From: Craig.Oshiro@f23.n980.z8.rbbs-net.ORG (Craig Oshiro)
Newsgroups: comp.os.os2.misc
Subject: Re: Advertising:  robing Hood Arrow
Date: 13 Apr 92 22:54:48 GMT


 JA> From: wjames@cse.ucsc.edu (John Amenta)
 JA> Subject: Advertising:  Robing Hood Arrow

 JA>   Am I wrong, or has Microsoft these last few weeks 
 JA>   gone on a very impressive, and in my opinion, very 
 JA>   well done media blitz? Microsoft's T.V. commercials 
 JA>   have appeared extremely strong and competitive to me, 
 JA>   with what it would seem, more money and more advertising 
 JA>   talent spent by Microsoft than ever before.  And it 
 JA>   seems to me, Microsoft is attempting, with its 
 JA>   remarkable advertising campaign (and remarkable 
 JA>   deceptive one too, but what else is new about 
 JA>   advertising ethics these days?) to knock out IBM even 
 JA>   before IBM gets into the boxing ring with OS/2.

I've seen a few MS commercials here (mostly about Microsoft Word).  I haven't
seen any Windows 3.1 commercials though so I can't comment.  I did go to a
Windows 3.1/Excel 4.0 demo though.  Most of the folks weren't too impressed by
3.1 though.  Excel 4.0 caught many folks attention (mine included) and the way
it was presented was also fun.  They showed a video clip which went along the
lines of building a professional looking spreadsheet while on the way up an
elevator to the office.  The slogan that was used was "My spreadsheet doesn't do
that". This later carried on into the live demo since the way one could win
prizes was to stand up and say that line when you saw something that Excel could
do that you're current spreadsheet couldn't.  Corny but it also made it fun for
the most part. More importantly though, it was a pretty good way to push the
major points across.  The next day, I attended the OS/2 2.0 rollout and I'll
have to honestly say that MS did a better overall job in their presentation of
Windows/Excel.   Regardless, people who attended the IBM demo were quite
impressed with 2.0's capabilities (and more so when those who didn't know the
pricing heard it was only $49 to upgrade from Windows).  The demonstrator also
did a good job of emphasizing the object oriented nature of the WorkPlace Shell.


 JA>   distribution is in full swing?  I think this has to be 
 JA>   one of the most critical junctures in IBM history, and I 
 JA>   think IBM should risk all to make sure their OS/2 arrow 
 JA>   not only hits the mark, but splits the MS Windows shaft 
 JA>   right down the middle.  To do this, in my opinion, IBM 
 JA>   needs not only to have a good advertising campaign for 
 JA>   OS/2, IBM needs to make advertising history with OS/2.  
 JA>   I wonder if IBM management sees the necessity for this?  

I used to feel this way too but not so much now.  I haven't seen any real large
OS/2 advertisement blitze but I have talked to a number of people who heard
about 2.0 via word of mouth (obviously from those who attended the demo).  I did
like the video clip shown about OS/2 and it had a catchy slogan about the user
being at the center of it all (i.e. Windows, DOS, OS/2 compatibility) as well as
the other clip shown at Comdex where "OS/2 is a breakthrough on Windows". 
Something along those lines would make a pretty good TV commercial. 

Anyway, I do have a greater deal of respect for MS after being at a live demo.
They did not claim it to be on operating system and also there was no
mudslinging.  Same went for the OS/2 demo though the demonstrator at one point
did make mention about OS/2 sales in relation to a competitors giving away
software.  Whats written in the magazines though doesn't do OS/2 justice though
since many draw their opinions and buying decisions from them. It has also
spurned way too many Windows vs OS/2 wars as well as OS/2 will be dead if IBM
doesn't do this, that....  Regardless of that hype though, OS/2 won't fail.  As
a matter of fact, developer support is already increasing and a number of people
who didn't have a clue as to what OS/2 was a few weeks ago are now asking about
it.  I do believe we'll see advertising once shrinkwrapped boxes hit the dealer
channel in quantity.  After all, if they advertised largely now, many folks will
hear the 4-8 week wait message.  In the meantime, word of mouth advertising is
making an impact so spread the word!

craig@uhunix.uhcc.hawaii.edu 

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