and depth that simply isn't communicated through traditional written content.

I would compare it to the difference between a book and a short article, with the book offering a richer, more immersive experience that allows for deeper understanding and context. In this case, I spoke directly with the executives in charge of ThinkPads, visited the famed Yamato Lab, and gained insights impossible to obtain through a press release or virtual event.

I'll be honest: I haven't used a ThinkPad for over a decade now, since I reviewed the ThinkPad X240 in 2014 for CIO.com. I've used Sony VAIOs, a Dell, a MacBook Pro and a Huawei. I left with a newfound respect for the ThinkPad's robust engineering and design philosophy.

Learning never ends

One thing many find cannot wrap their heads around is the financial cost of such trips. Don't get me wrong, Lenovo was most generous in covering flight, accommodation, and meals for the trip - I couldn't have asked for anything more. But as a solopreneur responsible for everything, every hour on a plane is a slightly smaller pay cheque at the end of the month.

So why do I attend? Simple. It's an investment in my knowledge and understanding of the constantly changing technology landscape and the companies shaping it.

Below is a DM that I received a year ago from a connection who saw my LinkedIn posts - the incident he recounted likely happened when he was a senior executive at Rackspace in the 2010s. It made my day and validated my efforts to keep myself up to date.

**A surprise DM I received on LinkedIn last year.**

Staying on the writing edge

Also, in the real world, most editors and creatives write a lot less as they rise in seniority and spend the lion's share of their energy on managing. Some might hardly write anymore and it's a real pity.

Attending conferences and media trips keeps me sharp. Both in terms of understanding where technology is heading and making sure I stay close to the craft of writing and reporting. There are plenty of stories yet to be told, and the only way to get better is to keep writing.

Finally, media continues to evolve at breakneck speed, particularly with GenAI. I believe that the new face of media will be inextricably tied to the trust readers associate with a brand. In my opinion, this makes establishing a credible personal brand more crucial than ever. I'll share more on this another day.

In the meantime, I look forward to hearing your thoughts - just hit reply and it'll reach me.

Regards,
Paul Mah.

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