Apple sets $100 mln ad campaign for iMac
Reuters Story - August 13, 1998 17:05
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CUPERTINO, Calif., Aug 13 (Reuters) - Apple Computer Inc.
said on Thursday it would launch its largest ever
advertising campaign for its new iMac computer, spending more
than $100 million through the end of 1998.
Apple's new consumer computer, goes on sale nationwide
Saturday, and new iMac television commercials will premier Aug.
16, the company said.
Apple did not disclose many details about the advertising
campaign, except to say the ads will focus on the iMac's key
features - easy Internet access, simplicity and speed.
Apple recently gained a lot of attention with its
multi-million dollar "Think Different" marketing campaign,
which it launched last September after co-founder Steve Jobs
rejoined the company as interim chief executive and re-hired
Apple's old ad agency, TBWA Chiat Day.
Chiat Day also created the widely-acclaimed television
commercial, "1984," which Apple showed only once on television
during the 1984 Super Bowl, to launch the first Macintosh.
Apple said its ads will air throughout Europe and Japan
beginning in September.
"We have a big message that we want to get out to a lot of
people," said Phil Schiller, vice president of worldwide
marketing at Apple, in a telephone interview. "It is definitely
the largest campaign we have ever had, just as the pre-orders
are the largest we have ever had."
On Monday, Apple said that it has received orders for more
than 150,000 units of the new consumer Macintosh, the iMac,
which goes on sale in stores nationwide Saturday, August 15.
Apple started accepting pre-orders on August 3.
Bradley Johnson, a columnist for Advertising Age, said that
Apple spent about $85 million for the "1984" campaign.
"Apple spent $85 million to launch a revolution and they
are spending $100 million to launch an evolution," Johnson
said. He also pointed out that Compaq Computer Corp ,
the world's largest PC maker, doubled its U.S. consumer
advertising budget to about $50 million this year.
"This means that Apple appears to be on track to do the
biggest, most concentrated consumer computer campaign in
history," Johnson said. |
