Click here to see the AS/400 ad - Print version

["David Keck" <dkeck@xxxxxxx>]

From Newswire/400 

An AS400 Network Publication             http://www.as400network.com
Home of NEWS/400
Issue 258                                            August 29, 2000

Click to see the ad
http://www.as400network.com/images/newsimages/2000/august/ibmad.html

The story behind the ad ...

AS/400 AD GRABS THE SPOTLIGHT
http://www.as400network.com/nwn/story.cfm?ID=8163
Rochester is taking advantage of the model 840's recent wins in four
major benchmarks to spread the word about AS/400 scalability and
performance. Big Blue ran an AS/400-specific ad in the Wall Street
Journal and USA Today this month, which will soon be followed by ads
in mainstream IT publications such as ComputerWorld and Internet
Week.

"The point of the ad is to place it in some highly visible
publications and really drive home the fact that we've got leadership
in four key benchmarks," says IBM spokesman Tim Dallman. "No one else
can make that claim, and we just wanted to make sure that the whole
world knows about it."

Tom Bittman, Gartner Group vice president of technology and
marketing, calls it a "good ad," aimed at the install base -- to show
the AS/400 as a safe, long-term bet -- as well as customers with
multiplatform environments. "I've talked to a lot of companies that
have four or five different architectures," Bittman says, "and
they're planning to consolidate. This kind of advertising program
just makes it more likely that they'll keep the AS/400."

The ad touts AS/400 dominance in TPC-C, NotesBench, Specjbb2000, and
VolanoMark. This focus on benchmarks captures attention. "People
aren't going to buy a system because it has the right benchmarks, but
benchmarks put it on the short list and make it a consideration,"
says Bittman.

But in order to be successful, the ad campaign has to last. If IBM
were to run the ad for the next 6 months, it would have a positive
impact on sales, Bittman predicts. You can check out the ad online at
http://www.as400network.com/images/newsimages/2000/august/ibmad.html
-- Joanna Moore, NEWS/400 Industry Reporter



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