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21st Challenge
21st Challenge No. 25
Take this job and post it! Tech-style "help wanted" ads for the rest of us.
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I wrote the code and got in early on the stock -- but was it worth so much trouble?
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[08/12/99]

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[08/12/99]

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The Web gives bands like the Beastie Boys a place to market music and merchandise -- but only if they can hold onto their digital rights.
By Janelle Brown
[08/11/99]

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At a recent industry conference, Peter Moore, Sega of America's senior vice president of marketing, jokingly called Stolar the "Prince of Darkness," in a lightly veiled reference to Stolar's reputation among many gamers. Stolar's popularity took a decided hit when Sega stopped supporting its Saturn. The Saturn was in serious trouble before Stolar arrived on the scene, but it was on his watch that the company ultimately pulled the plug and, for many, he is associated with its demise.

Startling as Stolar's departure may be, it is only one of several personnel changes. Sega Enterprises, the parent company, let go of nearly 1,000 people in Japan after announcing the $400 million loss. And in the United States, things haven't been running perfectly smoothly. For instance, Stephen Ackroyd was brought in as vice president of and general manager of business development to manage Sega's network gaming and e-commerce business model last September, but was gone by March. Since then, Sega has hired several new executives with the hope of reinvigorating the company's brand -- and to distance Sega from the Saturn debacle. Moore, who was at Reebok when Sega had its Saturn problems, has spoken loudly and often about Sega's previous mistakes, and repeatedly promised that things will be different this time around.

"We screwed up," Moore told retailers in back in April. "Everything that went wrong with Saturn, we've learned from: insufficient distribution; poorly thought out marketing campaign; hardly any software at launch -- all of those things have been resolved and are well in our past."

This time around Sega is promoting its console big-time. The plan is to build up an extensive community of gamers before Sony and Nintendo can get next year's PlayStation 2 and Dolphin into gamers' hands. So, Sega has deluged retailers with glossy marketing materials and unleashed pre-release rental units at a video store chain. Its advertising campaign includes sponsorship of the MTV Music Video Awards -- conveniently airing on Sept. 9 -- and ads featuring the cool Dreamcast logo, (a spiral, often swirled inside a hazel or orange eye), in Spin, Rolling Stone, Vibe and gaming publications, plus airtime on Fox, ESPN, WB and UPN.

The "It's thinking" ad campaign is slick and high-tech, with movie-like commercials conveying the message that the Dreamcast is an intelligent machine with the power to communicate through its network connection. (The early teaser campaign offered a more mysterious collage of provocative, fast-moving images and faces whispering "It's Thinking.")

But more important than any marketing or advertising, the Dreamcast will launch with a strong lineup of games. Thirteen titles will be available Sept. 9, including Sega's platformer Sonic Adventure, starring Sega's popular mascot, Sonic, in a 3-D world; Namco's fighter Soul Calibur, which has received rave reviews for its graphics, control and depth; and Midway's quick and entertaining boxer, Ready 2 Rumble. There are plans for 14 more games to be released before the new year -- and game demos will come with the official Dreamcast magazine, published by Imagine Media.

Plus the built-in modem will enable users to upgrade games online, as well as send e-mail, chat, check stats, participate in communities and most importantly, engage in head-to-head play. Sega recently announced a deal with AT&T to provide online services, but at the time of launch, no games with head-to-head play will be available. Sonic Adventure will take advantage of the modem in small ways (you can upload and download scores and stats, for example), but head-to-head racing in the much-anticipated Sega Rally 2, along with all other serious online gaming, will have to wait. "The building of the infrastructure is an enormously complex undertaking," says Moore.

Next page | Will Dreamcast be more than a one-Christmas toy?