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Intel launches PC Dads technology literacy program

Below is a release that ran on the Business News wire Sept. 18, affirming that the PC Dads are now an official, honest-to-goodness, corporate-blessed Intel program.

Campaign includes national tour, new AOL forum and Web site

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sept. 18,1996-- Intel Corp. is launching an innovative national program aimed at helping non-technical parents, kids and teachers better understand computing and the Internet. The PC Dads, two real dads and managers from Intel, blend off-beat humor and technical knowledge to translate the often complex language of computers into simpler and more accessible terms. They provide helpful hints and humor via tutorial articles, a weekly radio show in the Portland, OR area and workshops around the country. Intel is kicking off the PC Dads campaign this week with the announcement of a national tour of workshops, their own Intel web page, and a new forum on America Online* (keyword: PCDads).

Who Are the PC Dads?

The PC Dads program is an outgrowth of Intel's overall commitment to increasing technology literacy through community outreach programs. Intel's PC Dads -- Ralph Bond and Mark Ivey -- are two self-described "PC-hip" parents who started this effort about a year ago when they began to get questions from friends and neighbors struggling to keep up with the fast pace of change in computer technology. In January of this year the PC Dads were asked to expand beyond the local programs they were doing and to take their show on the road as part of the outreach program associated with Intel's sponsorship of the Smithsonian Institution's 150th anniversary and 12-city exhibit tour. The success of their shows in five cities (Los Angeles, Kansas City, New York, Providence and Boston) led, in part, to Intel's decision to expand the PC Dads program.

"The PC Dads fit well with our core corporate philosophy," said Dennis Carter, Intel's vice president of marketing. "Their unique 'down-home' approach gives us a chance to reach many of the consumers who are just entering the world of the computer and the Internet."

According to the recent Northlich Stolley LaWarre/Techtel Consumer Technology Attitude Survey of 1,800 consumer households, for example: -- 89 percent agree that students must learn computer skills to succeed-- 43 percent would rather spend an hour on the PC than an hour watching television -- 56 percent can't imagine a world without computers.

"The PC Dads help demystify the personal computer and the Internet," said John Marchiony, marketing director for The Computer Museum in Boston. "Their recent show here was a hit with the kids and the parents. Children loved the costumes, color and fun and the parents walked away with useful tips."

PC Dads Activities and Highlights

Workshops: Last year, the PC Dads created the "PC Safari" workshop to help inform people who were buying a computer by cutting through the sometimes bewildering techno-talk found in advertising encountered on show room floors. Their most recent show is a "cyber safari" which aims at helping audiences discover the wonders of the Internet. The 30-minute tutorial show includes live demos that allow parents and kids to try out new software and surf the Internet. Upcoming PC Dads appearances are planned for St. Paul, MN on Oct. 24 and 26 and Houston, TX for early January. Future show venues will include Dallas, TX; Portland, OR; San Jose, CA; and Chicago, IL.

Other activities: The PC Dads will continue to appear on a 15-minute weekly radio program, broadcast from KUIK in Hillsboro, OR. Other plans include one-minute "PC Nuggets" that will be distributed to other radio stations and possibly on the Internet. The PC Dads will also continue writing informative articles for national distribution. Their past articles -- on such topics as "How To Buy a PC" and "How to Ensure a Safe Internet Experience" -- have already reached more than 100 million readers around the world.

Intel, the world's largest chip maker, is also a leading manufacturer of personal computer, networking and communications products. Through innovative technologies, Intel is committed to improving the Internet experience for PC consumers.

Additional information is available at the Intel pressroom.

* Third-party marks and brands are the property of their respective owners.

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