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Micro Solutions' RoadStor |
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Gateway's Handbook |
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Zenith Data Systems' CruisePAD |
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Life Fitness' Lifecycle Exercise Bike |
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Zenith Data Systems |
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Mediaphile AV Technologies |
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Distributed Bits |
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Product Launch
The Company: Gateway
The Product: HandBook
The Challenge:
Gateway (formerly Gateway 2000) created a new class of portable computer when it introduced the HandBook in 992. It bridged the gap between notebooks and palmtops with the functionality of a full-sized notebook, but in a much smaller, yet eminently usable, form factor. Our communications challenge was to introduce this product to the industry and establish Gateway as the creator of this new class of portable computing.
The Strategy:
Gibson Communications put together a strategy to launch this new product in several stages. First, we conducted nondisclosure meetings with key monthly computer trade magazines at Spring Comdex, a leading technology trade show. We then placed high-quality pre-production units with the trade publications that conducted previews of new products several months prior to the launch so that the reviews would appear at the time of the news coverage announcing the product. We then built anticipation for the product by "leaking" select information about the HandBook to key weekly trade publications two weeks prior to the formal announcement. Following the announcement, Gibson Communications staged a media tour to the rest of the target trade and business publications, as well as industry analysts.
In all, more than 60 editors and analysts from PC Week, PC World, PC/Computing, PC Magazine, Computer Shopper, InfoWorld, BYTE, PC Sources, Computer Shopper, Popular Science, Ziff-Davis Publishing, Dataquest, InfoCorp and IDC attended the appointments Gibson Communications scheduled.
After the launch, Gibson Communications worked with the media and arranged for the Gateway HandBook to receive stand-alone reviews in technology trade publications and to be included in appropriate round-up and feature stories.
The Results:
The results were tremendous. The media positioned Gateway as the creator of this new product category, and the HandBook received extensive press coverage with more than 100 stories, story inclusions and reviews appearing. In addition, the HandBook won two very prestigious industry awards: it was named a 1992 "Most Valuable Product" by PC Computing, and it won a 1993 "Best of What’s New" award by Popular Science.