Did Philips ever leave Eindhoven?

I note that in the Shapeways documentary most of the footage was actually the destruction of the Philips Nederland building. The irony of this sequence is that the building didn't collapse as intended, leaving a sort of leaning tower of Pisa.

By appointment to the king - Royal Philips

Curious branding discussion. At first I thought they were changing from Philips into Royal Philips. But the official name is already Royal Philips Electronics. Now that Philips has sold off its consumer electronics companies, it's more like Royal Philips Health. So they're planning to shorten the name rather than lengthen it. Surprised they don't use the opportunity to fix the company tag line. Sense and simplicity has never worked. Why not just "simplicity"?

I have also been looking at how companies tell their stories to shareholders and interested parties. I confess I don't understand Philips marketing/PR department when it comes to their annual report. The online version contains several rather uncomfortable videos of CEO Frans van Houten trying to act like a newsreader. He's clearly not a natural presenter. No media outlet will use these statements because they stand out as being so rehearsed (although some might play it if Philips paid them). 

Golden rule: Never look at the camera unless you're doing wild-life documentaries. A fireside chat format would be far more effective and authentic.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands – Royal Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) today announced that it will propose to the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders (AGM), which will be held on May 3, 2013,  to amend the articles of association of the company to change the name of the company to Koninklijke Philips N.V. (Royal Philips).

“Philips is a diversified technology company focused on delivering meaningful innovation in healthcare, energy-efficient lighting and consumer health and well-being,” said Philips Chief Executive Officer Frans van Houten. “Our innovative products, systems and services help improve the lives of billions of people. We believe having Royal Philips as our new company name, will position us well in our endeavor to make the world healthier and more sustainable.”

Furthermore, Philips will propose to the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders to re-appoint Ms. Christine Poon, Mr. James Schiro and Mr. Jeroen van der Veer as members of the Supervisory Board. Philips will also propose to amend the Long-Term Incentive Plan for its executives.

Does the Dutch Culture Ministry Really Understand the Media?

I wonder if the choice of a historic radio grill on the Dutch government website about current broadcast legislation is sending a subtle message? That they think broadcast is historic. Or stuck in the past. The photo reminds me of the Philips Chapel Radio Model 930A seen in 1931. Or perhaps its from the Philips 2601? Did some intern do serious research on this? Or did they look up Philips on Wikipedia and grab the first copyright free photo they saw. I suspect the latter. I think media deserves a better treatment.

Compare the Dutch government site with the revamped European Broadcasting Union site.