Conference 7.286::digital

    I've seen some very lengthy Digital Ads (Imagine theme) in some PC rags
    lately, PCweek, etc. (IMO these were pretty nice ads).
    
    They did mention our Alpha AXP technology and how powerful it was, but it 
    seemed to be downplayed to some extent.  Maybe its because we also sell 
    386/486 technology, and therefore can't oversell Alpha.
    
    BB

	... IBM ad (2-page).  That's one thing we need to be doing!

I like the "branding" campaign ads.

What I don't see is a campaign to sell Alpha as though our life depended on it
(which I believe it pretty much does).

To put it another way: how can we justify spending I-don't-know-how-many
billions on the development of Alpha, and not be willing to spend more than
we have advertising it?  Shouldn't we be trying to drive demand?  Are we 
waiting til there are more applications?

I have lately seen a few ads for Alpha, but not enough to suit me, I guess.

What I'd really like to see is mass media and a TV campaign to rival AT&T's.

Bruce

    
    speaking of pc's and advertising. Every Sunday I see mass ad's in the
    paper for the big chain stories ie Circuit City, Silo, Good Guys.All of
    them pushing other makers pc's. IBM, Packard Bell, Canon et etc.
    Nothing on Digital. If it's not on a shelf, the general public, average
    never owned a pc guy doesn't see it. So why aren't we selling thru
    these high visiability stores? pricing, wrong way to market? what
    gives?
    
    Dave
    

    Just to get our name out in the chain stores selling the low end stuff
    would help. Digital has to become a household word in more places than
    just the New England area. People I talk to from west of the big river
    think of Digital as just another obscure computer company. When I tell
    them we are a 14 billion dollar company, they are surprised.
    I hope to see some advertising like Apple or AT+T soon.

    
    Yes, out here in Southern Califronia we are relatively obscure.
    
    Yep, I will feel a lot better when I can visit a chain store and see a
    Digital pc sitting on display.
    
    And I don't mean the computer stores that many folks hesitate to visit
    when buying their first system. Just about all the friends of my 13
    year old son have a pc. Just about all were bought at a chain store.
    Household names are IBM, Apple, Packard Bell (small but hiring) and
    others.Digital needs to make itself known, and real soon.
    
    Dave
    

I guess it depends on where you look.

We advertise in Datamation. Check out June 15ths issue. We have a glossy
two page pull-out with the imagine campaign pushing Windows NT. The AXP is 
described on the last side. 

We advertise in PC World. Check out Julys issue. We have TWO, yes TWO, two page
pull-outs. The first advertises the AXP and Windows NT. The second shows the
DECpc MTE with a two page colour photo showing the internals - and shows our 
range of PCs, Notebooks and Printers with prices on the last side.

The imagine themes are :-

	Imagine a PC that turns your idea of value on it's ear.

	Imagine the bar (picture shows a polevolter) twice as high. And
	knowing you're going to clear it.

We advertise in PC Magazine too. Check out Julys issue. Again TWO, yes TWO two 
page pull-outs.

I've also seen the adds run in the Economist and Fortune but not every issue as 
the three above. I've also seen the add in German mags where the theme switches 
to using the a in digital for 'angenommen'.

Compared with Compaq, Dell and all the others our ads look clean, classy and ooze
quality - but will that sell PCs ?

    re .0
    
    There's a pretty sizeable add insert in the August PC Magazine too. 
    I've also seen our ads recently in Business Week and Fortune magazine. 
    Compared to previous years, we've been hitting the print press pretty
    extensively here in the U.S., at least.  I haven't heard of much on
    radio or TV, though.
    
    /Butch

    I see Digital ads in PC Magazine and PC Computing Magazine every issue.
    
    In the August '93 PC Computing, there is a 6 page spread which touts 
    Alpha AXP and there is another 2 page layout for the i486 models.
    
    I would really like to see some TV ads for major sports events.
    
    tony

	This is the first time I felt the need to
	put my two cents in.

	I keep seeing the "word" pc used, but considering
	where the ads are being put, I think marketing
	has forgotten that pc means personal computer.

