hatcher@INGRES.BERKELEY.EDU (Doug Merritt) (03/07/87)
It just occurred to me...I haven't seen any of the Amiga TV commercials that supposedly have started being shown (nor magazine advertisements, either, not even in the BYTE A2000 issue). I probably just don't watch enough tv. :-) Does anybody out there know some time slots where I could make a point of tuning in to see how the ads are going? If nothing else I could time delay with my vcr. Doug You can always tell the real AMIGA fanatics; they turn the sound *up* when Amy commercials come on. Say, remember the old 7 UP commercials with the spacy animation that everybody loved? I actually watched programs I didn't like in order to see these commercials! Hey, Commodore, try it! Do a contract with Aegis; have somebody use Videoscape 3D to produce trippy animation, then use it in an Amiga commercial. Of course, you'd risk impressing 240 million people that way...
ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab) (03/08/87)
[ Crush, Crumble, and Chomp is a trademark of Line Eaters, Inc. ] In article <8703070956.AA24631@ingres.Berkeley.EDU> hatcher@INGRES.BERKELEY.EDU (Doug Merritt) writes: >It just occurred to me...I haven't seen any of the Amiga TV commercials >that supposedly have started being shown (nor magazine advertisements, >either, not even in the BYTE A2000 issue). I probably just don't watch >enough tv. :-) > >Does anybody out there know some time slots where I could make a point >of tuning in to see how the ads are going? If nothing else I could >time delay with my vcr. > Doug > >You can always tell the real AMIGA fanatics; they turn the sound *up* >when Amy commercials come on. Say, remember the old 7 UP commercials with >the spacy animation that everybody loved? I actually watched programs >I didn't like in order to see these commercials! Hey, Commodore, try it! >Do a contract with Aegis; have somebody use Videoscape 3D to produce >trippy animation, then use it in an Amiga commercial. Of course, you'd >risk impressing 240 million people that way... I'm SOOOO glad someone brought this up, since it gives me the PERFECT excuse to post this. On the WELL, we've had a local discussion in the Amiga conference concerning the sad state of Amiga advertising. Being the owner of a slightly deranged mind, I posted the following article to that topic. I thought it might now be of general interest. Enjoy it. BTW, if some marketroid sees this, and actually decides to produce it, please give credit where credit is due. Also, this isn't the only idea I've written up..... _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ ________ ___ Leo L. Schwab \ /___--__ The Guy in The Cape ___ ___ /\ ---##\ ihnp4!ptsfa!well!ewhac / X \_____ | __ _---)) ..or.. / /_\-- -----+==____\ // \ _ well ---\ ___ ( o---+------------------O/ \/ \ dual ----> !unicom!ewhac \ / ___ \_ (`o ) hplabs -/ ("AE-wack") ____ \___/ \_/ Recumbent Bikes: "Work FOR? I don't work FOR The _O_n_l_y Way To Fly! anybody! I'm just having