Printer Maker Rolls Out Sharply Defined Ads

Advertiser: Tektronix Inc.

Agency: Anderson & Lembke, San Francisco

Challenge: Create a global identity for a long-established electronics firm that is little known outside technical circles but is preparing to take aim at a broader market.

The Ads: Various print ads use thought bubbles, similar to those used in comic strips, to tout electronic testing equipment, network computers and color printers. An ad for equipment used to test software shows a weird gizmo inside a bubble that is part phone, TV and toaster. The tongue-in-cheek copy boasts that Tektronix has tools for testing such a “home entertainment system complete with dual bioluminescent feedback loops [and] infrared galactic communications.” An ad for color printers shows a white bubble against a pattern of bright colors. The copy says, “If you can dream it up, we’ve got a way to get you there.”

Comment: Tektronix is leveraging its leadership in electronic testing equipment, from which it derives about half of its $2-billion annual sales, to build a commanding image as it prepares to compete in the fast-growing market for color office printers. Although it is a leading supplier of high-end printers to such specialized users as graphic designers, it faces stiff competition from Hewlett-Packard and Canon in the less specialized office market. The ads are eye-catching and deliver a convincing message. $$$

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Ads are rated from $ to $$$$, based on tastefulness and probable effectiveness, with $$$$ being highest.