May 26th, 2000

SAN JOSE, CA -- Tam Communications recently launched a strategic trade show effort for Network Appliance, creating a comprehensive communications solution for the Sunnyvale company's booth at Networld+Interop (N+I). The program features some of the most cutting-edge media technologies available, such as powerful 3-D animation sequences and DVD playback; and the entire package included a 3-D presentation, four complex video modules with professional presenter, and a pre-show direct mail piece and web site.

N+I, held from May 7 to 12 in Las Vegas, hosted more than 850 exhibitors and 60,000 attendees from the networking, internet and telecommunications industries. The crowds and competitive environment demanded a memorable media approach that would enable Network Appliance to reach even an overstimulated audience, selling products and securing new customers.

For the opening theatre presentation, Tam Communications developed a four-minute 3-D animated piece to illustrate the current problems within a typical network and present the solutions offered by NetApp's products. Futuristic models of servers and data packets interact in an overloaded network "city" where the failings of general-purpose servers affect video streaming requests—giving users slow, choppy results. But a second look shows how Network Appliance products transform the world of the network, establishing an efficient environment with optimal video streaming. In addition to the 3-D animation, the piece also includes other graphical effects and video, and features an original music score by Pat Mosca of Mosca Music.

Tam also created four presentations to follow the 3-D animation, each providing more detail on a different NetApp solution. Crafted from an elaborate combination of video, composited graphics, and 3-D elements, the four programs were accompanied by a professional presenter at the show.

The 3-D animation and four presentations played off DVD, ensuring the highest visual quality and nonlinear access to each program. Additionally, narrated versions of the presentations were streamed through NetCache, Network Appliance's video streaming product, to kiosks surrounding the booth.

Attesting to the effectiveness of Tam's media projects, Network Appliance has already presented the five programs at shows in Europe. All are currently being translated into French, German, and Japanese, and will be distributed worldwide on CD, DVD, and video.

For use before the event, Tam Communications also produced a direct mail piece to inform NetApp's potential customers about the trade show exhibition. The 10,000 recipients were invited to retrieve more information about N+I from a special NetApp web site, which encouraged them to stop by the NetApp booth at the show for a free five-dollar gaming chip.

A large percentage of the Tam staff contributed to the Network Appliance effort. Creative Director/Writer Susan O'Connor Fraser developed the concepts for the presentations; Michael Baxter and Aaron Dingman completed the 3-D modeling and animation; Jeff Cowan produced the projects; Tam Fraser served as director and Sandra Silva as art director; Timothy O'Connor Fraser was technical consultant; and John Barrett, Ed Cook, and Tam Fraser edited the pieces.

Tam Communications is a leading digital media company, servicing corporate and entertainment clients by combining technical, creative, and communications expertise in the realms of video, interactive multimedia, and web. The company's expanding spectrum of original entertainment programming—developed for broadcast, cable, syndication, and other venues—airs worldwide. Tam Communications is a privately held company located in Scotts Valley, CA. Please visit our web site at www.tamcom.com.