fun." _-_-_-_-_-_-_- Copy of article follows: _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ Ok, I cooked up four formal scripts, and am posting the one I would most like to see produced. Mind you, these can be adapted for any future Amiga-type product. Regarding Perry's comment on deliberate downplay: I don't think so. I think it's just stupidity on the part of CBM. Have you seen any mass market ads for the C-64C lately? The 128? I haven't. Maybe I'm reading all the wrong magazines. Or maybe Commodore simply isn't advertising what has to be the biggest gem they've ever had. I think my ad ideas, while definitely the work of an amateur, would at least be fun to make, and I'm more than certain would be fun to watch and be effective advertising. See what you think of this. Schwab P.S: There is a copyright notice in it. This is to prevent some unscrupulous ad agency from stealing the idea and not giving credit where it is due. --------Script follows-------- Advertising for the Amiga Computer by Leo L. Schwab Copyright (C) 1987 by Leo L. Schwab. All Rights Reserved. Title: Amiga Trek (An original idea) Projected length: 90 seconds [Note: Due to copyright restrictions [by Paramount], the ad may have to be mutated a bit to prevent legal hassles.] INTERIOR SPACESHIP. WE ARE ON THE BRIDGE. SETTING IS REMINISCENT OF THE BRIDGE OF THE STARSHIP ENTERPRISE. CAPTAIN SITS IN COMMAND CHAIR. HELMSMAN AND NAVIGATOR ARE AT THEIR RESPECTIVE CONSOLES IN THE FOREGROUND. OTHERS ATTEND SURROUNDING CONSOLES IN THE BACKGROUND. HELMSMAN Completing sweep, sir. CAPTAIN Good. Come around to heading zero mark one five zero. HELMSMAN Aye aye, sir. FX OF LARGE EXPLOSION. BRIDGE ROCKS. PEOPLE THROWN ABOUT. ALL CONSOLE LIGHTS START FLICKERING ERRATICALLY. CAPTAIN CLAWS HIS WAY TO THE NAVIGATION CONSOLE. CAPTAIN WHAT HAPPENED? NAVIGATOR A Klingon vessel just fired upon us. It must have been cloaked. HELMSMAN None of the controls are responding, sir. CUT TO CLOSE UP OF CAPTAIN'S CHAIR. CAPTAIN ENTERS FRAME AND PUNCHES BUTTON ON CHAIR. CAPTAIN Damage report! SCOTTY (over intercom) Captain! That Klingon blast took out all our computers! CAPTAIN (look of controlled panic) Scotty, without those computers, we're finished! You've got to do something. SCOTTY I've got an idea, sir, but it's a slim chance.... CAPTAIN Without it, we've got no chance at all. Do it! SCOTTY Aye, sir! CUT TO INTERIOR COMPUTER ROOM. ROWS OF COMPUTER BANKS LINE THE WALL. ALL LIGHTS ARE FLASHING ERRATICALLY OR ARE TOTALLY DARK. PERHAPS A COMMODORE LOGO OBSCURELY PLACED ON THE MACHINES SOMEWHERE. CREWMEN TRY TO SERVICE THE MACHINE, WHICH SHOWS ITS APPRECIATION BY OCCASIONALLY ARCING AND PRODUCING SHOWERS OF ELECTRICAL SPARKS. CREWMEN RECOIL BUT KEEP TRYING. SCOTTY IS AT THE FAR WALL NEAR AN INTERCOM. SCOTTY Crewman! (one of the crewmen servicing the machines trots up to SCOTTY) There's an antique computer in my quarters. Bring it here! CREWMAN SCURRIES OFF OUT OF SHOT. CUT TO INTERIOR HALLWAY. CREWPEOPLE ARE RUNNING HERE, REPAIRING