Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) is hoping to boost the brand by going directly to consumers in store.
Country manager Imi Mosaheb explains that the local subsidiary will be approaching the larger retail businesses, particularly in Gauteng, with its new campaign. AMD will provide the retailers with training and demonstration models of AMD-based systems - a sorely lacking component in many retailers in SA.
AMD will provide retailers with brochures aimed at educating both customers and shop assistants around the products which it will be offering. “We have decided to use a go to market partner, which is vendor-neutral to help us get to the consumer,” he adds.
However, the third party, which the company declined to disclose, would approach the retailers as an AMD representative.
Mosaheb says the major retailers to be approached in the Gauteng area will include the JD Group, the IC group, Computer Corporation and most likely Matrix Warehouse. These groups cover most of the major retailers, including Incredible Connection and Dion Wired.
The marketing plan will later be extended to the rest of the country after the first roll-out in Gauteng is complete. “Figures show that 60-70% of all ICT products are sold in the province and we want proximity for the first roll-out so that we can directly manage it,” explains Mosaheb.
The company has shown strong growth in the local server market and, while it has shown a good local consumer presence, Mosaheb says it wants to attract more. In Q3 of last year, the company increased its server presence by 17%. Q4 results are still pending.
At the beginning of January, AMD released its Phenom II-based platform, dubbed Dragon. The platform is expected to boost retail sales for the company since it appeals to the gaming market. The company has also made attractive deals with Vendors like Dell and HP, which promises to increase its consumer footprint.
Related stories:
Enter the Dragon
AMD energy-saving chip arrives
AMD unveils processor roadmap
Share