Background
Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) designs and produces microprocessors, Flash memory devices and lowpower processor solutions for the computer, communications and consumer electronics industries. AMD is dedicated to delivering standards-based, customer-focused solutions for a broad array of technology users.

Challenge
The perennial also-ran of the global semiconductor industry, AMD launched its 64-bit Opteron microprocessor in 2004, giving it an unprecedented technological advantage over arch-rival Intel. Opteron’s patented direct connect technology proved particularly successful in the entertainment industry, with leading producers including George Lucas, Robert Rodriguez, Jim Cameron and Henson Studios selecting AMD technology as their technology platform for digital film-making. With a promotional budget that was a mere fraction of its rival’s resources, AMD sought to highlight its Hollywood successes and position itself as the choice of the digital film making community in the general business, technology and digital entertainment trade media.

Within one month of engagement with AMD, Griffin developed and implemented a public relations program that included media tours to New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles plus media briefings at the NAB show in Las Vegas. In total, the agency arranged and moderated 70 one-on-one meetings between AMD and appropriate journalists, resulting in the following metrics:

• 165,000,000 Circulation/Reach
• 102,000 Web Placements, Internationally
• 80 Feature Article Placements
• 29 of 30 Major Market Radio Covered
• 5 Local News Broadcasts in Major Markets
• 3 National News Broadcasts

Highlights included a half-page feature article in USA Today and a full-page feature in Business Week. Other on-message highlights included news broadcasts on KCBS (Los Angeles), Fox11 (Los Angeles) and MSNBC (national).

The placements consistently highlighted AMD’s association with the most successful projects and producers and the messaging clearly articulated the company’s technology advantage over its competition. Through its close relationships with the technology media corps, intelligent positioning and industrious pitching and follow up, Griffin helped position AMD’s as the tool of champions, the clear alternative to “More of the same” and one of today’s most exciting technology firms.