THERE. LIGHTS FLICKER AND DIM. A MAN WITH A CART IS AT THE REAR OF THE HALL. OUR CREWMAN EMERGES FROM THE DOOR IN THE FOREGROUND FROM THE COMPUTER ROOM. HE RUNS DOWN THE HALL AWAY FROM THE CAMERA. CREWMAN (as he runs past MAN with cart) Bring that cart! BOTH MAN AND CREWMAN RUN OUT OF SHOT AT REAR OF HALL. CUT TO INTERIOR BRIDGE. LOW SHOT OF NAVIGATION CONSOLE LOOKING TOWARDS REAR OF BRIDGE. CAPTAIN STILL IN STATE OF CONTROLLED PANIC. HELMSMAN Shields are down... NAVIGATOR Phasers inoperative. CAPTAIN Where are those computers?! CUT TO INTERIOR HALLWAY. THREE-QUARTER FRONT TWO-SHOT OF CREWMAN AND MAN RUNNING DOWN HALL. CAMERA TRUCKS TO FOLLOW. CREWPEOPLE ARE RUNNING THIS WAY AND THAT. LIGHTS STILL FLICKERING. VAGUELY MECHANICAL VOICE DRONES "RED ALERT" OVER AND OVER. CREWMAN SUDDENLY TURNS TOWARDS A DOOR; MAN FOLLOWS. CUT TO INTERIOR SCOTTY'S QUARTERS. LOW, TABLE LEVEL SHOT. AMIGA COMPUTER WITH MONITOR SITS ON THE TABLE IN THE FOREGROUND. A STACK OF LAZILY PILED 3.5 INCH DISKS IS ALSO VISIBLE. DOOR IN BACKGROUND. CAMERA IS FOCUSED ON AMIGA NAMEPLATE, DOOR IS FUZZY. DOOR OPENS, CREWMAN AND MAN RUN IN. CREWMAN PRACTICALLY THROWS THE AMIGA, MONITOR, AND DISKS ON CART. CUT BACK TO BRIDGE. CAPTAIN IN CHAIR IN FOREGROUND, COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER IN BACKGROUND. CAPTAIN TURNS TO HER. CAPTAIN Open a channel, try hailing them. COMMUNICATIONS I've tried that sir, on all frequencies. There's no response. CAPTAIN (turning back to main view screen) Scotty! CUT BACK TO HALLWAY. FULL-FRONT SHOT OF MAN AND CREWMAN RUNNING DOWN HALL WITH AMIGA IN CART. PEOPLE RUNNING, LIGHTS DIMMING. CREWMAN TURNS INTO COMPUTER ROOM DOOR. MAN FOLLOWS. CUT BACK TO INTERIOR COMPUTER ROOM. MECHANICAL VOICE STILL DRONING "RED ALERT." A TEAM OF TECHNICIANS ARE STILL WORKING ON THE MAIN COMPUTER, DOING QUICK REPATCHING. CREWMAN ENTERS FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY MAN. SCOTTY TURNS TO FACE THEM. CREWMAN IMMEDIATELY STARTS PLUGGING POWER CORDS IN. SCOTTY RIPS OFF THE EXPANSION CONNECTOR AND PLUGS IN AN EXOTIC-LOOKING INTERFACE CARD AT THE END OF A RATS NEST OF WIRES AND FIBER OPTICS (APPARENTLY SCOTTY JUST KLUDGED THIS UP). CUT BACK TO BRIDGE. SHOT OF MAIN VIEW SCREEN OVER THE SHOULDERS OF CAPTAIN, NAVIGATOR, AND HELMSMAN. SCREEN SHOWS EMPTY SPACE FOR A MOMENT, THEN A KLINGON-LIKE VEHICLE FADES IN. NAVIGATOR There it is! HELMSMAN They're maneuvering to fire! CAPTAIN (violently punches comm button) Scotty, we need those computers NOW!! CUT BACK TO COMPUTER ROOM. THREE-QUARTER SHOT OF AMIGA ON CART IN FOREGROUND, WITH RATS NEST CONNECTED TO IT. RATS NEST LEADS TO COMPUTER BANKS ON WALL. CREWMAN HOLDING MOUSE, OPERATING AMIGA. WORKBENCH SCREEN IS UP, WITH ICONS IN A WINDOW. CREWMAN POINTS AT AN ICON AND DOUBLE-CLICKS ON IT. SCOTTY IN BACKGROUND, TALKING INTO INTERCOM. SCOTTY It's coming up now, sir. Just a few more seconds... CUT BACK TO BRIDGE. LOW THREE-SHOT OF CAPTAIN AT NAV CONSOLE BETWEEN HELMSMAN AND NAVIGATOR. CAPTAIN (losing it) We