13/10/2017
Can't help but share this photo with the old timers!
I hope it is not only I who recognizes this picture which I accidentally found while cleaning up my old files. It was taken November 1989 when A&D Engineering hosted the ISWM, International Society of Weighing & Measurement, in San Jose. We were planning to launch the FC counting scales which would become the symbol of A&D technologies for the next decade or so. The FC series turned out to be one of the most reliable and accurate counting scales in the industry and helped us to expand our footprint and become common at scale dealers. We put a lot of thought into it and had input from the US market which lead to several new features that provided accuracy together with the ease of use. We gave it three button simple operation and a reset button, which we used to call the “Baba Function” during our dealer training which followed the debut in 1989. The Baba Function was the very function workers on the factory floor wanted to have as they had trouble with the functions of the counting scales then.
This billboard advertisement was put up along the freeway from the San Jose Airport to the Hyatt Regency Hotel where the show was held. It was the most common route from the San Jose Airport to the hotel. The billboard appeared in front of people as they drove into town after making right turn on the freeway 880. It cost $8,000 then! (Actually it cost a bit more than $8,00 as we agreed to have what they call “Hang-over”, a part that sticks out from the bill board which we were told increased eye-catching dramatically.) We got so excited with the idea but realized the likelihood of it being recognized was very low. “How many people are going see it?” and “Too expensive for a one time product ad” were common arguments that almost stopped us from putting it up.
“Why not ask our dealers if they saw it? If the answer is no, we can talk about it and explain all the trouble we had gone through to put it up there. We can even start talking about it immediately before the show starts. We are the host of the show so let’s go for it and try to make the best out of it.” Paul Huber, then the President of A&D Engineering made these statements and concluded we go for it and make this investment. We argued that we can make it worth the money if we all act to make it so.
I was the program chairman for the show. After reviewing thick books for commercially available speakers from for motivation, entertainment and business orientated. We selected Frank Abagnale who became known with his book and movie “Catch Me If You Can”. It was a great choice for the show which had many family members of scale industry. I kept talking about the billboard the whole time! Oh, it was fun and became the highlight of my stay at ADE before I returned to the headquarters in Japan the following year.
Hope I can hear from some of you who saw the billboard then!
