Client
AbilityFirst
A whole new way to compute
How do you go about changing the face of computing forever? Quite a challenge for the upstart Aqcess Technologies. To succeed, founder and president Jon-Erik Prichard knew he had to create a brand identity as unique as his new invention: the first Personal Computing Tablet, which he had dubbed the Qbe (pronounced “cube”). But even more than that, he wanted to grow a culture that supported this incredible new tool for communication and expression — a decade before the launch of the iPad.
What we did
Together, we began to define “Qbism” — a concept built around making technology work the way humans do, instead of the other way around. We worked closely with the public relations team and the marketing staff to make sure the message would be consistent across all our combined efforts.
Then we set out to impact the industry at the nation’s largest computer trade show. First, we developed a new visual vocabulary for selling a high-tech product. Then we applied it to a broad range of marketing tools, including a 2,000 square-foot exhibit, an interactive introduction, television and print advertising, packaging, and knockout collateral that all worked together to give the Qbe almost instant visibility in the industry.
Results
Traffic to the exhibit was simply overwhelming, generating some 10,000 sales leads. The Qbe became one of the most talked-about new products at the show. It was named Best of COMDEX by PC Week (beating out the likes of Sony and Hewlett Packard), and was nominated as Best New Product by byte.com.
We continued to help plan creative strategies, produce key marketing tools, and worked closely with the in-house design staff while providing creative direction. Sadly, the Qbe was years before its time, and Aqcess was unable to manufacture a product that matched Prichard’s transformative vision. Before it flamed out, the Qbe lit up an industry and paved the way for tablet computing.