Ericsson unveils major advertising campaign for new ultra-compact Cellular Phone.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC--(BUSINESS WIRE)--November 12, 1996--

Headline Tells Consumers "Hold it and You're Hooked"

Ericsson, a worldwide leader in telecommunications and wireless products, launched its new lifestyle-driven advertising campaign for the recently introduced ultra-compact AF 738 personal telephone.

The campaign will appear in full-color, full-page ads in major national dailies USA Today and The Wall Street Journal and full-page black and white ads in regional dailies including Chicago Sun Times, Chicago Tribune, Atlanta Journal & Constitution, The New York Times, New York Daily News and New York Post. The campaign will also be featured on billboards in Los Angeles, Dallas, Atlanta, New York and Chicago. CMF&Z, a subsidiary of Young & Rubicam based in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, created the new campaign and is agency-of-record for Ericsson Inc. Cellular Phones in the United States.

"Hold It and You're Hooked"

The print campaign features either a man or a woman holding the Ericsson AF 738 in the palm of his or her hand. The copy highlights many of the phone's benefits, including the incredibly small size ("It hides in your hand"), light weight ("It weighs less than this newspaper") and superior talk time ("It lets you talk longer than the lunch hour you never get to take"). According to the headline, "Hold It and You're Hooked," consumers will especially be drawn to the light weight (4.8 ounces/137 grams) and ergonomically contoured design of the Ericsson AF 738.

"This lightweight Ericsson phone puts advanced calling capability in a user's hand in a compact package that slips easily into a purse or pocket," said Karen Morris, manager of marketing communications for Ericsson Inc. Cellular Phones. "Our exciting new advertising, featuring the AF 738's breakthrough combination of size, weight and performance, reinforces Ericsson's continuing commitment to the consumer."

AF 738 Personal Telephone

Ericsson's AF 738 Cellular phone has many advanced features that are simple to use. The new phone delivers an outstanding 90 minutes of talk time/24 hours of standby time. A unique benefit of the AF 738 personal telephone is its patented acoustic-channel flip, which dramatically enhances voice quality.

Ericsson's AF 738 has outstanding number and data storage capabilities such as:

- 99 speed dial memory locations for phone numbers up to 32 digits, convenient for saving lengthy long- distance or international numbers;

- Two additional speed dial memory locations store calling card numbers -- ideal for users with both business and personal calling cards. This feature automates otherwise lengthy calling card dialing.

- Nine one-touch Super Speed Dial memory locations;

- Five secure memory locations to store highly confidential numbers like credit card or bank account numbers, which can be password-protected for user access; the AF 738 can transmit such numbers to digital-voice response systems instead of the user announcing them over the phone;

- 10-character alphanumeric name tags can be assigned to phone numbers for easy recall by entering a word or name;

- A scratchpad feature with five locations allows users to store numbers while on a call;

- And, last 10 number redial.

The AF 738 will be sold in the U.S. and around the world wherever AMPS systems operate, including Canada, Latin America, Asia Pacific and Australia.

Additional information about Ericsson's cellular and PCS phones and accessories is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.ericsson.com or call toll-free at 1-800-ERICSSON.

Ericsson's U.S. operations, Ericsson Inc., are headquartered in Richardson, Texas. Ericsson has over 7,000 employees working in 100 facilities in nearly every state. Worldwide, Ericsson's 90,000 employees are active in more than 120 countries. Their combined expertise in switching, radio and networking makes Ericsson a world leader in telecommunications.

CONTACT: KATHY EGAN 

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LARS JONSTEG

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