	So it seems to me that the ads need to be where
	most people will be looking.  Most people do not,
	I'll repeat that DO NOT, look into the trade rags.

	Most people look into the local newspaper and the
	ads that local stores publish.

	If you get people to recognize the name at that
	level, then when they go to work, they will want
	to see the name there.

	Okay, there is my two cents.  I am realistic
	enough to realize that nobody who can act on this
	will even read my comments, but I feel a little
	better.

	To bad I cannot use smaller character, so I can
	emphasis how little.

	dave.

    i just want to emphasis again that we should look at using virtual 
    reality in all of our future ads. 

    virtual reality has been shown to have impressed lasting impact of every one
    who uses it.
    
    if something works, use it !

    \nasser

Re.10, I guess that depends on your target group.

Increasing market share - which I understand is our goal - can be achieved by
attracting two types of consumer:-

	1) those that have and need more
	2) those that do not have but need

These two groups will buy trade mags to find out what's on offer, where the best
buys are and to refine their needs list. Then they go shopping. As we're 
interested in selling PCs it seems sensible to advertise where those people would
look.

Of course there is another group :-

	3) those that do not have and do not need

in which case any money spent on advertising would be wasted unless you use 
advertising to try and create the feeling of need in that target group.

The questions Marketing need to ask are who buys Datamation, PC Magazine, 
PC World, PC Professionel, Fortune, the Economist etc. Does that hit our target 
group(s) ? Which assumes Marketing has all ready answered the other 3Ps - 
Product, Price and Place.

Datamation published the top 15 companies in the PC Market;

	Company		Revenue		Market 
			($Mill)		Share

	IBM		7,654.5		17.2
	Apple		5,412.0		12.1
	Compaq		4,100.0		 9.2
	NEC		3,986.8		 8.9
	Fujitsu		2,618.5		 5.9
	Toshiba		1,949.4		 4.4
	Dell		1,812.5		 4.1
	Olivetti	1,348.7		 3.0
	AST		1,140.5		 2.6
	Gateway 2000	1,107.1		 2.5
	AT&T		  998.9		 2.2
	Hitachi		  891.8		 2.0
	Acer		  880.0		 2.0
	Packard Bell	  878.8		 2.0
	Seiko Epson	  741.4		 1.7

Which begs the question - is the AXP and Windows NT the product consumers have
been waiting for ? 

re: .10

>        So it seems to me that the ads need to be where
>        most people will be looking.  Most people do not,
>        I'll repeat that DO NOT, look into the trade rags.
>
>        Most people look into the local newspaper and the
>        ads that local stores publish.

On what data are you basing this.  Personally, I don't know anyone
who doesn't look at the trade rags or similar targetted sources for PC 
purchase info.  That's hardly objective info, since the PC users I know
tend to be very computer literate.  It would be interesting to see
the actual breakdown.  My vague recollection is that mail order
and direct from manufacturer (both of which depend heavily on trade
rag advertising) led retail outlets in volume.

By the way, Lechmere has advertised our printers.  With the new
contracts with MicroAge, Tech Data, and Gates, we should see some
increase.  [See LiveWire, U. S. News.]  Personally, I think the PC unit
has made tremendous progress, is on a roll, and seems to be doing
most everything right.  But Rome wasn't built in a day, and they can't
just walk into CompUSA and say "Hi, we want you to stop carrying Compaq
and start carrying Digital."

   Gary

    The "Imagine" ad I saw recently had the following tag line:
    
    "Imagine if your mother were right...."
    
    Anyone else see something wrong?
    
    Mark.

Why is the branding campaign ignoring TV and non-trade (PC*), non-business,
i.e. Fortune, Economist, press?

The AT&T adds on TV, using an "imagine" theme, are magnificent!  AT&T is only
about twice, or so, our size right?  Why can't we do something similar?  Maybe
it's coming.  The branding ads seem to be somewhat effective; maybe we'll
expand to other outlets...

