TV Spots Start Tonight For Commodore Amiga

Advertising

By Philip H. Dougherty
The New York Times

September 23, 1985

A spare, gray-haired man in a gray jumpsuit is seen walking purposefully up and down a series of shadowy staircases and then emerging in what can best be described as a temple-like hall, at once ancient and modern. At the end of it is a platform that can best be described as an altar. Something tabernacle-like glows from its center. As he nears, we see the object is a personal computer. A simple press of the button and he is bathed in its glow. He smiles, eyes closed as he soaks up the artificial light. Then, as our TV screen is filled with the computer screen on which appears a wide-eyed fetus, the voiceover delivers practically its only line in the 60-second commercial: ''Re-experience the mind unbounded.''

Then as the words ''Amiga by Commodore'' flash on the screen in a return from ''2001'' to reality, the voice adds: ''Amiga. The first personal computer that gives you the creative edge.''

That spot, which will also be seen in a 30-second length, will start running tonight on network TV and cable networks to get the name of this new personal computer across to those who could use it yet know nothing about it because they are not computer ''techies.'' Techies know all about the Amiga because of rave reviews in computer buff books. They, however, make up only a small fraction of the potential market.

The rest of it, in the mind of Robert B. Trukenbrod, Commodore's vice president-marketing, and his agency, naturally, is made up of those members of the 24-to-49 age group that have been competitive since childhood and are still looking for an edge.

And both the print and TV facets of the second phase of the campaign already completed by Ted Bates Advertising/New York will play up just that part of the thinking, using stock film footage of youngsters in the 1950's, waving their raised hands for attention in a classroom and competing in a soapbox derby and a Yo-Yo contest.

This second phase, according to Michael L. Becker, agency chief creative officer, is to get potential customers into the computer retail stores where demonstrations can clinch the sales. Although Mr. Trukenbrod will say only that total marketing spending will be about $40 million, the trade press has used the figure $20 million for an advertising budget. Of that, the agency said, 64 percent will go on network TV and the rest into magazines.