Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!wuarchive!udel!mmdf
From: mjsagar@sandia.gov (9123 SAGARTZ, MATHIAS J.)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: News
Message-ID: <1668@nigel.udel.EDU>
Date: 14 Oct 89 14:01:10 GMT
Sender: mmdf@udel.EDU
Lines: 70


	Today's Wall Street Journal ran an article "Commodore Turns to
Advertising in Attempt to Improve U.S. Sales."  Text is as follows:

	Commodore International Ltd. unveiled its first significant 
ad campaign in years in its most daring move yet to turn arround 
lackluster U.S. operations. 
	Commodore Chairman Irving Gould has long been skeptical of 
advertising.  He fired Tom Rattigan as the personal-computer 
maker's chief executive two and a half years ago because, among 
other things, he thought Mr. Rattigan was planning to spend too 
much money on an advertising campaign.
	But Commodore - whose Commodore 64, a tiny personal 
computer, was once a major factor in the market - has seen its 
share of the U.S. market nearly disappear from charts of the U.S. 
Market.  International Data Corp. said Commodore's share fell to 
1% last year from 2.1% in 1987 and 3.6% in 1984.  As a result, 
even though the parent company has stabilized after skirting 
bankruptcy four years ago, the U.S. subsidiary has only 
occasionally had a profitable quarter.  So Harry Copperman, who 
became president of Commodore's U.S. operations in May has been 
allowed to give advertising a try.
	Commodore, based in West Chester Pa., will spend $15 
million on advertising through year end, focused on its Amiga 
computer and aimed primarily at the consumer and education 
markets.  It is also working on a campaign for early next year to 
bolster the Amiga's prospects in the business market.
	"The window of opportunity is getting small," said Mr. 
Copperman, a veteran of 22 years with International Business 
Machines Corp. and Apple Computer Inc. "I think Irving understands 
that this is his last chance to run for the roses."
	Mr. Copperman said he plans to narrow his focus to certain 
markets.  Education is a major one, because he thinks IBM hasn't 
yet figured out that market and because Apple, the dominant force, 
is in a transition to persuade schools to move to the Macintosh 
from the Apple II.  Commodore will also push into the home market, 
taking advantage of such features as the Amiga's ability to let 
people edit home movies.
	Mr. Copperman said he won't try to take on IBM and Apple 
head-on in the business market but thinks he can get in through 
the back door.  He said the Amiga's slick graphics and ability to 
have more than one program running at once lend themselves to 
computerized, interactive training programs, for instance.
	"The view used to be that the Amiga was a general-purpose 
machine." he said.  "It can be, but it's not ready to be 
positioned that way.  There isn't the richness of software yet."
	Mr Copperman also said the company is taking the longer 
view on some of the advertising.  He said the advertising isn't 
expected to pay for itself in the fourth quarter.  Instead, he 
said he's hoping the ads will also help with such long-term 
problems as finding more national dealers that will carry the 
Amiga, a longstanding concern for Commodore.
	The ads themselves are slick, especially the television 
ads.  Created by Messner Vetere Berger Carey Schmetterer, the ads 
feature a teen-ager named Stevie, a virtuoso on the Amiga who 
shows that it is "The Computer for the Creative Mind."  In one ad, 
Stevie's parents answer the door and find three astronauts, 
including Buzz Aldrin, who want to talk to Stevie about plans for 
the new space station.  Then Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy 
Lasorta calls for advice on his team's lineup.  The Pointer 
Sisters arrive for help on their new album, followed quickly by 
composer Burt Bacharach, rock 'n' roll pioneer Little Richard and 
finally, formar House speaker Tip O'Neill.
	The print ads are a series of case studies of Amiga users, 
including jazz guitarist B.B. King, who writes music on it.
	
	That's it.  For better of worse we're out of the closet.  
Can we perform?  One final comment.  If Apple doesn't vote old
Irving Gould a big special bonus they are a bunch of low life 
ungrateful finks!