haven't GOT a few seconds!! NAVIGATOR Sir! (CAPTAIN looks up) They're in position! CUT TO CLOSE-UP OF AMIGA. OUTBOARD PROFILE OF CONSTITUTION-CLASS STARSHIP APPEARS ON SCREEN (WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE THE STARFLEET TECHNICAL MANUAL? :-) ). THEN, AN INBOARD DECK DIAGRAM FILLS IN THE SHIP PROFILE. THEN, A ROUNDED ENVELOPE, REPRESENTING THE SHIELDS, SURROUNDS THE PICTURE OF THE SHIP. THEN, THE WORDS "ON LINE" APPEAR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN. CUT TO CLOSE UP OF SCOTTY AT INTERCOM ON WALL. SCOTTY NOW SIR! CUT BACK TO PREVIOUS SHOT OF BRIDGE. HELMSMAN (in disbelief) We have shields... CAPTAIN PHASERS! FIRE! NAVIGATOR PRESSES BUTTON. APPROPRIATE SOUND FX. CUT TO SHOT OF MAIN VIEWSCREEN. PHASER BOLT HITS KLINGON VESSEL, AND EXPLODES, WITH SOUND FX. VESSEL IS NOT DESTROYED, BUT IS VISIBLY KNOCKED AROUND. CUT TO BRIDGE. THREE-QUARTER FRONT THREE-SHOT OF NAV CONSOLE. NAVIGATOR A hit! HELMSMAN They're off course... CAPTAIN (pressing buttons on console) Get us out of here! (NAVIGATOR helps him) CUT TO CLOSE-UP OF AMIGA SCREEN. THREE-D PICTURE OF SHIP ON SCREEN. X, Y, AND Z ROTATION VALUES IN CORNER. SHIP ROTATES TO NEW HEADING, UPDATING XYZ VALUES, AND STOPS. BACKGROUND SOUND FX OF SHIP PREPARING TO ENTER WARP DRIVE. THE WORDS "WARP 9" APPEAR AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN. CUT TO EXTERIOR SHIP. VISUAL FX OF SHIP ENTERING WARP DRIVE. CUT TO INTERIOR BRIDGE. WIDE THREE-QUARTER FRONT SHOT. EMOTIONAL RELIEF FROM CREW, CHEERS, ETC. CAPTAIN SINKS BACK IN CHAIR. CAPTAIN Scotty, are you there? SCOTTY (over intercom) Aye, sir. CAPTAIN How do you do it? CUT TO CLOSE UP OF SCOTTY IN COMPUTER ROOM AT INTERCOM. SCOTTY I use only the best equipment, sir. (turns to look at Amiga) CUT TO FULL SHOT OF AMIGA. MOVING STAR GRAPHIC ON SCREEN. FADE IN AMIGA LOGO AT BOTTOM OF SCREEN. HOLD FOR THREE SECONDS. FADE TO BLACK. [ Editor's note: A couple of local responses follow: ] ,E ,R0000 ,U2903,fw ,AFred Wright ,D2030424c ,T You forgot to have Scotty try to talk into the mouse :-) Actually, maybe there should be a closeup of the Enterprise's main computer, revealing the "Amiga 9000" logo (those gizmos they always stuck in the machine did look a lot like 3.5 floppies, didn't they?). Then, if you REALLY want to impress people, do the whole video ON the Amiga. BTW, I don't think you have to worry too much about copyright problems. Paramount didn't copyright much of anything in the original series. That's why they changed the uniforms in the films - to be able to make some money on product licensing. ,E ,R0000 ,U1966,pokey ,AJef Poskanzer ,D2031875f ,T I think you could cut it down to a minute and increase the impact by not showing the Amiga until the final ten seconds or so. Think of the Dr. Pepper commercials. Amiga is brought in to engineering, is hooked up, boots instantly (hah!), starts displaying trekkish stuff, cut to bridge (where monitors are showing similar displays), and Kirk is giving orders, etc.
