J.D. Edwards Propels Market Leadership Effort Forward With New Agency Relationship; Engages Shafer Advertising to Capitalize on the Enterprise Software Market Transition
IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 25, 1999--Enterprise business software provider J.D. Edwards & Company (NASDAQ:JDEC) has announced an agreement designating Shafer Advertising as its advertising agency of record. Shafer will handle J.D. Edwards' print and broadcast advertising program including strategy, worldwide creative development and testing, media strategy, and placement. Shafer will also manage J.D. Edwards' advertising in support of focused market penetration efforts aimed at industrial and consumer manufacturing markets and services industries.
Shafer will work with J.D. Edwards in the company's stated effort to gain market share in the enterprise software arena. "We'll launch initiatives with Shafer's help that establish a strong position for J.D. Edwards as a top-three leader coming out of this transitional market," said Michael Schmitt, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing and Product Strategies. "This relationship is a critical part of J.D. Edwards' marketing transformation."
J.D. Edwards selected Shafer following a thorough search of the leading agencies with experience in high technology, an understanding of global markets, and reputation for implementing innovative marketing communications solutions. Shafer was selected because of its strength in these areas, as well as its proven track record at adding strategic value to marketing programs and a high degree of responsiveness.
"J.D. Edwards represents an opportunity for Shafer from two perspectives: its strong position in a market undergoing a major transition, and its clear commitment to a focused market leadership strategy," said Andy Getsey, president of Shafer. "Few of the clients we work with come to us with as much clarity of their core differentiation as J.D. Edwards. They know they want to be leaders, and everyone from Doug Massingill the CEO, to their receptionists, knows what they have to do to get there."
About Shafer
One of the premier marketing communications partners for leading information age companies, Shafer provides fully integrated strategic marketing services including advertising and public relations as well as interactive media services. Shafer's clients include Candle Corporation, Cox Communications, Fujitsu Computer Products of America, JD Edwards, Mentor Graphics, MineShare Inc., Nokia, NTD Inc., Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc., and Xerox. Shafer has offices in Irvine and San Francisco, and employs more than forty-five full-time employees. Shafer's Irvine office is located at 18200 Von Karman Avenue, 8th floor, Irvine, Calif., 92612. The San Francisco address is 170 Maiden Lane, 5th Floor, San Francisco, Calif., 94108. Both offices can be reached toll-free at 800/503-1177. Shafer's Web site is located at www.shafer.net.
About J.D. Edwards
J.D. Edwards provides Idea to Action(TM) software for managing the enterprise and supply chain. The Company's integrated applications give customers control over their front office, manufacturing, logistics/distribution, human resources and finance processes for the consumer products, industrial and services industries.
J.D. Edwards enables Idea to Action with ActivEra(TM), a collection of tools and technologies that extend J.D. Edwards' SCOREx and AIMx supply chain solutions and OneWorld(TM) and WorldSoftware(TM) enterprise business software. ActivEra allows customers to change their enterprise software quickly and easily during and after implementation. The Company's solutions operate in multiple computing environments, including Windows NT(R), UNIX(R) and OS/400(R), and are Java(TM) and HTML enabled. Founded in 1977, J.D. Edwards is headquartered in Denver and posted fiscal 1998 revenues of $934 million. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Company at 1-800-727-5333, or via the Internet at www.jdedwards.com.
--30--JS/np* JP/np
CONTACT:
Shafer Public Relations
Steve Chesterman or Sheryl Smith, 800/503-1177
sc1@shafer.usa.com
ss1@shafer.usa.com |