Bruce

    
    
       Should Digital think about ads in mass media? Are we trying to sell
    equipment to Joe Beercan? Perhaps an "Imagine" ad in Star,Enquirer,and
    People magazines? Only 27% of the population owns a pc at this point
    and I read where fully 1% of these have yet to turn them on.Most
    individuals who buy and use pcs are fairly knowledgable,and are looking
    for a deal.The rest tend to buy them at cut rate prices at the discount
    places. I don't think our company is targeting this market.It seems our
    pc prices are still about 20% above the bottom end,allowing for a
    higher quality product.Our customers are the commercial computer
    market,where we do have a strong image,and presence.This is where we
    are advertising,attempting to steal market share.Alpha and WindowsN/T
    are surely commercial products not intended for the unwashed
    masses.Until pcs reach a quantum leap in ease of use,I don't think the
    rest of the 75% of us will be rushing out to buy them.Windows is an
    improvement in ease of use,but a pc is still beyond the capability of
    most everyday people.I think the mass market for a pc will be solved by
    Microsoft building windows software into every TV set,to be used with
    cable and telephone technology for data/entertainment.And I do believe
    there will be multitudes of Alpha machines acting as client/servers in
    the cable/telephone industries to feed them.
       Digital has never really marketed to the consumer,hence our very low
    image recognition factor.Apple started at the onset selling to the
    individual,hence their very high recognition level.
       I just don't see Digital marketing to the every-day consumer.Most of
    us don't do very well programming our VCR's yet.Perhaps when Bill Gates
    puts Windows in every VCR...BTW I wonder how many people at DEC own and
    use pcs?After all we are a very hi-tech company....I wonder how many
    can program their VCRs? Did you see in the news where the two IBM board
    members who resigned admitted they did not own and could not use a pc?
          Cheers.

    Just had to add my 2 cents:
    
    Someone commented on the people West of the BIG River don't know that
    we are a big competitor...well, IMO the people outside of Mass. still
    ask...when we say we work for Digital...do you make watches?..clocks??
    
    Sad.....
    
    Jackie

    Advertising isn't the answer
    If Alpha chips cost 5$ to make and everybody in the world knew about
    them,we still would not revive Digital to be what it was.Part of the
    problem with Alpha is that a lot of Deccies think that as soon as it is
    a success then we'll have another Vax family on our hands-85% margins
    and free beer.Wrong.If Alpha is a massive industry standard
    success,then we will be successful,profitable,much smaller and 80% of
    the people here now won't be in the future.If Alpha is to be found in
    every PC,we will second and third source and most of the profit will go
    to Taiwanese assemblers and shipping companies-so dream on.
    The best thing Alpha can be is what it is aimed to
    be-good,powerful,flexible and made by a company that can integrate it
    into all sorts of solutions from palm tops to embedded controllers for
    lathes-and do it quickly.None of this is achieved by advertising.
    It is achieved by focussing on target accounts and by providing razor-sharp
    applications engineers to design it in and by deciding that this is
    what we want and goaling people to go get it.This is achieved by
    giving salesmen a design-in metric,not an NOR metric.
    Advertising in this context might be useful and we would sure do it if
    we had the money but since we have more important things to do(like all
    of the above),I suggest we let the newspapers get rich some other way.
    If Ed Lucente can bring out an Alpha based PC which is competitive and
    which will run all the software I have bought for my 386 machine-I will
    buy it immediately even if it is 20% more expensive than
    equivalents(call this sentimentality and paying for 64 bits),but until
    then we have other things to do..
    
    Next for the soapbox?

>I said that sales aren't up to expectations.  

Why where you discussing this with a non-Digital person?

-mike

    Recently there was one of these "imagine" adds with a windsurfer in the
    air after jumping a wave.  Most any windsurfer would notice that the
    equipment the guy in the picture was using was at least 5-7 years old.

    small detail, but it seems with all the money spent on advertising
    it would have been pretty easy to find a more current shot!

    alf

    re. 16
    
    Although Joe Beercan may be true of the existing buying generation. It
    isn't the case with the younger generation of computer oriented kids.
    Kids raised on computers, who aren't afraid to use them. Kids who drive
    their parents nuts to go buy one. And many don't just use them for
    games.
    
    Ken Olsen ignored the pc market, said it wouldn't happen. And it has
    happened, and we are growing, but playing catch up. 
    