tony@artecon.artecon.UUCP (Anthony D. Parkhurst) (03/09/87)
In article <2726@well.UUCP> ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab) writes: >--------Script follows-------- >Advertising for the Amiga Computer >by Leo L. Schwab . > Copyright 1987 Leo Schwab etc. . . > SCOTTY > (over intercom) Captain! That Klingon blast took out all > our computers! . . . hahahahahahha nice script, reads like a ten-minute scene in a movie. Pretty good except for one thing, shouldn't Spock be the one that deals with the computers??? It would give more 'Intellectual' impact. -- Tony -- **************** Insert 'Standard' Disclaimer here: OOP ACK! ***************** * Tony Parkhurst -- {hplabs|sdcsvax|ncr-sd|hpfcla|ihnp4}!hp-sdd!artecon!adp * * -OR- hp-sdd!artecon!adp@nosc.ARPA * *******************************************************************************
feb@cblpe.UUCP (03/09/87)
In article <8703070956.AA24631@ingres.Berkeley.EDU> hatcher@INGRES.BERKELEY.EDU (Doug Merritt) writes: ... >You can always tell the real AMIGA fanatics; they turn the sound *up* >when Amy commercials come on. Say, remember the old 7 UP commercials with >the spacy animation that everybody loved? I actually watched programs ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >I didn't like in order to see these commercials! Hey, Commodore, try it! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ... That's it!!! That's how Commodore can raise more money to support development work on Ranger and new custom chips: Produce some really far out wonderful commercials that everyone will want to watch many times. Run them for one week on the highest rated show on network tv (Cosby?) Then pull them and wait. Public response will be so great that everyone will want to see them again. Then CBM goes to CBS and ABC and tells them, "OK, we'll run our top rated commercial on your lowest rated shows if you pay US the big $$$$. People will tune in to your shows to see our commercials, and the rating of your shows will go up, so you'll be able to hike your ad fees for those shows and recover the money you paid us, plus a fat profit." (Insert standard disclaimers and :-)'s.) -- Franco Barber AT&T Bell Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio ..!cbatt!cbuxc!cblpe!feb (614) 860-7803
gwe@cbosgd.UUCP (03/11/87)
In article <375@artecon.artecon.UUCP> tony@artecon.UUCP (Anthony D. Parkhurst) writes: >In article <2726@well.UUCP> ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab) writes: >>--------Script follows-------- >>Advertising for the Amiga Computer >>by Leo L. Schwab >. >> Copyright 1987 Leo Schwab etc. >. >. >> SCOTTY >> (over intercom) Captain! That Klingon blast took out all >> our computers! > >Pretty good except for one thing, shouldn't Spock be the one that deals >with the computers??? It would give more 'Intellectual' impact. > >-- Tony > Yeah, but the only way to get Nimoy to do the part would be to let him direct the commercial ! :-) You also need to add Bones saying, "Dammit, Jim, I'm a surgeon, not a hacker !" And, of course, Chekov needs a good scream or two... (Lets see, how many more new lines does Pnews need ? ...uh... oh, yeah) Maybe add something like "M-5 Controller" to the window... or maybe not. Of course, maybe Commodore could just take the money they would have spent on this and rebate all us faithful Amigos... Seriously, while it would probably be impossible to get approval from Paramount and Roddenberry, I think Commodore could do much worse than an ad like this. F'rinstance, the commercial they used to run for the C64, showing the kid getting on the train for college, then coming back 'cause he flunked out 'cause he didn't have his own C64 to become smart with. I *hated* that one; "Gee, guys, let's just blackmail the public into buying our product !" (Finally ! Enough lines !) ------------------------------clip and save---------------------------------- Bill Thacker cbatt!cbosgd!gwe DISCLAIMER: Farg 'em if they can't take a joke ! "The two most common things in the Universe are hydrogen and stupidity" - Harlan Ellison -----------------------------valuable coupon---------------------------------
ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab) (09/29/87)
[ Send depositions, bulletproof vests, and safecrackers.... ]
Last night I attended a screening of the 1987 Clio Awards. For
people who don't know, Clio is an organization that distributes awards for
excellence in advertising. Awards are granted (more or less) solely on the
basis of creativity.
This year, there were *THREE* winning TV ads that stuck in my craw.
These three ads were for Apple Computer. After I thought about it, it
dawned on me that, each time I've attended the Clios, Apple always had some
sort of presence. Further, *no other computer company* has had a Clio
winning ad (at least, not that I can recall). Oops, I take that back, I
think the IBM Roller Skating ad won a Clio.
Now, admittedly, it's not Apple that won the awards, but the agency
they retain to do their ads (B.B.D.O., I think). Nevertheless, I still find
it slightly irritating that Apple always seems to have a presence at the
Clios. If nothing else, it says that Apple has the best of any computer
advertising.
