the phoenix
Six Years –
and Counting
Six years ago I was in publishing limbo, after an extraordinary sequence of events that not even Baron
Munchausen could have conjured. The characters involved were similarly grotesque, so I will not even attempt
to explain their rationale or motives, suffice to say that the law of unintended consequences confounded all
and sundry. In a nutshell, the unintended consequence is what you are now holding in your hands – the iconic
Automotive Business Review, or aBr as it has now become known to its band of loyal readers.
a
Br’s first issue was in September
2008, and this is its anniversary
month, but in essence
its gestation began in March
2004 with the first issue of
AutoInsight. aBr’s editorial
development and writing
style originated from
the premise already
established in 2004,
under AutoInsight’s
unique by-line
“automotivealphamail”,
which covered many
bases, but primarily
a play on alpha male,
and a promise to the
reader that the extra mile
would be walked to ensure
relevant news, different and
fresh articles, and written with
an enquiring mind and always
with the lookout for a different
angle, no matter how prosaic the story.
aBr also inherited the original passion
for words, and the manipulation of these
words in all matters of form, be it praise,
wit, satire, irony, and of course the art of
the pun; and the passion is to be found
in the articles, the by-lines, and in the
desire to ensure an entertaining read and
an assurance that for those with a literary
bent a goldmine of discovery.
And most importantly, we guarantee a
sense of humour, because as they say
“laugh and the whole world laughs with
you, cry and you cry alone”.
I also promised from the outset to
produce aBr as cost effectively as
possible, and I committed to going
the extra mile for those ambitious
and farsighted enough to
go along for the ride, with
honesty, integrity and good
old fashioned hard work.
Now, six years later,
with hand on heart, I
can proudly say that I
have kept my promise.
It has been a hard hill
to climb, with many
ups and downs, but
never for a moment did I
despair.
My path was clear, and I
followed it, always with a
buoyant step, and with the
pure knowledge that in the long
run good always triumphs over evil.
And the journey is not yet over.
In the past six years, aBr has evolved,
and has given even more value to its
readers, based on the promise from day
one to deliver, under its new by-line,
“words in action”, and the additional
promise, as enunciated in the September
2008 issue, to give the market something
unique, and to add value for both readers
and advertisers in imaginative and
innovative ways, and giving them what
they want – a magazine that informs,
educates, and entertains.
A new era has dawned, with
extra energy added, and who
knows what the future holds.
All I know is that what I have
built cannot be destroyed.
Words are forever!
Whilst this issue of aBr is jam packed with information, our monthly contribution cannot do justice to the wealth of information
available on a daily basis, so don’t forget to get your daily fix on our website. Make sure that you make regular visits to
| words in action
2
september 2014
www.abrbuzz.co.za