Where's CW's PR - is this platform still viable?

dblbass · Post by **dblbass** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 9:46 pm

spent a few $$$ in the newsagent's yesterday - brought home latest issues of Sound on Sound, Electronic Musician, and Keyboard

read all three cover to cover. lots of glowing product reviews and breathless ad copy on various new hardware and software products. Still, it looks to me me like Pulsar platform, and all the goodies I can run on it, is an awfully well-thought out approach and a very competitive solution (dxl, no need for you to comment here, we all know your views

)

But I scarcely saw CW and its products in any of these mags. What gives? Do they just not do PR the way most of these companies do. ? Or are they so well established they feel they don't need to? Do these mags simply editorially choose to ignore CW? Why aren't more distributors and bundlers pushing the platform? Will they be around a year or two later? What are we to make of this?

JoeKa · Post by **JoeKa** » Thu Feb 07, 2002 10:28 pm

But CW has it´s testreviews and regular full-page ads (often even as back-cover) in the german magazines "Keys", "Keyboards" and formerly in the "Plug´n´Play" (which is discontinued, afaik)...

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Fri Feb 08, 2002 12:37 am

Seems to me that it's an Euro platform - big in Germany, France and Italy - not the US. Perhaps some of our European members can contribute their thoughts?

Funktastico · Post by **Funktastico** » Fri Feb 08, 2002 2:09 am

In Finland, CW is underground stuff ... thank god for the internet.

Gregory · Post by **Gregory** » Fri Feb 08, 2002 8:46 am

I've been reading the Music Mags awhile and it's true that Creamware has a better ad presence in Europe than America. In the American ads their presence is either ineffectual or just downright bad (blame it on the ad agencies, I think). You need to get Future Music magazine or Computer Music magazine to see a real Creamware ad presence in an english speaking magazine.

kensuguro · Post by **kensuguro** » Fri Feb 08, 2002 8:50 am

AFAIK, Pulsar ain't too big in Japan either. XTC seems to be getting some magazine reviews, but in terms of ads, not too good.

King of Snake · Post by **King of Snake** » Fri Feb 08, 2002 1:18 pm

It shows up regularly in dutch mags and I see it all the time in FutureMusic as well. Shame there's never reviews or items about the synths and stuff released for the platform, just the hardware itself.

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Fri Feb 08, 2002 3:59 pm

Most of the mentions in Australia are from dealers selling the hardware but it's always way out of date - sometime even showing pictures of Pulsar I. The distributor's website has a list of links to retailers but about 75% don't even list CW stuff on their site.

And it's funny that XTC gets some PR. IMHO XTC is the weakest and most forgettable part (I know some people love it).

One other point: I like using a lesser-known platform. I had a chance to get a fantastic deal on Reason, but passed it up because EVERYONE uses it. I don't want to use the same tools as everyone else on the block. Of course this has to be balanced against the need for the platform to be reasonably popular and healthy so development can continue...

I'd like to hear how CW is in Italy, France and Germany (which I think are the three big markets for CW), but I suppose they have their own launguage forums....

coc999 · Post by **coc999** » Fri Feb 08, 2002 4:37 pm

hi,in paris you can find the pulsar in the
catalogue of main of the leader music shops.
I discover it in a mac review.You find it in some catalogues(always good technical appreciations).For the french forums i don't go i know there is one http://www.maomusique.com,but i come always here:)

Post by **garyb** » Fri Feb 08, 2002 5:32 pm

the products covered by music magazine are all the result of WELL paid ads.check how a featured item always is within a page of a full page ad.this costs a lot.you FOOLS! this is the music industry. think industrial. think created need.think capitalism.send creamware LOTS of money,they will become very rich and then they can afford to be featured so that their products can be used by everyone in the "industry" and they can RULE THE EARTH!!!!!!!!!!!!! BWAAHAAHAAHAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.

dayv · Post by **dayv** » Sun Feb 10, 2002 5:12 pm

Perhaps that is the case with most magazines (including e-music mags), but you can't say that about SOS. They have been, and always will be, a fair and good magazine.