Clearly, this situation needs to be rectified. We've already beat
the advertising issue to a pulp. However, I submit that we don't just need
advertising, we need *GOOD* advertising. I have ideas for at least five
different ads, all of which are quite good (if I do say so myself). I
posted one of them a while back (the Star Trek ad).
An acquaintence of mine who is in marketing (and has managed to
remain human, oddly enough) says that it's entirely possible to get these
ideas seriously considered by Commodore's ad agency, if I submit them
properly.
So. Does anyone have any idea who I should contact, and how I
should go about it? Don't think it's not possible. My "Berserk" animation
almost made it into an Amiga 500 TV ad.
Let's get us a Clio next year.
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Leo L. Schwab -- The Guy in The Cape ihnp4!ptsfa -\
\_ -_ Recumbent Bikes: dual ---> !{well,unicom}!ewhac
O----^o The Only Way To Fly. hplabs / (pronounced "AE-wack")
"Work FOR? I don't work FOR anybody! I'm just having fun." -- The Doctorrobinson@renoir.Berkeley.EDU.UUCP (09/30/87)
In article <4061@well.UUCP> ewhac@well.UUCP (Leo 'Bols Ewhac' Schwab) writes: > This year, there were *THREE* winning TV ads that stuck in my craw. >These three ads were for Apple Computer. After I thought about it, it >dawned on me that, each time I've attended the Clios, Apple always had some >sort of presence. Further, *no other computer company* has had a Clio >winning ad (at least, not that I can recall). Oops, I take that back, I >think the IBM Roller Skating ad won a Clio. Kaypro (remember them) won a Clio for their "but how much does it REALLY cost" ad. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Mike Robinson USENET: ucbvax!ernie!robinson ARPA: robinson@ernie.berkeley.edu
jmdavis@ihlpm.ATT.COM (Davis) (11/04/88)
I have been showing off a small video I produced of some work
related process around here, it has been getting a warm reception.
When showing it, I start off by saying that this is something that
I put together in my spare time on my personal computer, no mention
of the Amiga by name. This angle has had a rather interesting effect.
First they must imagine that the quality would be similar to what
they would get off of their personal computers. Then they see it.
Overscan is soooooo nice, it is so subtle, the effect is like you
are watching real TV, not some computer generated stuff. Secondly
it slowly dawns on them that this is no ordinary personal computer.
I like this part since my casual mention at the beginning of the video
was soooo casual that I expect they thought they could do it on their
computers too. Finally they ask me what kind of PC it was and I say
Amiga, again rather casually, as if I am implying, "why, can't your
PC do this?"
I mean I was getting questions like:
"And then you pointed the video camera at the screen,
right?"
"What did you do it on, an AT?"
(For alert viewers, this conversation could have gone on at lunch,
I could have been asked "So what computer does this kind of work?"
and I could have taken a bite of my sandwich and mumbled:
"Amumhghiiga" they would say "What?" and I would say "AMUMHGHIIGA!".)
Anyway, this casual attitude is:
1) Fun
2) Effective
I urge you all to try it.
======
On a related issue, in order to sell the Amiga more solidly around here
I was wondering what other personal computers support overscan? I suspect
that the Mac II can, but I am curious about the expense of the device to
convert the default Mac II output to overscan NTSC (if one is even necessary
or exists).
Lastly, even if the locals here don't decide to buy some for work,
I expect that I have some folks looking seriously at Amigas for Xmas.
If we could all just urge one associate to buy an Amiga, and next year
they urge just one, and so on, and so on ..... there will be world peace.
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mike Davis ..!att!ihlpm!jmdavis
char*p="char*p=%c%s%c;main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}";main(){printf(p,34,p,34);}C475141@umcvmb.missouri.edu (BRIAN WHITMAN) (09/12/89)
I am excited to hear that the folks at the top are going to promote
our wonderful machine. However though, I have a slight question about
how they are planning to run these all these advertisements. Do they
plan on placing them as:
national or local spots
prime or non-prime time
How about some during the national news on all three networks. And I
think that there is some type of Wall Street/business type show on one
of the networksds how about there too. If anyone knows any further
details concerning the above questions I would like to hear.
Thanks
Brian E Whitman