Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!lll-winken!lll-lcc!ames!pasteur!ucbvax!HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA!Friesen
From: Friesen@HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA
Newsgroups: comp.sys.atari.st
Subject: Re: Atari's Marketing Approach
Message-ID: <880501033303.871547@HIS-PHOENIX-MULTICS.ARPA>
Date: 1 May 88 03:33:00 GMT
Sender: daemon@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU
Reply-To: Friesen%PCO@BCO-MULTICS.ARPA
Organization: The Internet
Lines: 44



I feel that Atari should change the name on their 16-bit computers to
fully lose their game image.  I also feel the 'cartridge' port should be
called an expansion port.  There are many hardware products that would
plug in through the expansion slot of an IBM PC, that plug in through
the cartridge slot on an ST.  I also feel that meeting deadlines, not
making vaporware, and coming out with bug free software would help their
reputation.  A software program should have new versions come out to add
features, not to fix problems.  One last thing that would help is more
expansion slots and expansion capabilities.

Atari needs to do more advertising.  Atari relies all on "word-of-mouth"
to advertise thier products.  Although "word-of-mouth" is a major aspect
of sales, you cannot expect to reach everyone by this method.  I have
seen numerous commercials for the Atari game systems, that use the
approach that they need to use for their computers.  They need to
compare the ST to the Mac and the PC.  The ST is much better than these
computers, and I think this would get more busineses interested in Atari
(which is Atari's goal, isn't it?).  What they should do is have two
comercials circulating during sports on TV.  One commercial comparing
the ST to the Mac, and one comparing it to the PC.  They should also
advertise in busines magazines, such as "Time" and "Newsweek".  The ads
in magazines should compare it to the Mac and PC, but also emphasize the
laser printer/desktop publishing capabilities, and advertise other
"aspects" of the ST (because you can say more for less in a magazine ad
then on a TV ad).

I feel all of this should be done (especially the name change) before
they introduce their next computer, which supposedly is the 030 box.

The ST is a good machine, everyone is always complaining, but I think it
is about the best microcomputer on the market.  I think it is an
excellent computer for just about everything.  But Atari must make
people realize this.


(I'm not flaming anyone!)


Aric Friesen

Addresses:  Genie:  A.FRIESEN ARPA:  Friesen%PCO@BCO-MULTICS.ARPA

"Exterminate!  Exterminate!"---Daleks