Ripple Effect Communications and Eurocom Worldwide Unveil IT Survey Findings

BOSTON, MA - (March 23, 2009) - Ripple Effect Communications, an integrated marketing communications company headquartered in Boston, with offices in New York and California, today announced the results of the Eurocom Worldwide Annual IT Survey which reveals that nearly 50 percent of the 335 global technology executives polled predict an increase in revenues despite the economic downturn. The survey was conducted earlier this year by Eurocom Worldwide, the global PR Network, in association with Ripple Effect Communications, its partner.

More than 48 percent of those surveyed indicated less confidence about prospects for the technology sector in 2009 as compared with only four percent who noted a lack of confidence a year ago. However in spite of these results, 46 percent of the respondents still predicted increased revenues for 2009 along with 31 percent who expected revenues to remain the same as last year. Twenty-two percent of the respondents predicted a decline in revenues.

Technology executives were asked to rate the current economic climate with the collapse of the dotcom bubble in 2000/2001. Interestingly nearly a third of those surveyed feel that the current recession will have less impact on their companies than the dotcom bust.

There continues to be a level of confidence on the job front. Twenty-eight percent reported they intend to increase head count this year; 46 percent said that they expected no change in staffing; while only 25 percent indicated they are expecting to reduce headcount.

Forty-five percent of those surveyed say that it is now easier to recruit IT people as compared to 12 months ago; 44 percent say it is about the same and 11 percent said it is more difficult to hire IT people. The respondents cited that good software engineers are the most difficult to find followed by international and domestic sales people.

"The findings suggest that despite the gloomy global economic climate, the technology sector is not anticipating a huge negative impact on their businesses," said Valerie Harding, Ripple Effect Communications president. "And job opportunities for well-qualified software engineers and sales people are available."

According to Harding, technology will play a significant role in helping companies streamline their business processes to be more cost efficient and competitive. "If businesses make an investment in technology, it's likely to be with the types of enterprise solutions that achieve an increase in productivity and a reduction of costs," she added.

Technology companies are responding to the slowing global economy by developing or diversifying into new products or services, which is cited by 68% of respondents. Just over half (51 percent) of the executives polls are reviewing or developing new messages about products or services. And 32 percent are targeting new geographic markets for their products and services.

"Clearly technology is not immune to what is happening in the global economy but IT has an important function to play in streamlining business processes. Technology companies are working hard to communicate this message about their products and services," added Mads Christensen, Network Director, Eurocom Worldwide.

About Eurocom Worldwide
Eurocom Worldwide is a global alliance of independent, privately owned Public Relations agencies. Together, we form a global business-to-business communications solution provider with a focus on technology in its broadest sense. Eurocom Worldwide has 30 member agencies comprising 900 communications specialists and consultants in 60 national capitals and centers of commerce around the globe. For more information, visit www.eurocompr.com

About Ripple Effect Communications
Ripple Effect Communications, located in Boston, New York and California, is the PR and marketing communications company that has changed the face of public relations to the benefit of its clients by using an innovative infrastructure, executive-only talent pool with client-side experience and unique pricing structure to result in lean, yet target-exceeding performance. Managing marketing communications campaigns in high technology industries such as manufacturing, healthcare, medical devices, life sciences, biotech, and wireless, our senior team of PR and IR professionals provide strategic direction, council and implementation across the entire range of client requirements. The Ripple Effect team brings multi-lingual capabilities as well as global connections through its Eurocom Worldwide PR partnership. Please visit www.recommunication.com

US Media Contact:
Valerie Harding
Ripple Effect Communications
Tel: 617-536-8887
Email: vharding@recommunication.com

Eurocom Media Contact:
Mads Christensen, Network Director
Eurocom Worldwide
Tel: +44-20-7602 8776
Email: mac@eurocompr.com

Emerging high tech companies see immediate results and pay back from innovative infrastructure, unique pricing methodology and complete ROI matrix on deliverables.

BOSTON, MA - (Nov. 18, 2002) - Ripple Effect Communications, an integrated marketing communications company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with offices in New York and California, announces an effective approach to offering marketing communications services for companies that are limited in bandwidth and resources, but have the need to generate the momentum and awareness to win new customers and become industry leaders.

"MarketOne International chose Ripple Effect Communications because we have limited resources, but needed a team of experts to specifically help us with a branding campaign when we changed our name earlier this year," noted Spencer Harvey, President of MarketOne International. "We were so pleased with the results, which included our story on the cover of the Boston Business Journal, that we are using them again this quarter to create, manage and execute a demand creation program for us starting with a webinar."