I love em.

[d]

topbanana · Post by **topbanana** » Mon Feb 11, 2002 2:46 pm

Here's a very old review from Sound On Sound mag if it's of any use.

http://www.sospubs.co.uk/sos/mar99/arti ... amwave.htm

Regards

TB

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Mon Feb 11, 2002 3:54 pm

hi from Germany and hello on this highly inspiring forum
all CW Products are well covered in all major music stores, audio hardware specialists/bundlers and even the mail order stores here.

kurst · Post by **kurst** » Mon Feb 11, 2002 5:13 pm

Hi, here in Italy the distributor of CW does a nice job and alot of dealers have CW stuff... I've never seen anyways ads of CW itself on magazines, but there are really alot of articles, tutorials and news on some specialized press... most of all Cubase Magazine... they published a Pulsar Clinic that afaik began about one year ago and still continues on the pages of this magazine... And here in Italy there are really alot of people using Pulsar

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: kurst on 2002-02-11 17:14 ]</font>

dblbass · Post by **dblbass** » Mon Feb 11, 2002 9:05 pm

interesting responses

It appears CW is pretty well established in several major European markets, well supported by dealers and well followed in the industry press. I'm Asia-based, and most of the newsagents here sell US and UK editions of these mags.

Anyway, your responses suggest that the low profile I've observed in much of the English language press does not necessarily mean I need to worry that I've committed lots of $$ and time into will drop off the face of the earth before the next software upgrade.

Of course Garyb, you are right, these publications are simply responding to economics - but it makes me wonder why CW doesn't see benefit in raising its proflie outside of European markets. Do they not have the $$$ to invest in wider advertising? or do they feel these mkts aren't worth it,, or what?

Also, dayv, I too like SOS alot, but note that Martin Walker used to mention Mod2 when he mentioned Reason and STS when he mentioned Giga or Halion, but no longer seems to do so. I still think these are great products.

marcuspocus · Post by **marcuspocus** » Mon Feb 11, 2002 9:40 pm

I don't think that Creamware is gona disapear soon, look at all the BIG BIG places they have selled complete professionnal broadcast systems :

International
Australia: Sky Radio
Brazil: Radio Tupi, Radio Nativa FM, TV Alterosa, Cinevideo, Sociedade Radiofusora Batatais, Warner Music
China: China National Radio, East Radio Shanghai, Beijing Film Academy, China Radio International, China National Record Corporation, Pacific Audio & Video Co., China Nationa Record Corporation Shanghai Branch, China Central Opera Studio, China People's University Press, Beijing Broadcasting Institute, China Central Television CCTV, Central News Studio TV & Film, China National Security Department
Finland: YLE Finnish Broadcast Corp. etc.
Netherlands: NOB Hilversum
Nepal: National Radio Nepal
Palestina: Puplar Art Radio
USA / Canada: CBC Canadian Broadcast Corporation, CFRY, Energy 108 FM, Radio Quebec, Rock95 FM, Lucas Films, Castle Rock Entertainment, Black Diamonds Productions, University of Illinois, University of Mississippi, University of British Columbia
Zambia: National Radio Zambia

BTW, those 'PRO SYSTEMS' are based on Pulsar2 cards!

http://www.creamware.de/en/Products/Clan/referenz.asp

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: marcuspocus on 2002-02-11 21:42 ]</font>

Spirit · Post by **Spirit** » Mon Feb 11, 2002 9:44 pm

I didn't even know they made such products ! have they another site for these ?

marcuspocus · Post by **marcuspocus** » Tue Feb 12, 2002 5:27 am

No, same place, another link : http://www.creamware.de/en/Products/Clan/default.asp

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Tue Feb 12, 2002 10:34 am

Additionally a Scope system is very competetive for scientific and industrial data processing applications. They're said to make quite some earnings with these 'behind public curtain'