NEWS-MJF spokesman for Gateway

[Murray Charters <Murray_Charters@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All,
I'm surprised no one has commented on this story since Judith alerted us on
Friday...  This is a major WIN - WIN!!  Michael and Parkinson's on TV at no cost
to his foundation.  And...

"Fox has led a battle to raise money for Parkinson's research and has devoted
his time to fighting the disease.  Gateway said it would contribute computers,
volunteers, and match employee contributions to Fox's Parkinson's research
foundation."

Gateway looks for celebrity help in soft market


Michael J. Fox to Debut in New Gateway 'People Rule' TV Campaign
1/19/01 6:55 AM
Source:PR Newswire Tonight


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Michael J. Fox to stump for computer retailer Gateway
By: Joe Wilcox, CNET News.com
1/19/01 10:32 AM


cheers .......... murray

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NEWS-MJF spokesman for Gateway

> Gateway Looks for Celebrity Help in Soft Market
>
> SAN FRANCISCO, January 19,2001  (Reuters) - Gateway Inc. launches a
> television advertising campaign on Friday with Michael J. Fox, aiming
> to use its first celebrity spokesman to gain an edge in a tougher
> market for personal computers, the company said.
>
> The new campaign will continue Gateway's ``People Rule'' slogan,
> emphasizing Gateway's reach ``beyond the box'' of the PC and into the
> higher-margin services and products that accounted for about half of
> company's revenues in the last quarter.
>
> Fox, who starred in the television series ``Spin City'' until this
> season, is known as an easy-going and straightforward celebrity who
> captured the nation's attention and sympathy when he disclosed that he
> suffers from Parkinson's disease.
>
> The television commercials will feature Fox playing an easy going,
> lightly cocky character who is setting up a home office and is
> emboldened when he learns how Gateway can help him with technology,
> such as buying and setting up a new computer, Gateway spokesman Brad
> Williams said.
>
> "He says things at the end like, 'I've got this technology thing
> figured out."
>
> San Diego, Calif.-based Gateway, the second-largest direct seller of
> personal computers disappointed Wall Street when it announced
> fourth-quarter profits earlier this month that came in at a third of
> the expected level.
>
> "We are in a competitive marketplace right now, and there has been
> some pretty widely reported softness in the PC market and so we are
> looking at everything we can do to differentiate ourselves from our
> competitors," Gateway spokesman Brad Williams said.
>
> Fox has led a battle to raise money for Parkinson's research and has
> devoted his time to fighting the disease. Gateway said it would
> contribute computers, volunteers and match employee contributions to
> Fox's Parkinson's research foundation.
>
>
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Murray_Charters@xxxxxxxxx