The traditional model for analyst relations (AR) gave tech vendors a tool to influence industry analysts who develop paid reports for sale through independent research and consulting firms.
Today, with so much more noise in the market and such a need for reliable, independent validation, AR is now as likely to engage earlier and leverage analysts to build brand as much as to build buzz.
AR's appeal has also spread beyond b-to-b tech into such verticals as pharmaceuticals, entertainment, hospitality, professional ...