Ripple Effect offers over 30 different programs, each with an associated accountability matrix on results and tactical action plan for the effective delivery of services, including access to industry experts for strategy and investor relations. Clients such as MarketOne International, Genomic Profiling Systems, StreamServe and Wireless Bypass immediately saw the value in Ripple Effect's "a la carte" service offerings because it proved to be versatile, scaleable, and affordable.

"As a European company trying to break into the U.S. market, we needed to find a firm that could produce big agency results at a reasonable price. StreamServe demands accountability for all of our service providers and Ripple Effect Communications was the only firm willing to guarantee results," said Eric Marks, VP of Market Development at StreamServe Americas. "We started out small, but as we saw the dynamic relationship of each program and the results they produced, we decided to scale up to a large, full-service public relations program."

"We adopted an "a la carte" methodology to guarantee that our services remain as flexible as our clients' needs. All of our "a la carte" programs are designed as stand-alone. However every communication program by definition can leverage off of the other: we call this phenomenon "the ripple effect of the communication web". More importantly, this ripple effect occurs within all of our programs, powerfully impacting the value and growth of each client." explained Valerie Harding, President of Ripple Effect Communications.

News Release
Media Contact: Valerie Harding
Ripple Effect Communications
617-536-8887
vharding@recommunication.com

Ripple Effect Communications Announces Eurocom Survey Results that Indicate Tech Recovery on the Way with New Confidence in Jobs
and Revenues

Boston, MA - (March 15, 2004) - An international survey by Eurocom Worldwide, the global PR network, in association with its US partner, Ripple Effect Communications, suggests that recovery in the technology market will kick in over the second and third quarters of 2004 - and in some sectors may have already begun.

The study amongst almost 200 senior technology executives in 16 countries including the United States finds that almost 50% believe that recovery will begin in the second (27%) or third (20%) quarters of this year. One in three believes that the recovery has already begun.

"Despite the increase in IT equities over the past year, the signs of a full blown recovery have been patchy but this survey suggests confidence returning to the sector for the first time in three years," commented Valerie Harding, President at Ripple Effect Communications, the US partner of Eurocom Worldwide.

Three quarters of the respondents (76%) are more confident about tech prospects in 2004 than they were in 2003. One in five (19%) report the same level of confidence while 5% remain pessimistic.

The survey suggests controlled optimism on job prospects. 57% expect to increase jobs over the next six months. 39% say that recruitment is on hold while just 4% predict a fall in employment.

The sector is more bullish on revenues than last year with 78% predicting an increase in sales over the next six months compared to 54% in the 2003 survey. One in five (19%) anticipate flat sales compared to 34% last year while just 3% are expecting lower revenues (11% in 2003).

"Technology executives tend to be stoically optimistic on revenues but a more valid gauge of increased confidence is jobs," commented Tom Burgess, CEO, Eurocom Worldwide. "We are definitely seeing a swing to a more optimistic outlook on the recruitment front compared to last year. Those expecting to increase jobs have almost doubled while those anticipating further jobs layoffs has fallen significantly from 16% to 4%."

The biggest threat to revenues is seen as a slowdown in the global or US economy. Continuing nervousness over global terrorism ranks in the top four dangers to recovery.

The survey sampled senior executives (CEO, VP level) across 16 countries by an email questionnaire. 197 responses were generated with the most recent being received in January 2004.

Ripple Effect Communications, an integrated marketing communications company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts with offices in New York, Colorado, and California, specializes in the areas of enterprise solutions, software, manufacturing, medical, life science, wireless and technology. The company offers over 30 different programs, each with an associated accountability matrix on results and tactical action plan for the effective delivery of services, including access to industry experts for strategy and investor relations. Ripple Effect Communications also brings multi-lingual capabilities as well as strong connections and an understanding of culture in throughout Europe. For more information, please visit www.recommunication.com.

Eurocom Worldwide is a managed group of public relations firms specialising primarily in business to business with a focus on technology. Eurocom has developed a global network of 50 offices in 37 countries worldwide bringing together 400 people working for 500 clients. Eurocom is the fifth largest independent PR Network in Europe (Source: PR Week UK 2003), though the only one that specialises primarily in technology markets. Eurocom also has specialist international teams covering Investor Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility. For more information visit www.eurocompr.com or call +44 1628 898 007 or email info@eurocompr.co