SharpVision Plans Seven-Figure Marketing Campaign

SharpVision said it will back its new
Digital Television (DTV) product line and its dealers with a million-dollar
integrated marketing plan this fall.

The marketing strategy will be supported with a national advertising campaign,
handled by Griffin Bacal. Shandwick International, Sharp’s public
relations agency of record, will also play a role in the communications mix.

SharpVision is planning to advertise in print and on the Internet; plans for
TV or radio have not been divulged. Also under consideration are cooperative
spots with key retailers for both print and broadcast, as well as a possible
series of events at SharpVision retailers.

“DTV will be to television what the CD was to music–in that it will
revolutionize home entertainment as we know it with enhanced picture quality,
Dolby Digital audio and future applications such as home networking and data
broadcasting,” said Bob Scaglione, associate vice president, digital products
division, Sharp Electronics Corp.

“DTV is a technology that will change
everything from broadcast production to viewing and because it is somewhat
confusing to the consumer, it really needs to be explained. This product line
deserves and requires a superior ad campaign.”

Sharp Electronics recently created a new sales and marketing group, the
Digital Products Division, comprised of product planning, marketing and sales,
and focused on future digital consumer electronics products, with special
emphasis on the further development of DTV for the U.S. market.

SharpVision DTV products, including the TU-DTV1000 DTV decoder, the 64-LHP5000
rear projection HDTV and the new XV-ZW99 widescreen DTV-ready LCD front
projector, are scheduled to ship to dealers by November.