    If it's such a nonmarket and a  market not for us as far as the everyday
    consumer. Then why does IBM sell at the chain stores, along with many
    others. Selling in that market, the retail market is a fast way for
    the general public to become aware of us. For 10 years I've had to tell
    folks who I work for, and what we do. Mention IBM, or even Packard Bell
    and they know. We can use the PC business to get really known.
    
    Dave
    

    Interesting point.  I am familiar with Packard Bell as a maker of cheap
    PCs and peripherals.  But, I have *never* seen a commercial for them on
    TV or in print.
    
    Steve

    re: Packard Bell commercials
    
    I've seen hundreds of ads featuring Packard Bell computers. Even the
    upscale local supermarket sold some of their products. I don't think
    Packard Bell ever published fancy two-page ads with no informational
    content to speak of, however. (hint, hint)
    
    Even the customer testimonial ads I've seen are too long-winded and
    have no useful information in them.  Not many businessmen have the
    time to read a four-page ad in Business Week that could be reduced to:
    
    	"We needed a computer solution. Digital made us one. We made lots
    of money, and Digital helped us do it.  Thanks, Digital."
    
    		Eugene M. Rockbottom, IS Manager
    		World-Wide Moneygrubbers, Inc.
    
    What's wrong with short and to-the-point?
    
    Geoff Unland

    Yeah, I *meant* to make it more clear:  I've seen stores (retailers)
    advertize Packard Bell.  But, I've never seen an ad that was paid for
    and run by Packard Bell itself.  Nothing like, "Imagine ... just how
    much you'll be able to do for so CHEAP!"  Point is, Packard Bell
    *seems* to have been able to get consumer awareness without having to
    toot their own horn much.  They let the retailers do the tooting for
    them, or at least pay for it ...
    
    Steve  :)

    
    One of the other notes talks about advertizing (or sponsering) in
    the Winston Cup racing, but I can't find it (sort of like my office...
    can't find anything when you need it).
    
    Did anybody see the Michigan 500 yesterday?  Did you notice Scott
    Goodyear's helmet and stabelizer bar on the car? 
    
    The "car cam" showed a shot looking forward and it caught the side
    of Scott's helmet...right where the "blue" letters IBM could be seen
    VERY clear.  Then the "car cam" showed another shot looking back and
    from under the car.  There on the stabelizer bar was yet again IBM.
    
    I wanted to puc.  Is there a leek in Digital?  We sit here talking
    about it in these notes and the next thing you know, IBM is doing it.
    
    

    
    putting ads on racing cars is sure is a weird idea, have any one
    thought how they expect the poor people to see the ads when the 
    cars are whizzing around at 500 miles an hour? have you yourself
    tried reading something on speeding car?

    it just dont make sense, even if the people can see something at
    that speed, the name of our company and products will appear to
    be fuzzy and unclear in the very least.

    we should make it easier for people to read our name and products
    not harder !!

    hepe this helps!

    \nasser

As an avid racing fan, I watched the Michigan 500 yesterday.  I couldn't
help but notice, from each of the over-the-shoulder "car cam" shots, all the 
advertisements (for Texaco, Kmart, IBM, Miller Genuine Draft, Valvoline, 
Target, Penzoil) strategically placed on the right rear quadrant of the 
drivers' helmets.  The ads are not meant to be seen from the stands at the 
racetrack.

Scott Goodyear's car wasn't sponsored by just "IBM."  It was the "IBM Think 
Pad."

They had a camera mounted in front of the windshield of Bobby Rahal's Miller
Genuine Draft Cosworth.  How do I know it's the "Miller Genuine Draft 
Cosworth?"  Painted on the nose of the car, for the camera's benefit is 
"Miller Genuine Draft."

Also, I noticed that the drivers, when they're being interviewed on TV, don't
say "the car was running well."  It's always "The KMart/Texaco car was 
running..."  

This sport is loaded with advertising and advertising opportunities!

    Sport has been loaded with advertizing for quite some time...
    
    Quick, what is the color of the Tide car?
    
    What is the color of the Miller Genuine Draft car?
    
     What were the colors and number of Richard Petty's car?
    
