Agency Sought to Promote New ‘Visual PCs’
LOS ANGELES–The maker of a planned line of personal computers has kicked off a national agency search for an estimated $40 million new account.
Silicon Graphics Inc., Mountain View, Calif., has contacted at least 10 agencies nationwide about handling creative and media duties for its planned line of so-called “Visual PCs,” said Michael Mace, marketing director for the Visual PC division, established about a year ago.
The computer company plans to narrow the list to several finalists and then select a shop in about two months, Mace said. Consultant Michael Markman, a former executive at Apple Computer, is assisting in the search, which is being overseen by Maryanne McGregor, marketing communications manager for the division.
The search does not affect SGI’s estimated $20 million corporate account, currently handled by CKS Partners, Cupertino, Calif., Mace said. CKS has been invited to pitch the new unit, he added.
Sources said SGI is planning to spend $40 million on advertising to support its PC push. Mace would only say that ad budgets will be comparable with “other PC companies.”
While the company is keeping details of the product under wraps, sources said it will launch during the second half of 1998 and introduce SGI’s advanced 3-D graphics capabilities into a PC setting. The product will be based on Windows NT software. SGI and Microsoft, once fierce rivals, announced an alliance last month.
The Visual PC “will take Silicon Graphics into a very different market,” Mace said. “So we want to evaluate who will be the best partner.”
While SGI is best known for its graphics, sources said a successful move into the PC market could go a long way toward boosting the $4 billion company’s financial results.
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