8x8 Embarks on Major Campaign to Promote ViaTV VIDEOPHONES
PR Newswire - September 17, 1998 08:17
Campaign Encompasses Print, Radio and TV and Emphasizes the Benefits of Personal Visual Communication
SANTA CLARA, Calif., Sept 17 /PRNewswire/ -- 8x8, Inc. (Nasdaq: EGHT), a leader in video communication products and technology, announced today that it
is beginning a $3 million dollar advertising campaign designed to raise consumer awareness about the company's ViaTV Videophone product line. The campaign
includes full-page ads in several major consumer magazines, a unique promotion on the San Francisco Bay Area radio station Alice (KLLC), and a radio and TV
campaign with retailer J&R Computer World in the New York metropolitan area.
"With our expanded ViaTV Videophone product line and great retail distribution, we felt that it was time to expand consumer awareness of this new technology,"
said Chris McNiffe, 8x8's vice president of sales and marketing. "Advertising in consumer print publications is a cost-effective way to reach our potential customers,
such as the parents of young children. The ads created for the print segment of the campaign deliver a warm, family-oriented message that emphasizes the greater
closeness that a video call provides."
8x8's print campaign is targeting family-oriented consumer publications, including Better Homes and Gardens, Good Housekeeping, Parents, Parenting, People and
Vanity Fair. More news- and travel-oriented targets include American Way, Newsweek, Northwest Traveler, Time and United Hemispheres. Technology-oriented
publications include Wired and Computers Made Easy. Excluding multiple insertions in each magazine, the schedule represents an unduplicated reach of over 30
million households, or about one-third of all American households.
"For the Radio Alice promotion, we've developed a 60-second radio spot that outlines the history of two-way communications and lets people know that the
telephone of the future is now available," noted McNiffe. "While many people are familiar with the idea of a videophone because they have seen them on television
programs and cartoons for years, most people do not realize that videophones now really exist - and are very affordable. This new spot helps show that personal
communications have evolved to include a visual component, and that the ViaTV is leading the way."
In addition to the radio spots and other promotional activities, ViaTV Videophones will also be used during Alice's popular morning show, the "Sarah and Vinnie"
show. Radio Alice reaches over 540,000 Bay area listeners per week and is the number-one rated radio station in the all-important adult 18- to 49-year-old age
bracket. Also, the "Sarah and Vinnie" show was recently voted the best Bay Area morning radio show by readers of the Bay Area Guardian newspaper.
"We have been very excited about using ViaTV Videophones on our show," said Sarah Clark, co-host of Alice's morning show. "Until now, we have been able to
speak with many of our listeners, but we have never been able to see them - or what they were doing. The ViaTV adds a whole new dimension to the show."
8x8 is also participating in a major media campaign with the New York metropolitan area retailer J&R Computer World. The campaign consists of cable TV spots
on CNN, CNN Financial News, MTV, MSNBC, TBS, New York 1, BET and VH1. In addition, the J&R campaign includes 60-second radio spots on WBBR,
WCBS, WIMS, and the Imus in the Morning radio show.
About the 8x8 ViaTV Videophone
8x8 offers a complete line of ViaTV Videophones, all of which are easy to use and deliver full-color motion video over standard telephone lines. The elegant
Desktop Videophone model includes a brilliant 4-inch color display, and it is ideal for one-to-one video conversations. To allow the whole family to get involved,
8x8 also offers the Set-Top Videophone, which uses the consumer's television as its display and allows a room full of people to participate. Both models include an
integrated digital camera and connect to a standard touch-tone phone, which is used to operate the videophone.
Both ViaTV models are extremely easy to install and use. Simply plugging the Desktop model into a standard telephone line, a touch-tone phone, and the power
supply has it working in just minutes. Connecting the Set-Top model to a television takes just a few seconds longer. To use either ViaTV Videophone, just pick up
the phone and dial a friend or relative, just as you would normally. When the other party answers, either party can start video with just two keystrokes.
About 8x8
A leading manufacturer of video communication systems, semiconductors and software, 8x8, Inc. is committed to providing both businesses and consumers with a
more complete way of communicating. From high-performance video processors to affordable videophones, 8x8's products offer a full range of video
communications and telephony solutions. The company is headquartered at 2445 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, California 95054. For more information, call
toll free 888-VIEW-8X8, or visit 8x8's web site at 8x8.com. For European sales, contact 8x8's London office at 8x8, Ltd., Harleyford Estate, Marlow,
Bucks, SL7 2DX England, 011-44-1628-402800, fax 011-44-1628-402829.
This press release contains forward-looking statements. 8x8's actual results may differ materially from the results discussed, implied or forecasted in the
forward-looking statements due to factors including in particular the uncertainty of market acceptance of videophones, the limits of existing videophone technology,
rapid technological change, compliance with industry standards, dependence on key personnel, dependence on new product introduction and current and potential
competition. Further information on these and other factors that could affect the actual results of 8x8 are included in 8x8's Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
ended June 30, 1998, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
8x8, the 8x8 logo,ViaTV, and the ViaTV logo are trademarks of 8x8, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
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