Samsung, Cable Cos. Set HDTV Marketing Push
三星与美有线公司斥巨资促销高清晰电视

Tue 16 March, 2004 12:46

(中文大意)
　　三星公司和美国一些主要的有线电视运营商已经启动了一项价值近千万美元的促销计划，主要是推销高清晰度电视(HDTV)，以便使这一高新产品进入更多的寻常百姓家。

　　三星美国分公司与美国有线及电信联合会这次联手推出了上述行动，内容包括电视、报纸以及互联网广告。HDTV较之标准的电视图像更加清晰，另外声音效果类似光盘，这种电视被视作媒体广播行业中“下一个突破”。

　　在大多数美国家庭，HDTV仍然非常罕见，但有线和卫星公司正在相互竞争使得这种电视可以进入普通家庭。三星美国分公司的战略营销副总裁皮特-韦德法尔德(Peter Weedfald)表示，这次的促销活动预计将一直持续到今年年底。他说：“我们将花费数亿美元提高公众对HDTV的意识。”

　　与三星合作的美国有线公司包括时代华纳有线和Comcast等，他们为大约95%的美国有线用户提供服务。这些公司拒绝透露将在促销中投资的具体数字，但表示应该是一个“8位数”，这意味着超过1000万美元。

　　根据促销计划，如果用户选择购买三星的电视机并与当地的有线电视提供商签署HDTV协议，那么就可以享受到100美元的折扣。

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Consumer electronics maker Samsung Electronics and major U.S. cable television operators have launched a multi-million-dollar marketing campaign for high definition TV, or HDTV, in a push to bring the technology into more homes.

The marketing campaign launched on Monday by the Cable & Telecommunications Association for Marketing and the U.S. arm of South Korea's Samsung includes advertising across TV, newspapers and Internet sites starting. It is strongly tied to the U.S. college basketball championships, also known as "March Madness," which begin later this week and run through the end of the month.

HDTV provides a sharper picture than standard television and sound quality similar to that of compact discs. It is seen as the "next big thing" in broadcasting.

Sales of big-screen digital TVs, such as those sold by Samsung Electronics, have jumped in anticipation of growth in HDTV programming, which has been slow to develop. HDTV is still rare in most U.S. homes, but cable and satellite companies have been racing to make the technology available as they increasingly compete for customers.

Peter Weedfald, vice president of strategic marketing and new media for Samsung Electronics America, said the campaign is expected to continue for the rest of the year.

"We are going to spend millions and millions of dollars to drive awareness," aimed at educating and build awareness of HDTV, said Weedfald.

The cable companies involved represent some 95 percent of cable subscribers in the United States, they said. They included Adelphia Communications Corp., Comcast Corp.  , Bright House Networks, Charter Communications Inc., Insight Communications, Mediacom Communications Inc. , Cox Communications and Time Warner Cable .

The companies declined to detail how much was being spent on the ad campaign, but said it was an "eight-figure number," meaning it was more than $10 million.

Under the marketing effort, consumers will be offered a $100 discount if they purchase a Samsung television and sign up for HDTV programming with their local cable provider.

Weedfald said the push will be judged both by retail sales of TVs and by the pace of customers signing up for cable TV HDTV services.