June 15th, 2004

Scotts Valley, CA - Optigen®, a new product being launched this month by Mt. View-based Hitachi Chemical Diagnostics, is featured in an integrated marketing program developed by Tam Communications under the direction of Executive Producer/Creative Director, Susan O’Connor Fraser. O’Connor Fraser worked closely with Hitachi’s in-house marketing staff on the creation of the campaign to launch the new product targeted at pediatricians and general practitioners, doctors routinely treating patients for possible allergies. The product is ideal for doing front-line allergy testing in children because only a small serum sample is required. It will first be launched in Europe, with roll-outs in Japan and the U. S. to be announced later.

The end result of the close collaboration includes two brochures, an illustrated printed training piece, an animated video that can play both inside the company’s trade show booth and on their web site, and a new web page. Additionally, a coloring book was developed for company sales reps and distributors to leave with physicians and clinics that provide front-line allergy screening.

O’Connor Fraser wrote the script for the animated video. Artist, Aaron Dingman then created the various animations, which were edited together by Tam Fraser in Tam’s Avid editing suite. For the brochures and illustrated training tool, O’Connor Fraser tapped artist Jubily Boy of Salt ‘n Paper. The three pieces are the first being produced that align with the Hitachi “Inspire the Next” branding campaign.

The coloring book, the brainchild of O’Connor Fraser, was illustrated by Dingman and then laid out by Boy. Dingman’s illustrations included the various things in our every day lives that can trigger an allergic reaction including animals, foods, grasses, and dust mites. The cover of the coloring book is an illustration of the photo used on the front of the product brochure.

Boy also developed the design for the product’s web page. While different from the rest of the Hitachi Chemical Diagnostics site, the page works cohesively with the other Optigen marketing materials and will, over time, be mirrored throughout the HCD site. Web integrator, Jason Guerra, integrated the page and the accompanying materials available as pdfs or, in the case of the animation, as an flv (flash video) file.

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.