Distributor Meeting
tributors a better insight into
how to get maximum benefit
from these ATARI services and
how ATARI is continuing to im-
plement programs that assure
highest quality products and
support services.
A marketing research dis-
cussion was given by Mary
Takatsuno and Linda Butcher
that focused on recent player
demographic studies and cur-
rent pre-testing procedures-
data that helps determine who
our players are, where they
are and why they like or dislike
a game.
Frank Bal louz talked about
plans for an expanding pro-
gram of advertising and pro-
motion designed to increase
player awareness that will
stimulate profitability for
Promotions
for Profit
Ian Bulloch, President of
Game Town, U.S.A. in Oakland,
California, sent us an idea that
he used as a goodwill type of
promotion. He sent out a "spe-
c ial notice" to all of his cus-
tomers, inviting them to a
"complimentary 2½ hour les-
son in basic electronics.' ' The
course he offered was held on
a Saturday morning at 8:30,
and it didn't requi re any heavy
mathematical understanding.
As the mailer read: "This
course is to teach you just
what electricity is all about." In
the course of learning about
general electricity, the course
also explained the basic elec-
trical theory behind the opera-
tion of video and pinball games.
This is a great method for
bringing people into your loca-
tion. A local college professor
or a service techn ic ian on the
games would make an ideal
lecturer. And the games are
right there to be used as de-
monstration pieces. So it's con-
venient, and it's a good promo-
tional device. Thanks, Ian!
continued
distributors and operators.
Some key programs include:
1. Asteroids Deluxe "Astro-
data" mai Ii ngs. Kits contain-
ing free advertising materials
to introduce and sell the
games at the location level are
being mailed to operators (see
related story this issue) to rein-
force existing color ads in an
expanded schedule of national
trade magazines.
2. Television and Radio Ad-
vertising. Another industry
first. ATAR I will be test adver-
tising both Missile Command™
coin-op and home cartridge in
six major cities in late May to
increase awareness of ATARI
products.
3. World Championship Tour-
nament. Plans are underway
for a national players' tour-
nament that is designed to in-
crease location play and pro-
duct sales. Details will be out
in May.
A prototype for a new distri-
butor showroom product dis-
play was also shown. Its func-
tion is to demonstrate a com-
plete game play along with var-
ious features via a videotape,
and to provide a display setting
that will highlight ATARI games.
Also unveiled was a new
motion picture produced by
Stephen Ma rley Productions for
ATARI that shows step-by-step
how a coin-op video game is
created and produced. More
about this in a fu ture issue of
Coin Connection.
Finally, two special awards
were presented at the formal
banquet on Wednesday night.
The awards, for highest sales
Lee, Adria, Sandy, Al and Ira Bettleman receive award
for highest Asteroids sales in U.S. from Don Osborne.
Authorized
ATARI
Distributors
to Receive
Plaque
Shane Breaks congratulates
Herbert Nack from Loewen.
of Asteroids TM in 1980, were
presented by Don Osborne,
Vice President of Sales, to C.A.
Robinson for the domestic mar-
ket, and by Shane Breaks, Inter-
national Director of Marketing
to Loewen Automaten for the
international market. Both of
these distributors were com-
mended for their outstanding ef-
forts on behalf of ATARI and
Asteroids.
" The 'ATARI Classic' was
our most successful meeting to
date," commented Don
Osborne. "Everybody had a
good time, but more important-
ly, it helped to re-emphasize
our commitment to our distri-
butors for quality and support
that will continue to be the
best in the indust ry. "
ATARI at
College Union Show
•
=rhe Association of College
Unions International recently
held its 61 st Annual Con-
ference in San Francisco. The
show ran from April 12th-15th
and was held at the San Fran-
Soon, your authorized ATARI c isco Hilton.
distributor will be proudly dis-
The ATARI booth d rew large
playing a beautiful plaque certi- crowds due to the display of
fying his authority to sell and
the company's latest game,
service ATAR I games. The
the exciti ng Asteroids Deluxe™,
plaque is also a symbol of ex-
and its current hit, Battlezone™.
Frank Ballouz, Vice President
cellence and continuing quality
of Marketing, noted that, "The
support to your business. So
look for the plaque before you college union show is an im-
buy an ATARI game. Or you
portant one for ATARI. It pro-
might not get all that you pay
vides us an opportunity to pre-
for.
sent our newest product to the
Did You Know?
college union administrators. It
also gives us a chance to talk
to these people and explain the
advantages of having coin-op
games in a college union. Col-
lege students are some of our
best players, but the college
un ions are still an expanding
market. By attending the Asso-
ciation of College Unions'
show, we hope to make the
college union managers more
aware of the current coin-op
game product from ATARI, as
well as to make them aware of
the increase in income and
traffic that a well-placed coin-op
game can generate."
• • •
During ATAR l's AMOA Opera- of the profitability of games,
tor Survey nearly nine out of
and the growth in demand due
ten of the operators told us
to improved public acceptance.
they had placed coin-operated
In a related area, three out of
games in new locations
four surveyed operators report-
ed a net increase in their num-
during 1980. The predominant
reasons the locations accepted ber of locations. These opera-
games for the first time in-
tors added an average of twenty
clude: An increased awareness stops to their routes in 1980.