ABB Review, the corporate technical journal of global technology leader ABB, is published four times a year, in five languages, with a distribution run of around 50,000 copies. Launched in 1914 as the BBC Review (decades before BBC’s 1988 merger with Asea to form ABB), ABB Review is one of the oldest corporate publications, having been published continuously ever since.
Why was ABB Review launched?
“It was started to inform customers about new products, ongoing technological developments and current projects, and that's basically more or less what we still do today. In ABB, we care deeply about technology, I think that's the reason we come to work every day, that's what keeps us going and that's what people genuinely care about. So, I think it's natural that we should have a need for a journal that expresses what we do and what we stand for.”
A journal by engineers, for engineers
“Some of the people who write our articles, they're people who are really out there on the frontline, doing the heavy lifting that makes ABB possible as a company. And so, everything they say is absolutely first-hand and genuine.”
It is this first-hand experience which informs the tone of ABB Review, writing for engineers and managers in the customer organizations who understand the technology and have a passion for it.
“This means we speak about technology very frankly, openly and objectively. I always say the articles should be readable by somebody with reasonable understanding of engineering or technology, but who is not an expert in that field. So, for example, if you have an article about robotics, it shouldn't be understandable only to a robotics specialist, it should be understandable to people who do all sorts of other roles within the company or within engineering in general. So, although the tone is quite technical, it shouldn't be too specialized.”
Besides customers, the journal is also distributed in education and academia. Many ABB researchers report having first become interested in the company through reading ABB Review.
Print influence in a digital age
The team at ABB has continued to find advantages in print in terms of reaching out to customers and using ABB Review as a conversation starter. Even in a digital age, a print title can still influence and connect with people.
“It's quite easy to imagine that print as a medium is no longer relevant. And yet feedback from salespeople is they go to see a customer and the first thing they do is put a copy of ABB Review on the table and say, ‘you should take a look at this, this might be of relevance to you.’ You can't really do that with an electronic version, it doesn't have the same effect.
At the same time, ABB Review has transformed from a purely print-driven publication to also offering its content digitally allowing it to reach both existing and new audiences.
The latest edition of the ABB Review is available for both download and subscription at www.abb.com/abbreview.
ABB (ABBN: SIX Swiss Ex) is a leading global technology company that energizes the transformation of society and industry to achieve a more productive, sustainable future. By connecting software to its electrification, robotics, automation and motion portfolio, ABB pushes the boundaries of technology to drive performance to new levels. With a history of excellence stretching back more than 130 years, ABB’s success is driven by about 105,000 talented employees in over 100 countries. www.abb.com
