Apple Launches its Largest Marketing Campaign Ever for iMac

New iMac Television Ads Premier This Sunday

Cupertino, California. Aug. 13, 1998. Apple Computer, Inc. today announced it is launching the largest marketing campaign in the Company's history for iMac, with paid media advertising totaling over $100 million during the remainder of the calendar year. iMac, Apple's new consumer computer, goes on sale nationwide this Saturday, August 15, and new iMac television commercials will premier nationally this Sunday, August 16.

"iMac does for Internet computing what the original Macintosh did for personal computing. Macintosh let anyone use a computer and iMac lets anyone get on to the Internet quickly and easily," said Steve Jobs, Apple's interim CEO. "We're launching this campaign because we want the world to know that iMac is the computer for the tens of millions of consumers who want to get on the Internet easily, quickly and affordably."

"There are an estimated 5 to 10 million consumers who are ready to buy a computer," said Lou Mazzucchelli, a financial analyst with Gerard Klauer Mattison & Co. "Given that access to the Internet is a leading reason for consumers to buy a personal computer, Apple's high-profile marketing of the Internet ready iMac makes a lot of sense."

Key elements of Apple's iMac campaign include:

Television Advertising
Apple's new iMac television ads will premier this Sunday, August 16, on Wonderful World of Disney (ABC, 7 p.m. local time). The ads will also run on national network programs such as Seinfeld, News Radio and Drew Carey, as well as on cable shows such as South Park and Larry King. Ads will run in the top ten spot markets including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Seattle, Minnesota and Denver. The iMac ads focus on iMac's key features -- easy Internet access, simplicity and speed -- versus the complexities of PCs. The ads will air throughout Europe and Japan beginning in September.

Magazine Advertising
A new 12-page iMac insert will be distributed in leading consumer magazines beginning this week, including Time, Newsweek, BusinessWeek, People, Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone. Over 15 million copies of the insert will be distributed in major magazines this quarter, more than double the amount of inserts Apple has distributed in the past. Apple's award-winning Think different ads will continue to appear on the back covers of national magazines.

Outdoor Advertising
This quarter, iMac outdoor billboards will go up in the following top ten cities: Boston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Seattle, Minneapolis and Denver. These billboards feature a large photo of iMac and one of the following headlines: "I think, therefore iMac."; "Chic. Not geek."; "Sorry, no beige."; or "Mental floss."

Radio Advertising
This week Apple launched its five-day countdown to iMac with a nationwide 20-station U.S. radio promotion featuring iMac giveaways every day until August 15.

Apple is also running a supporting "countdown to iMac" radio advertising blitz on several stations in each of Apple's top ten markets. Many resellers are running their own radio campaigns in conjunction with Apple's efforts. This is the largest radio campaign in the country this week.

Apple Computer, Inc. ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II, and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Apple is now recommitted to its original mission--to bring the best personal computing products and support to students, educators, designers, scientists, engineers, businesspersons and consumers in over 140 countries around the world.

Press Contacts:
Tami Begasse
Apple Computer, Inc.
(408) 974-2042
email: begasse@apple.com

News and information are available at Apple's Public Relations website (http://www.apple.com/pr/) or by calling Apple's Media Helpline at (408) 974-2042.

Apple, the Apple logo, and Macintosh are registered trademarks and iMac is a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Additional company and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the individual companies and are respectfully acknowledged.