The
President's Corner
The recent series of unrelat-
ed but complementary events
revolving about Asteroids™ is
really quite phenomenal and un-
precedented. Local and national
radio and TV companies have
or w ill record and present pro-
grams focusing on ATARI, the
video boom, and Asteroids De-
luxe™ in particular. These in-
clude CBS, ABC, NBC and oth-
ers. The "Eddie ATARI" skit on
a recent "Saturday Night Live"
program has become a classic.
In April, NBC's "David Brinkley's
News Magazine" visited ATARI,
home of Asteroids.
What a wonderful opportuni-
ty for the operator and location
to take advantage of this mar-
velous publicity attracting at-
tention to a coin-operated
game. Use the publicity kits
avai lable to you on Asteroids
Deluxe, put up the posters in
Joe Robbins, President of
the Coin-Op Games division,
recently announced the estab-
lishment of an office in Tokyo,
Japan, tentatively titled "ATARI
Far East". Mr. Rivington Hight,
Jr. will serve as Manager of
Marketing and Sales and over-
see the operation of this new
ATARI venture.
Mr. Hight is a native of Geor-
"
gia. After graduating from Geor-
gia State University with a de-
.
gree in Accounting, he joined
~~-
l the military, where he studied
the windows of the location, try the Japanese language fora
a few radio spots and newspa-
year before being stationed in
per ads. It's all designed to bring the country. In 1972, Mr. Hight
in more players, put more mon- was appointed International
ey in the Asteroids Deluxe cash- Sales Manager for a small con-
boxes, and thus more money in sumer electronics manufac-
your pockets.
turer. After three years in th is
-Joe Robbins
capacity, Mr. Hight joined Taito,
Tokyo as an export manager.
In 1979, he was named Chief
Executive of Taito (Australia)
TTY, Ltd. and moved to Sidney.
Coin-Op
Missile CommandTM
in National TV
Commercial Test
In a first-time test to mea-
sure the impact of TV adver-
tising, ATARI has produced a
30-second television spot fea-
turing Coin-op Missile Com-
mand and introducing the
home video cartridge version
of the game. A 60-second
radio commercial has been
recorded which will be aired to
coincide with the TV ad .
The commercials are sched-
uled to beg in running at the
end of May and continue for a
four week period in Seattle,
Portland, Phoenix, Cinc innati,
Milwaukee and Pittsburgh.
Collections in selected loca-
tions will be monitored in these
cities and compared with "con-
trol'' cities with no TV and
radio advertising to determ ine
the effect on player activity.
Awareness levels of the ATAR I
name will also be checked.
If successful, future planning
will include further cooperative
commercials promoting both
Coin-op and home video games
to help build your business by
increasing player inte rest.
ATARI Holds
First Joint
Press Conference
For the first time in the Coin-
Op division' s history, a national
press conference was held in
New York March 23 to intro-
duce Asteroids Deluxe™ and
the home video cartridge ver-
sion of Missile Command.
Over 80 editors from both
trade and consumer publica-
tions along with local TV repre-
sentatives attended the event
at the Time and Life Building,
and experienced the excite-
ATARI Appoints Riv Hight
to Manage New
Far East Operation
ment firsthand of playing these
new games.
Commenting on the event,
Frank Ballouz, Coin-Op Vice
President of Marketing, said,
"This was part of a continuing
effort to tell more location own-
ers, and players about ATAR I
games. We believe the addi-
tional national exposure will
help game sales as well as boost
operator and location profits. "
As Taito Australia's chief exec-
utive, he handled importation,
distribution and operation of
games in Australia. Mr. Hight's
appointment as Manager of
ATARI Far East is effective
April 1.
Commenting on the appoint-
ment, Joe Robbins said, "We
are pleased to have Riv .join
us. Com ing to us as he does,
with his knowledge of the Japa-
nese language and experience
in the coin-op games business,
we expect him to be a great
help in setting up our new Far
East operation. Along with his
marketing and sales responsi-
bi lities for ATARI in Japan, Riv
will also be in charge of those
operations in Australia and the
Far East. This is another move
in ATARl's continuing effort to
expand our marketing base in
order to serve our international
customers better."
The Book-
Everything You
Wanted to Know
from Field Service
After months of compili ng
data, ATAR l's Field Service has
recently completed The Book,
a practical guide to electronic
game operation and service.
This illustrated service guide
contains information on: tools
and soldering, troubleshooting,
TV monitor repair, PCB com-
ponents, ICs, dig ital devices,
and analog devices. It also in-
cludes an 8-page glossary of
electronic terms.
The Book is a must for every
game operator, one of the most
complete and concise service
manuals on game operation
ever printed. The Book will be
available from your ATAR I dis-
tributor for $39 .00 beg inning in
May. Make sure and order your
copy for all the latest informa-
tion on video game service
and repair.