    Get my drift?
    Mike Z.

    
    re the last few
    
    A couple of years back Digital used to have its logo displayed on the
    nose and the front wing end plates of Formula 1 Ferarris at Grand Prix.
    
    I don't even think it cost us that much. We gave them some kit for
    CAD/CAM development for the car in return for the ad.
    
    I'm also pretty sure there was a DIGITAL sticker on the nose of Bobby
    Rahals' Championship winning Indy car last year. Infact the DEC kit he
    used helped win the championship in the last race for him. He was using
    our kit to help with the race management. He was worried about fuel for
    the last few laps and was going to come in for a last splash 'n' dash
    which would have lost him the third place he needed to win the
    Championship. The readout from the DEC related telemetry showed he just
    had enough to get home. He stayed out, took third place and the
    Championship. 
    
    POL.

    >Quick, what is the color of the Tide car?
    
    	Various shades of orange.
    
    >What is the color of the Miller Genuine Draft car?
    
    	Black and Gold.
    
    > What were the colors and number of Richard Petty's car?
    
    	Blue, Chinese red, 43.
    
    And I'm not a Winston Cup fan -- 

       Re: spending money on advertising at car races ...
    
       Just a question....
    
       		Why on earth do some folks want to spend their
       		time watching people drive cars around in circles?
    
    	What is the reward?
    	I haven't experienced much that I find of less interest...

    
    		It's called personal taste.  I'd much rather
     	watch "people driving cars around in circles" than
    	watching a bunch of guys chasing a ball around a 
    	field.
    		Plus for advertiser's it's a good deal.
    	Through survey's it's been shown that racing fans
    	are a very loyal lot when it comes to patronizing
    	a sponsor of their favorite driver.  Much more so
    	than say a football or baseball fan.
    
    		Tim

    It's much easier on the neck than watching a tennis match.

    I'd rather watch any race, on the TV, than watch football or basketball
    on TV or in person... The individual skills of a driver and pit-crew
    has more appeal to me. If a driver gets a "good paycheck" it is due to
    his personal skills, and that of the pit-crew...
    
    If a football or basketball player gets a good paycheck, it is only
    because he has a good agent....
    
    Anyway, back to the subject.....
    
    Advertising at Auto racing events assures visibility of your
    name/product. Western Auto (auto-parts chain) got its noteriety from
    the sponsorship of race cars (partly anyway).. Now, Western Auto, in
    turn advertises the Winston Cup and others in their stores.. One hand
    washes the other...
    
    Even cars that crash, that come in less than first, have sponsorship
    that continue their sponsorship... They wouldn't continue if they were
    loosing money on the deal... There must be something to this kind of
    advertising....
    
    BUT, what the hay, Digital doesn't even sponsor the Senior Golf Classic
    anymore (In Massachusetts anyway).... So it appears, Digital wants to
    remain an unknown in the industry...
    
    All I can say is, fairwell Digital! You will go the way of the dinosaur
    because no one knows who Digital is. It takes to long for Digital to
    make a decision and when a decision is made, there never seems to be
    full commitment to that decision (right or wrong)...
    
    ADVERTISE... ADVERTISE... ADVERTISE...!!! Where EVERYONE can see
    DIGITAL...!
    
    Digital, Who is Digital..! Does anyone know the answer to that ??
    
    Just my opinion!
    
    Bob G. (hopefully a short-timer, after 12 years of loyalty)
    

	Who cares why people do what they do? The FACT is that they 
	spend ALOT of money doing it and even more money on the products
	that are advertised.

	I personally think it's foolish to dismiss racing as a viable
	advertising media for Digital. Given the right moves, we could
	easily support a Digital team and probably a whole Digital race
	and come out way ahead on it.

	At this stage of our company, shouldn't we be investigating and
	sending up trial balloons?

						mike

    re: .32:
    
    >   Just a question....
    >    
    >   	Why on earth do some folks want to spend their
    >   	time watching people drive cars around in circles?
    
    I'm glad you asked that!  Actually, driving around in circles for
    entertainment is a New England phenomenon.  The roads here were
    initially constructed with sensitivity for this lifestyle in mind.
    This is actually the reason why Paul Revere was so famous.  While the
    Red Coats were "lost" driving around in Boston (being men, they didn't
    want to ask anybody for directions) Paul was able to somehow make a
    straight (more or less) line out of the city.  And, *that* is really
    why he was so famous.
    
    Years ago, another popular sport was the demolition derby.  This is
    where a bunch of cars drive around in circles and try to hit each
    other.  The car that's left is the winner.  It was so popular that
    people started placing bets.  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 
    recognizing the opportunity to "generate revenue," decided to take the 
    sport off the streets of Boston and bring it into an arena.  They also 
    allowed people to bet in a more formal environment (with lots of places 
    to dine and generous handicapped parking).  Of course, the sport still 
    remains a favorite pastime of Boston drivers.
    
    Meanwhile, seeing such carnage in a formal arena setting caused such an
    outcry that the cars have now been replaced by horses and dogs.  True
    die-hards of the sport, however, were successful in getting legislation
    to pass laws to modify New England's roadways so that they could
    continue to practice the sport in a safe and comfortable setting.  And 
    this, you see, is the reason why New England has so many rotaries.  It 
    is in an effort to meet the needs of the entertainment impaired.
    
    Steve

    Yes, but Paul Revere was captured, later escaped. Perhaps he was
    caught while going around in circles in a colonial rotary/roundabout?
    William Hawes evaded capture probably be avoiding the main trails.
    
    Jim C.
    
    

    re .38 and .39
    
    These last two notes give a good example of the "power of advertising"
    to create a perception that is different from reality. Every red
    blooded American believes that Paul Revere was the "patriot" the rode
    from Boston to Concord to warn that "The British are coming". This is a
    tribute to the spin doctor capabilities of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
    
    In the Minuteman National Historic Park on Route 2A in Lincoln, MA, you
    will find a stone marker on the spot where Paul Revere was captured by
    a British patrol. In his April 18/19, 1775, ride from Lexington he was
    accompanied by William Dawes and Dr Samuel Prescott. The patrol made
    Paul Revere walk back to Lexington having siezed his horse. William
    Dawes tried to escape but fell off his horse. It was Dr Samuel Prescott
    who got away to Concord to warn that "The Regulars are coming".
    
    It is also alleged that Paul Revere didn't understand the "one if by
    land, two if by sea" signal and had to row across from Charlestown to
    Boston to find out what was going on before beginning his ride.
    
    Hardly the stuff of national legends!
    
    Equal time for the opposition!

    RE: .39  by BOSEPM::GUNN 
    
    >It was Dr Samuel Prescott who got away to Concord to warn that "The
    >Regulars are coming".
    
    Listen my children and you'll be taught
    of the midnight ride of Doctor Prescott
    

    re: last few -- as the point was made in .40, Revere scanned better,
    and was easier to rhyme.  Besides, he was a famous silversmith.

    
    It *was* the power of advertising!  Mr Revere had about 10 kids to carry
    on his name and ensure that it was always in the public eye.  The other
    two were less fecund.
    
    C

    If it had *really* been the power of advertising, we'd be seeing
    something like this today:
    
    	One if by land and two if by sea--
    	And I will be loaded with Vitamin B,
    	Ready to ride and spread the alarm;
    	Wheaties will see that I'm kept from harm.
    
    			- Harry Irving Phillips, "What a Modern Radio
    			  Sponsor Would Do to Paul Revere" (quoted in the
    			  Curmudgeon's Dictionary, Revised Edition (c)
    			  Frederick M. Stenger 1991)

    While reading the September 1993 issue of "Car and Driver" magazine,
    I noticed a photo of Billy Edwards' entry in the Car and Driver
    "One Lap of America" contest, a "Stillen-ized" Nissan 300ZX.  There,
    on the front of the hood, was a Digital logo, in burgundy! (The
    logo was also on the side of the car.)  Edwards finished second
    (out of 66 finishers).
    
    This event was not televised, as best as I can tell (it takes over
    four days), but it shows that someone at Digital thought it was
    worth sponsoring an entry!
    
    				Steve